THE EARL OF MANSFIELDasked His Majesty's Government whether they are aware that almost one and a quarter million persons have now signed the Scottish Covenant, and whether, in view of this expression of the feeling of a large proportion of the Scottish people, they will at once proceed to take a plebiscite of the whole population, based upon the Voters' Roll, upon the question of the immediate establishment of a Scottish Parliament; or, alternatively, set up a Royal Commission to determine the conditions under which such a Parliament could be most advantageously brought into being.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF WORKS (LORD MORRISON)His Majesty's Government are aware of the support which this document has received. In their view, as already explained, the issues involved are much too complicated to be dealt with by way of a plebiscite, apart from objections in principle to this course. The last part of the Question does not at present arise.
House adjourned at twenty minutes before six o'clock.