§ Major NEVEN-SPENCEasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any changes in Scottish administrative arrangements will be made when the large departments under his control are concentrated in the new Government building now under construction on the Calton Hill, Edinburgh?
§ Mr. ELLIOTBefore the new building is completed I think it desirable that a review of the present Scottish administrative arrangements should be undertaken. I have accordingly appointed a committee with the following terms of reference
To enquire into and report upon the duties of the Scottish Office, Scottish Education Department, Departments of Health and Agriculture for Scotland, and other Scottish Administrative Departments under 1803W the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland, the distribution of those duties between Departments, the position of the Departments in relation to each other and to the Secretary of State, and the arrangements under which liaison is maintained between Edinburgh and London, in the conduct of public business; and to recommend what changes, if any (whether legislative or otherwise) should be made, keeping in view the prospective concentration of Departments in one building in Edinburgh.The members of the committee are: Lieut.-Colonel the Right Hon. Sir John Gilmour, Bart., G.C.V.O., D.S.O., M.P. (chairman), the Hon. Lord Fleming, M.C., Professor Alexander Gray, M.A., Sir Robert Hamilton, M.A., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., the Right Hon. Thomas Johnston, M.P., Sir James Rae, K.B.E., Mr. G. A. Steel, C. B.