HC Deb 24 November 1975 vol 901 cc479-80
37. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Lord President of the Council when he now hopes to publish his White Paper on devolution.

The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Edward Short)

On 27th November.

Mr. Dalyell

Has the Lord President noticed that when confronted with the cost of an Assembly the chorus says "Do away with the regions"? Whatever the merits of the proposal, is this devolution? On the contrary, it is not: it is centralisation and Edinburgh bureaucracy. Are not the purist devolutionists in the House people like me who want to do it through the regions?

Mr. Short

I tried to follow the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question, but I am afraid that I got lost. However, the question of costs will certainly be dealt with in the White Paper.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

Does the Lord President agree that the kind of devolution that would be most welcome in Scotland is a firm commitment by the Government that the 7,000 Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office jobs will be devolved quickly from London to Scotland? Can he explain the astonishing delay in the programme to transfer these jobs? Has it anything to do with fears that devolution might lead to separatism?

Mr. Short

I myself gave the assurance for which the hon. Gentleman asks at this Box last July. I now reaffirm that assurance.