Scottish Office Ministers: Responsibilities (Hansard, 20 May 1999)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office (Lord Sewel)
My Lords, the allocation of responsibilities among the three remaining junior Ministers at the Scottish Office was announced 406 yesterday. It is as follows. My honourable friend Calum MacDonald is the Minister responsible for local government, housing, transport and home affairs. He will continue to have special responsibility for European affairs, and for Highlands and Islands issues and Gaelic. He is the House of Commons spokesman on matters across the range of Scottish Office business. My noble friend Lord Macdonald of Tradeston is the Minister responsible for business and industry and education. He is also responsible for women's issues and children. I am the Minister responsible for agriculture, environment, fisheries and forestry. I am also responsible for health, social work and for sports and the arts. I have specific responsibility for social inclusion and I am the House of Lords spokesman on Scottish affairs.
Ministers at the Scottish Office remain responsible for the functions of the Secretary of State for Scotland until the transfer of most functions to Scottish Ministers on 1st July. I apologise to the House for what is inevitably a detailed Answer to a specific Question.

§ Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. I congratulate him and his noble friend Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on surviving when three posts at the Scottish Office have now gone. Perhaps I may also congratulate him on acquiring a more amenable boss as Secretary of State for Scotland than had been rumoured in the press over the past few weeks. That is the mildest comment I can think of.
Some months ago, the noble Lord said in an answer to me that it was intended that in the future the Secretary of State for Scotland would focus on promoting communication between the Scottish Parliament and Ministers and the UK Parliament and Government on matters of mutual interest, and on representing Scottish interests in reserved areas. Does the noble Lord believe that there is enough work for a Secretary of State and three junior Ministers after 1st July?

§ Lord Sewel
My Lords, I note that the noble Lord, Lord Steel of Aikwood—or Sir David Steel, as he is known in an alternative place—is present. I congratulate the noble Lord on his election as Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
Returning to the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish, I shall certainly not anticipate any decisions that my right honourable friend the Prime Minister may make about the ministerial composition of the Scottish Office. We explained in the White Paper, Scotland's Parliament, that there will remain various important functions for the Secretary of State following devolution: mainly to represent Scottish interests in the reserved business of the United Kingdom Government and to promote good communications between the governments and parliaments in London and Edinburgh. It is important that Scottish interests are effectively represented and that the people of Scotland continue to recognise the benefits of the Union.

§ Lord Monro of Langholm
My Lords, is the Minister aware that we now have 22 Ministers and Law Officers in Scotland, 24 in all, and four Ministers in 407 London—28 in all—when six or seven Ministers did all the work in the past? Is that not a gross extravagance to be met by the United Kingdom taxpayer providing the Scottish Vote, bearing in mind that all these Ministers will require departments, private secretaries, spin doctors and the rest? Is the Minister not concerned that the taxpayer has been taken for a frightful ride over the past week?

§ Lord Sewel
My Lords, It is not for me to make any comment on the decisions of the Scottish Parliament in approving the list of ministerial appointments, as it did yesterday. As to Scottish Office Ministers here, I had fondly, but vainly, hoped that the noble Lord would make another point; namely, seeing that they have been reduced to four from seven, their remuneration could be revised upwards.

§ Lord Davies of Oldham
My Lords, during the dark days of the 1980s, when hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens lost their jobs, what did Employment Ministers in the previous administration do?

§ Lord Sewel
My Lords, they contributed to the darkness.

Lord Campbell of Croy
My Lords, as it seems that these three members of the Government will have much time on their hands, might they not be usefully occupied in examining in depth and then explaining to the media and the public the meaning of the concept "the third way" which has so far baffled professors of politics and government? That would be a task force to be welcomed.

§ Lord Sewel
My Lords, as a former—and perhaps future—professor of politics, I may return to that issue at some date in the future, and perhaps get a publication out of it. As matters stand, this House must recognise that there is important work to he done in the Scottish Office. It is absolutely vital that Ministers are responsible for the functions that presently remain within the Scottish Office and that Ministers are properly accountable to Parliament. I see it as one of my tasks—I am sure that fellow Ministers in the Scottish Office see it equally—to ensure the smooth transition of functional authority and responsibility on 1st July.

§ Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish
My Lords, in the light of the Minister's reply on the position after 1st July, will he convey to his right honourable friend the Prime Minister the desire that I am sure is felt by the whole House that we should have at least one Scottish Office Minister here, answerable to this House? Furthermore, there are already more than enough professors in the world without adding one more!

§ Lord Sewel
My Lords, I think I can say I am enormously grateful to the noble Lord. I do not believe 408 it would be prudent to give an assurance that I shall personally pass on his comments; however, I am sure that the Prime Minister will be made aware of them.