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Scotland Bill

My Lords, there is no intention to change the manner of appointments under the Office of Public Appointments code. However, I will come on to talk about the consultation process that is due to take place, which by its very nature, as it is between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Scottish Ministers, will have a political dimension to it. One of the purposes of appointments under the Office of Public Appointments code is to ensure that there is indeed transparency and open competition and to achieve, as well, a balance of skills and backgrounds and avoid any potential conflicts of interest. The amendment would change ““Scottish Crown Estate Commissioner”” to, "““Crown Estate Commissioner for Scotland””." Perhaps I may explain to my noble friend that ““Scottish”” is not intended to qualify ““Crown””, or indeed to qualify the two words ““Crown Estate””, but to qualify the three words ““Crown Estate Commissioner””. There are Crown Estate commissioners and therefore ““Scottish”” is the adjective to be applied to them. Unless we put commas in, I am not quite sure how we could make it clearer than that.