HC Deb 09 December 1980 vol 995 c786
Mr. Harry Ewing (Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth)

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker—

Mr. Speaker

I shall take this one last point of order, and then we shall have a statement.

Mr. Ewing

This is on a different matter, Mr. Speaker. I hope that the whole House will regard it as very important. It is based on the belief that the House is responsible for its Committees once they have completed their work.

This morning the Secretary of State for Scotland and all his Ministers refused to vote for their own policy document in the Scottish Grand Committee. As a result, great uncertainty has been caused about the standing of that document and whether the Government have now re versed their policy in relation to their proposals to close the colleges of education.

Can you help the House, Mr. Speaker, in the serious situation that has arisen because the Secretary of State refused to vote in favour of his own policy document?

Mr. Speaker

As the House knows, I never rule on what happens in a Standing Committee. Statement, Mr. Jenkin.

Mr. Michael English (Nottingham, West)

Order. The Prime Minister is leaving.