§ 28. Mr. Dalyellasked the Lord Privy Seal what consideration he has given to changes in the procedures and facilities of the House designed to improve the handling of Scottish business.
§ The Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Biffen)I have no such proposals for change in mind at present.
§ Mr. DalyellWill the right hon. Gentleman improve on the position whereby a letter to me as a Scottish Member of Parliament from the Secretary of State for Scotland was highlighted at 11 am on Thursday 23 April by the Prime Minister's press secretary at a meeting with the Lobby press? Does that not prove yet again that in the matter of the raid on the BBC in Glasgow in relation to the Zircon affair Mr. Bernard Ingham was the organ grinder and the Secretary of State one of the monkeys?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I find it difficult to relate this to the handling of Scottish business.
§ Mr. DalyellIt is entirely a matter of the procedures of the Scottish Office. It is a unique procedure in the history of the Scottish Office that a letter to a Scottish Member of Parliament should be highlighted—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman has asked his question. I just find it difficult to understand.
§ Mr. BiffenI had naturally expected the supplementary question to relate to Scottish business as such, but I appreciate that the hon. Gentleman has raised a point concerning the administration of the Scottish Office and I will, of course, refer it to my right hon. Friend.