§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it was with his authority that officials of his Department sent a congratulatory telegram from Dover House to the hon. Member for Hamilton on Friday, 3rd November; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossI wrote on 6th November to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian in the following terms:—
I have your message this morning about a press report of a telegram from certain civil servants to Mrs. Ewing. I see Mrs. Ewing is reported as saying it came from London; but whether it bore to be sent from the Scottish Office, or whether it was genuine, I do not know. In any event I am confident that no senior official would so far forget his professional code as to have any part in such a thing and I do not propose to conduct any interrogation.'