Sexual Assault (Hansard, 18 January 1984)

§ 33. Mr. McKelvey
asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will make a statement about the Scottish Office social research study investigating sexual assault.

§ The Solicitor-General for Scotland
The Scottish Office social research study investigating sexual assault relates primarily to police investigations and as such is properly a matter for my right. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. The second report, which is expected to be published this year, examines the prosecution and court stages of such cases. I shall study that report, as I have the first report, with great care.

§ Mr. McKelvey
Will the Solicitor-General for Scotland add weight to any discussions with the Secretary of State for Scotland and point out that one of the main conclusions of that important first report concerned the inability of some detectives to interview women and children who were victims of sexual assault? Will the hon. and learned Gentleman add weight to the report's suggestion that a special unit should be set up, with specialists who are trained to deal with this nasty offence? Does the hon. and learned Gentleman agree that, even if a unit set up in Strathclyde was a pilot scheme, that would be a tremendous advantage?

§ The Solicitor-General for Scotland
It is widely recognised that matters arising from the report must be examined. It has been proposed that discussions should be held with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland to examine what action needs to be taken as a result of the report's important proposals.

§ Mr. Dalyell
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The Secretary of State for Scotland might justifiably have been expected to be asked a question during Scottish Questions about his crucial meeting tomorrow with Mr. Ronald Hancock, the managing director of Leyland Vehicles. In view of the Cabinet's belief that the world is coming out of recession, Scottish Members from the area plead with the Secretary of State to put the case for a tiding-over operation—such as the Jetstream operation—to Leyland Vehicles and his Cabinet colleagues—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I think the hon. Member is asking a question which he might have put earlier.

§ Mr. Ewing
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. The Secretary of State, as you well know, has 317 often been the subject of complaint for making statements outside the House on very important matters. In the presence of both the Secretary of State and the Leader of the House, I ask the Secretary of State to give a commitment that he will come to the Dispatch Box to make a statement about the outcome of his meeting with British Leyland.

§ Mr. Speaker
I am sure that the hon. Gentleman's plea has been heard and noted.

§ Dr. Godman
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I seek your advice on a matter concerning Question Time that is of deep concern to me. I believe that the Secretary of State for Scotland misled the House, perhaps inadvertently, when he referred to the Scott Lithgow work force's failure to respond positively to the management's survival plan. The work force responded in September, when there was agreement on both sides.

§ Mr. Speaker
I allowed a good run of questions about Scott Lithgow because I appreciate how important the matter is to hon. Members from Scotland and, indeed elsewhere. I apologise to hon. Members who had later questions on the Order Paper, which, as a result, were not reached.

§ Mr. Eadie
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I seek your guidance, assistance and advice. Before questions to the Solicitor-General for Scotland this afternoon, we had reached only question No. 10 to the Secretary of State for Scotland. The general dialogue of Question Time shows that some Conservative Members were called four or five times, although the Conservative party is a minority party—

§ Mr. McQuarrie
Rubbish.

§ Mr. Eadie
In seeking your advice and guidance, Mr. Speaker, I am not being critical. I understand that if hon. Members have tabled a question they are entitled to be called. One Scottish constituency is as good as another. During Scottish Question Time we are entitled to voice our concern about matters affecting our constituencies and our constituents. The Conservatives are the minority party in Scotland, but they are the Government, and the Government are entitled to defend their record. However, they are not entitled to defend their record in Scotland at the expense of other members of this honourable House. [Interruption.] As there is a serious crisis in Scotland in the energy industry, the shipbuilding industry and the motor car industry, we as Members of Parliament are entitled to an opportunity at Question Time to ask questions—[Interruption.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I was about to request the House to be silent so that I could hear what the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) was saying. Has he finished?

§ Mr. Eadie
I was about to finish. I was seeking your advice and guidance, Mr. Speaker. I do not criticise you 318 personally. At present in Scotland there is a crisis in shipbuilding, the coal mining industry, the energy industry, the motor car industry and other industries. We are entitled, at Scottish Question Time, to have an opportunity to question the Secretary of State for Scotland. We should not be disadvantaged by Conservative Members being able to ask four or five questions of the Secretary of State. That is manifestly unfair—

§ Mr. McQuarrie
Rubbish.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I say, particularly to Scottish Members, that I appreciate that we did not get far with questions today, but I have to make a judgment every day about the important issues. I judged today that Scott Lithgow was of great importance. The hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) did not have a question on the Order Paper. I try to call hon. Members who have questions later on the Order Paper on earlier questions, and I did so today. I am sorry if my judgment today meant that we did not get far. I hope that Scottish Members are satisfied that this important matter had a good airing.

§ Mr. Wilson
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. Is it not the case that Scottish Members are greatly frustrated not only because the Government are in a minority in Scotland but because the Secretary of State for Scotland constitutionally exercises the powers of seven to nine Cabinet Ministers for England? This is bound to cause trouble if we have only one Question Time every four weeks. Is it not time that you, Mr. Speaker, invited the Procedure Committee to look at the order of questions, so that when there is a crisis and a national emergency, as there is in Scotland at present, we have the opportunity to air those matters in the House and to endeavour to get a satisfactory response from the Secretary of State and his colleagues which will in some small way satisfy our constituents, who feel that the ground is caving in under them as unemployment increases and closures take place at an ever-increasing rate?

§ Mr. Speaker
The timing of questions is not a matter for me. However, the Leader of the House is present, and he will have heard what has been said.

§ Mr. McQuarrie
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I respect the comments made by the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie), but do you not accept that, equally, some Conservative Members had no opportunity to speak to matters affecting their constituencies? I accept that you endeavoured to call hon. Members, but not only did some Opposition Members have no opportunity to speak but some Conservative Members did not have the opportunity to make pertinent points concerning not only their constituences but the economy of Scotland.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I hope that the hon. Member is not complaining about the number of times he was called.