§ 33. Mr. Adleyasked the Lord President of the Council what further proposals he intends to make regarding devolution of power to Scotland.
§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Michael Foot)I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 March.
§ Mr. AdleyIs the Lord President aware that the behaviour of the Government since the referendum has given the impression that they are more interested 23 in saving their own skin than in the principle of devolution? Is not there a danger that this behaviour will result only in increasing disillusion throughout the United Kingdom with Westminster government?
§ Mr. FootI repudiate entirely every word of and implication of the hon. Gentleman's remarks. What the Government have done, in accordance with the Prime Minister's statement, is to send out invitations to all parties in the House to join in talks. I very much hope that they will respond to that invitation. That is a proper way for the House of Commons and the Government to respond to the kind of results in the referendums, both in Wales and in Scotland, but especially in Scotland where there was no clear result in that sense.
§ Mr. StokesIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that devolution is highly unpopular in England—in three-quarters or four-fifths of the United Kingdom—and in Wales, and that a further long period of reflection will be required before any further proposals are put forward?
§ Mr. FootThat may be the hon. Gentleman's view, and he is entitled to it, but it does not accord with the innumerable statements made on the subject by Opposition Members. I am not referring especially to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Taylor) who speaks for Scotland on the Opposition side, because he was strongly in favour of a Scottish Assembly during the last election campaign. I am sure that he and the hon. Member for Halesowen and Stourbridge (Mr. Stokes) have been arguing the matter ever since.