§ 41. Mr. Reidasked the Lord President of the Council what studies he has commissioned into the independent fund-raising powers of the Scottish Assembly.
§ The Minister of State, Privy Council Office (Mr. Gerry Fowler)This question was considered and reported on by the Kilbrandon Commission, and is being kept under review as part of our continuing work on devolution.
§ Mr. ReidIn the course of that review, will the Minister give serious consideration to including among the powers of the Scottish Assembly the right to raise revenues directly from Scottish oil?
§ Mr. FowlerOil is a United Kingdom resource, and we intend that oil revenues shall be used for the benefit of the community as a whole, including, of course, Scotland and those other regions of the United Kingdom which have suffered as a result of the aftermath of the first Industrial Revolution.