Scotland Bill

I have found this debate very helpful, although it pointed out that my amendment is less than perfect. A lot of interesting issues have been raised, not least that raised most recently by the noble Duke, the Duke of Montrose, and picked up by the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, because according to this consultative document written submissions have to go to the Elections and Constitutional Development Division at Victoria Quay. I remember asking a number of questions and, no doubt, some MSPs are still asking questions about how many civil servants there are in these divisions dealing with breaking up the United Kingdom. They are spending taxpayers’ money to employ officials to move Alex Salmond’s dream a bit closer. The noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, asked a good question, which needs to be pursued, about how much money is being spent on that and whether it is ultra vires. That is, no doubt, something that we will be taking up on another occasion. It is a very serious matter. It is not just a question of printing the document; it is a question of the civil servants who could be better employed dealing with education, which is pretty ropey and not being dealt with in a perfect manner—let us put it that way—in Scotland at the moment, or with the health service, which is under pressure in Scotland. It would be better to use that money to employ nurses, teachers and policemen rather than these civil servants. I hope the noble Duke, the Duke of Montrose, and the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, will pursue this important matter. The other thing that came out in remarks made by the noble Lords, Lord Sanderson and Lord Forsyth, the noble and learned Lord, Lord Boyd, and others is actually how much devolution already exists. We sometimes forget how much power has been devolved to the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive. It is a wide range, relating to a number of areas, not to mention transport: the Scottish Executive have responsibility for the Scotrail franchise, a huge, billion-pound operation in Scotland; they also dealt with the relatively recent extension of the Scotrail franchise. There is an awful lot of devolution that is seldom talked about or understood. There is a lot of sentiment behind this amendment, as expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Maclennan, and my noble friend Lady Liddell, and some deep concern about the way in which the boundary is being pushed beyond where it should be. However, in practical terms, I accept the advice of—I keep calling him my noble friend—the noble Lord, Lord Wigley, the Minister and particularly my noble and learned friend Lord Boyd, who in his brilliant demolition of my amendment showed what a marvellous Minister he will be after the next election. It was a perfect one-two-three, the perfect demolition: three serious points and you are finished; your legs are knocked from under you. After that demolition job by my very good and noble and learned friend, Lord Boyd, I have no alternative but to withdraw this amendment. Amendment 7 withdrawn. Clause 7 : Partial suspension of Acts subject to scrutiny by Supreme Court Amendment 8 Clause 7 : Partial suspension of Acts subject to scrutiny by Supreme Court Amendment 8 Moved by