§ 16. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in the light of the letter to the secretary of the Scottish Education Department, Mr. Angus Mitchell, of 8 April, from Mr. John Pollock, secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, and the reply by the Scottish Education Department on 17 April, if he will make a statement on his meeting with the Educational Institute of Scotland about general issues, widely known to relate to the case of Campbell and Cosans v the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe meeting between the institute and my Department will be held on 9 May. I am not in a position to make any statement at present.
§ Mr. DalyellDoes the hon. Gentleman think that one side of an argument should be heard and the other unheard?
§ Mr. FletcherBoth sides of the argument were heard during proceedings before the European Commission. Those discussions are confidential, and parties are not at liberty to divulge any details of the proceedings.
§ Mr. John MacKayDoes my hon. Friend realise that the Scottish teaching profession is concerned about the way in which it is being pilloried, without a proper defence and without ensuring that its case has been put? Does not he accept that it is difficult to maintain discipline in schools and that the profession believes that the strap is an important part of that discipline?
§ Mr. FletcherMy hon. Friend's points are correct. The Government's representations before the Commission sought to refute, on behalf of all citizens, the applicants' claim that the United Kingdom was in contravention of the Convention on Human Rights.