Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Jim Hood (Labour). It was answered on Wednesday, 14 October 2009 on behalf of the Scotland Office.

Devolution Settlement

Question: May I draw my right hon. Friend's attention to the Hansard for 16 July? In answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) as to when he would be given an opportunity to vote for a Scottish Grand Committee to be held, the Leader of the House answered that "there needs to be an opportunity for the Scottish Grand Committee to meet, and I will look for an opportunity."—[Official Report, 16 July 2009; Vol. 496, c. 457.]" The best way to have a live debate that includes those who are running away from it is to invite them all to the Scottish Grand Committee to have that debate.

Answer: I am stumped for an answer. Because of the many solutions for dealing with the remarkable economic crisis that Scotland and the United Kingdom faces, I am not yet convinced that a meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee is the silver bullet. My hon. Friend the Member for Lanark and Hamilton, East (Mr. Hood) will continue to make the case, however, and if that meeting does take place, I can think of no better Chair of the proceedings than him.

Secondary information