§ Mr. AlexanderTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria are used in Scotland to award city status to towns; and when the last applications for such an award were made. [48490]
§ Mr. McLeishThere are no settled criteria for the award of city status to towns in Scotland. There has been no such award since Dundee was given city status in 1889. Any further award would be a matter for Her Majesty The Queen acting under the Royal Prerogative on the advice of the Government of the day. I am not aware of any application for such an award in recent times, although inquiries were made on behalf of Paisley in 1991 and Inverness in 1996.