HC Deb 21 October 1968 vol 770 cc880-2
39. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will now initiate the establishment of a Specialist Committee to investigate the activities of the Scottish Office, and the activities of other Government Departments in Scotland.

Mr. Peart

I shall bear this suggestion in mind when I bring proposals for setting up Select Committees before the House early next Session. But I cannot enter into any commitments at this stage.

Mr. Hamilton

Will my right hon. Friend say whether that Answer has been influenced by the fact that we are short of Clerks, or is my right hon. Friend saying that he agrees very much in principle with the importance of establishing such a Committee but that he is prevented from doing so until there are available the required number of Clerks to man the Committees?

Mr. Peart

The hon. Member has put to me a very subtle question. Of course I must bear in mind the ability to staff Committees. I have said that, and the hon. Member will have appreciated my reply to the previous Question. There are matters affecting Scotland and Wales; I am pressurised by many hon. Members from different parts of the country, as indeed was shown in a previous Question, to consider the needs of other areas as well. All these factors must be borne in mind. I am not yet in a position to make a statement, but perhaps early in the next Session, as I have said, I may be able to make a more definite pronouncement.

Mr. David Steel

When the Leader of the House is bearing this in mind over the next week or two, will he bear in mind also that the Secretary of State for Scotland, even as distinct from the Secretary of State for Wales, has executive responsibilities to this House which are the equivalent of seven or eight Ministries, that, therefore, the capacity of the individual Member to cross-examine him on individual matters of policy is much less than with other Ministers, and that the establishment of this Specialist Committee is a good suggestion, which would go a long way to improve the responsibilities of Government to the people of Scotland?

Mr. Peart

I am aware of the responsibility of the Secretary of State and the desire of several hon. Members to have this Specialist Committee. I said that I must look at many sides of this. I will bear the matter in mind.