§ 45. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister if he will consider including in the terms of reference of the proposed Select Committee on Procedure power to consider whether Questions dealing with purely Scottish matters should be answered at the Scottish Grand Committee.
§ The Prime Minister (Sir Anthony Eden)As I indicated in replying to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Dundee, East (Mr. G. M. Thomson) on 26th June, I believe that the arrangements for Parliamentary Questions are best discussed through the usual channels and in consultation with the authorities of the House. In any event, I do not think that a proposal to have Questions answered in Standing Committee is practicable or desirable.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Prime Minister aware that we get the opportunity of meeting the Secretary of State for Scotland at Question Time only about once in every six weeks, and that if Scottish Questions were asked in the Scottish Grand Committee it would ease the problems of other hon. Members in the House?
§ The Prime MinisterI thought that we had 23 Scottish Questions on the Order Paper today.
§ Mr. WoodburnI hope that the Prime Minister will not take the humour of my hon. Friend the Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) too seriously in this case, because I can assure him that most Scottish Members, and Scotland itself, would very much resent any suggestion of putting Scotland off the Floor of this House.
§ The Prime MinisterThat had occurred to me.