§ 47. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister the Government's proposals for adding to the powers of the Scottish Grand Committee.
§ The Prime MinisterThe powers of the Scottish Grand Committee already extend beyond the functions of the other 199 Standing Committees. The Government do not, therefore, consider that there is any need to increase them. We are, however, considering the suggestion made in the recent debate on the Report of the Royal Commission that at the Committee stage of Bills it may not always be necessary to use the full Committee.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Prime Minister aware that the Scottish Grand Committee is now regarded as the penitentiary for refractory Members from England and Northern Ireland, and that they only come into the Committee when the Division bell rings to decide Scottish business? Is the right hon. Gentleman also aware that the Government have robbed the Scottish Grand Committee of six days for discussing Scottish Estimates and Scottish business, and is this not a good time, at the beginning of a new Parliamentary Session, to look thoroughly into the question of how we can give more powers to and improve the efficiency of the Scottish Grand Committee?
§ The Prime MinisterI should be most reluctant, as an English Member, to intervene in respect of the earlier part of the supplementary question. I have a feeling that it might get me into considerable trouble.
As regards the second part of the supplementary question, relating to the arrangements about Supply days and the General Election, it is true that certain steps had to be taken in order to enable us to hold the General Election. Perhaps if there is a matter on that subject that the hon. Gentleman wants to raise, it could be raised with the Leader of the House through the usual channels.
§ Captain DuncanDoes my right hon. Friend realise, if he is discussing through the usual channels this question of dividing the work of the Scottish Grand Committee to deal with certain Bills, that the Labour Party this morning voted against its own Whip?
§ Mr. RankinNot at all.
§ Mr. WoodburnTo come to a more serious point—the incidental and accidental loss of the six days that are normally allocated to the discussion of Estimates in the Scottish Grand Committee—I suggest that the Government, in the extraordinary circumstances which have arisen, I have no doubt quite un- 200 intentionally, should not deprive Scotland of this special opportunity, and that provision should be made for the allocation of some days for the Scottish Grand Committee to discuss the Votes of the Departments for Scotland. It would not interfere with the normal work of the House.
§ The Prime MinisterI think there is some complexity about the matter in respect of our Standing Orders. Perhaps the matter could be discussed through the usual channels.
§ Mr. RankinOn a point of order. Is it in order for the Prime Minister to compare the Scottish Grand Committee with any other Standing Committee?
§ The Prime MinisterI thought I was trying to avoid any of Mrs. Malaprop's odoriferous comparisons.
§ Mr. SpeakerAnyhow, it is not a point of order.