Select Committee on Scottish Affairs Third Report


3  Further debate?

9. During our questioning of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, David Cairns MP, in March on our inquiry into The Sewel Convention: the Westminster perspective, we took the opportunity to ask him when the Government would be publishing its response to Arbuthnott. The Minister's reply was non-committal:

"Our response will be forthcoming in due course…."[6]

10. The intervening weeks have not provided any further indication of exactly when "in due course" might be. We consider that, before the Government does publish its response to Putting Citizens First, all interested Scottish Members should have the opportunity to raise their own concerns with Ministers, and to seek to influence the Government's response.

11. During his opening of the Westminster Hall debate on 15 February, Brian Donohoe pointed out that a Scottish Grand Committee had not met since 12 November 2003, and continued that a Scottish Grand might be:

"…the vehicle for a full debate on the whole issue of the contents of the report and the way forward on its conclusions."[7]

12. In replying to the debate, David Cairns agreed that there had not been a Scottish Grand Committee since November 2003, but went on to say:

"…. As far as I am aware, there have been no such requests since then….However, it is within the right of any Scottish Member of Parliament to request a Scottish Grand Committee, and then it is up to the usual channels to allocate one." [8]

13. We endorse the suggestion that a Scottish Grand Committee would be an appropriate vehicle for a debate on Putting Citizens First. This Committee, composed of Members from all Parties representing Scottish constituencies, therefore makes a formal request that a Scottish Grand Committee be held to consider the matter of Putting Citizens First: Boundaries, Voting and Representation in Scotland, and recommends that such a meeting of a Grand Committee be held before the Government makes any substantive response to that report.


6   HC (2005-06) 983-ii, Q116. Back

7   Official Report, 15 February 2006, col. 498WH. Back

8   ibid, cols. 501WH-502WH. Back


 
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