Lossiemouth (Hansard, 15 February 1978)

§ 10. Mrs. Winifred Ewing
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will pay a visit to Lossiemouth.

§ The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Mr. Gregor MacKenzie)
My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

§ Mrs. Ewing
If the Secretary of State had time to come to Lossiemouth, would he care to follow up the letter that he wrote to me last week on the vexed question of the replacement of Lossiemouth senior school? Is the Under-Secretatry of State aware of the strength of demand of meetings of hundreds of parents and of a united headmaster and staff who are asking for the justice that was promised them before and after regionalisation, instead of which they are being fobbed off with half a school—a split school with its parts three-quarters of a mile from one another—without modern facilities, and all this against the background that we are to have a great increase in the local population through the Ministry of Defence adding to its base? Moreover, due to the fact—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Lady ought to ask a question. That was almost as long as a Scottish sermon.

§ Mr. MacKenzie
My right hon. Friend, who is well aware of the situation, will have heard the points made by the hon. Lady. If she really wants a serious answer on that matter she would do better to table a Question.

§ Mr. Dalyell
On the question of Lossiemouth, does my hon. Friend recall the letter headed "RAF and SNP", in which the SNP asks What is to happen to the Royal Air Force in Scotland when Scotland becomes independent"—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman must not quote in asking a supplementary question.

§ Mr. Dalyell
I was wondering how the Scottish Royal Air Force was getting on in Lossiemouth.

§ Mr. MacKenzie
Probably as well as the Scottish Royal Navy and Army, or whatever it may be. Frankly, I am not in a position to advance my hon. Friend's education on that. Perhaps one day we shall see some common sense coming from the SNP about these matters.

§ Mrs. Ewing
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
Would the hon. Lady mind keeping her point of order until after Questions?

§ Mrs. Ewing
I am always guided by you, Mr. Speaker, but it is in relation to the question asked.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I want to be fair to all, and my experience is that hon. Members on either side can be provoked by a question asked from the other side. I shall be glad if the hon. Lady will follow the practice and raise her point of order at the end of Questions. I shall be here, and I hope that she will be.

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
On a more serious matter, will the hon. Gentleman accept that, in the event of the nationalists having their way and Scotland becoming independent, there would be a massive loss of defence and other jobs, which could have a very significant effect in education? Is any contingency plan being prepared for the educational disruption which would inevitably stem from a substantial outflow of jobs and people from Scotland if such an event were to take place?

§ Mr. MacKenzie
No plans of any kind are being drawn up on that basis. I am certain that most right hon. and hon. Members believe that we shall have not separatism but a proper Assembly, as the House wishes, which will meet the aspirations of the Scots.

§ Mrs. Ewing
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory and debonair way in which my question about the Lossiemouth school was dealt with, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.