Mr. LEICESTER HARMSWORTHasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the time allocated for the discussion of Scottish Estimates is systematically so curtailed that a large porportion of the representatives of Scottish constituencies are quite unable to secure an opportunity for discussing matters intimately affecting the interests of their constituents; and, seeing that the system under which purely Scottish Bills are discussed in Scottish Grand Committee has been found to facilitate business, can he see his way to take such steps as may be necessary to admit of Scottish Estimates being taken in Grand Committee, leaving the Report stage only to be dealt with in Committee of the Whole House?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will give sympathetic consideration to my hon. Friend's complaint in the first part of the question, in the hope of meeting the wishes of Scottish Members. As to the 2005W second part of the question, the remedy there proposed involves large changes in the financial procedure and in the Standing Orders of the House, which would probably affect not only Scotland but also other parts of the United Kingdom.