HC Deb 12 June 1980 vol 986 cc817-8
Mr. Ewing

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I would not have raised a point of order if I had not regarded it as very important. I apologise, Mr. Speaker, for not giving you sufficient notice. I was unable to advise you that I wished to raise a point of order before 2 o'clock this afternoon. I also advised the Scottish Office that I intended to raise a point of order relating to the exchange that took place at Question Time yesterday, between the leader of the Liberal Party, the Secretary of State for Scotland and me. The questions concerned the amount built into the rate support grant settlement for Scotland, in relation to salary increases. The right hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. Steel) asked : To what extent does the Secretary of State believe that his allocation of 13 per cent. in the rate support grant ties the hands of the negotiating Committee? There was more to the question, but that was the relevant point. The Secretary of State replied : The figure that the right hon. Gentleman quoted is not correct, and in any case the allowance made in the rate support grant order was greater than that, and it also took into account the allowances for the Clegg awards."—[Official Report, 11 June 1980; Vol. 986, c. 530–31.] In column 532, the Secretary of State said that the allowance built into the rate support grant was greater than 13 per cent. In column 537, the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland—the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind)—repeated the Secretary of State's assertion that the allowance built into rate support grant was greater than 13 per cent.

I am concerned not merely about the content of parliamentary answers but about subsequent events. I have in my hand a report that appeared in today's edition of The Scotsman, entitled, "Government firm on teachers' pay." The article reveals that following yesterday's exchanges in the House at Question Time the Secretary of State issued a statement to The Scotsman in which he said : He is therefore not committed to any action in respect of the outcome of any such arbitration. What he has said to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is that he has set cash limits in the rate support grant settlement to take account of pay increases and that this limit (13 per cent) "——

Mr. Speaker

Order. I waited to see what the hon. Gentleman would say. It is clear that he has not mentioned a breach of our rules on which I can rule. I thought that I would let the hon. Gentleman make that clear, and he has now done so. It is unfair to the House if an hon. Member seizes an opportunity to put a point of view because he is indignant about a reply that he has received.

Mr. Ewing

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. All hon. Members know that it is not in my nature to take advantage of the House. Yesterday, the Secretary of State deliberately misled the House of Commons. He sought to correct the matter by issuing a press statement. I raised a point of order because I wished to ask you whether it was in the best interests and traditions of the House for a senior Minister to conduct himself in that manner.

Mr. Speaker

Order. Ministers must take responsibility for their replies.