§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Tony Newton)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Members will have heard with horror of what occurred in Dunblane this morning in an appalling incident that has left 16 young children and a teacher dead and many others injured. I know that the whole House would wish me to express not only our horror but our heartfelt sympathy to the families of those killed or injured and to everyone else in what is this afternoon a shocked and grieving community. That shock and grief will be shared throughout the country.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, who is also the constituency Member, has gone to Dunblane with the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson), who lives there and whose children attended the school where this terrible tragedy took place.
We shall arrange for a full statement to be made to the House tomorrow. I should also tell the House that following discussions in the usual channels it has been agreed that it would not be appropriate to proceed with the meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee which was due to take place in Glasgow on Friday.
§ Mrs. Ann Taylor (Dewsbury)The whole House will want to be associated with the comments of the right hon. Gentleman. May I say on behalf of the Opposition that every one of us is deeply shocked by the events at Dunblane this morning? Our genuine and heartfelt sympathy goes out to everyone who has been affected. Our first thoughts are naturally for the parents and families of the young children who have been murdered and the family of the teacher, for those who have been injured and also for all of those at the school and in the local community who have been traumatised by the events this morning.
It is a bewildering tragedy and it is entirely right that the Leader of the House should indicate that a statement will be made to the House when more of the facts are known.
984 Today, we in the House are united in our feelings of absolute horror at what has happened. Hon. Members, many of us parents, share the grief of those whose lives have been devastated by events in Dunblane.
§ Mr. Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire)May I associate my right hon. and hon. Friends with the expressions of grief and sympathy that have been expressed by the Leader of the House to the bereaved parents, families and friends? May I also commend the Government on taking the decision quickly to cancel the meeting proposed for the Scottish Grand Committee on Friday? That was the appropriate thing to do.
Violating the sanctity of a primary 1 classroom heightens the horror of the event and prompts the question: is there really nowhere that is sacrosanct? Even a closely knit community like Dunblane will have to dig deep into its reserves of human capital to recover from that incomprehensible attack. All our thoughts are with it this afternoon.
§ Mr. Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan)May I associate myself with those sentiments and express my party's sympathy to the bereaved over an incident that defies belief and description? I support the decision to cancel the meeting of the Grand Committee as a mark of respect. I do not think that there is much appetite in Scotland right now for political debate, nor will people want to draw lessons too quickly—until we know all the facts. One thing is certain. Most of us in Scotland know the community involved well. All Scotland will show that community sympathy, support and solidarity in the next few days.
§ Madam SpeakerI am most grateful to the House. I think that we should now move on until we get a statement tomorrow.