§ 23 Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to have brought into Scottish custody in Scotland such Scottish national archives and records as are at present outside Scotland.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Henderson Stewart)Under Section 4 of the Public Records (Scotland) Act, 1937, nine major documents relating to Scotland which had been kept in the Public Record Office were in that year transferred to the Scottish Record Office. The transfer of other Scottish records in the Public Record Office was effected under Section 5 (1) of the Act in 1949 and 1950, with the consent of the Master of the Rolls. No further transfer is contemplated at the present time.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Minister aware that the poets, historians, and other literati of Scotland require access to many of these archives, which are not now available, and these should now be made available to them in Scotland? What steps is he taking to that desirable end?
§ Mr. StewartThose documents which are manifestly English documents are there. All documents are readily available, as the hon. and learned Gentleman knows.