---

Mr. Tom Clarke (Monklands, West) : What about Eastwood ?

---

Column 478

Mr. Stewart : A combination of Airdrie and Eastwood is not one of the illustrative structures put forward in the consultation paper. I do not believe that selective nitpicking of the preliminary conclusions of Touche Ross on costs and savings are productive.

Mr. Dalyell : Is the Minister suggesting that my questions are nitpicking ?

Mr. Stewart : I am not suggesting for a moment that the hon. Gentleman's questions are not valid. Of course they are valid and I have endeavoured to answer them as fully and as reasonably as I can. I hope that that takes the debate forward.

We now have evidence from a wide range of commentators in respect of the Touche Ross report. That allows us to proceed confidently and in full co- operation with our colleagues in the Treasury. The hon. Members for Linlithgow and for Monklands, West have put forward a thesis that there is some great split between the Treasury and the Scottish Office on these matters. I believe that it was the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish) who said that the Treasury was outraged about the fact that it was being conned by the Scottish Office. I thought that that represented a world of fantasy wholly outside my experience of these matters.

We are proceeding with the co-operation of our colleagues in the Treasury to decide upon an appropriate single tier structure for Scotland. The detailed decisions, after the work--

The motion having been made after half-past Two o'clock and the debate having continued for half an hour, Mr. Deputy Speaker-- adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

Adjourned at four minutes past Three o'clock.

---