Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Jim McGovern (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 13 December 2005 on behalf of the Scotland Office.

Scotland Act

Question: Is my right hon. Friend aware of the curious alliance that is demanding that the Scotland Act be revisited: a combination of the nationalists, Greens, Trotskyists and The Sunday Times Scotland? Does he agree that any idea that gathers the support of such an alliance must be mad, bad and, indeed, dangerous?

Answer: Talking of alliances, I noticed that the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) was on the same platform as the Greens and the Scottish Socialists, who want to shut down the North sea completely—as well as capitalism. He has been building an odd pro-business alliance, and as I said, he keeps making the wrong calls. I agree with my hon. Friend. I see no need to reopen the Scotland Act and it is not the Government's intention to do so.

Secondary information