Scotland: Referendum

Debate between Lord Selkirk of Douglas and Lord Strathclyde

Monday 15th October 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Strathclyde]

My Lords, I slightly object to the accusation of naiveté. Many of us warned the Labour Party many years ago that this is exactly what would happen, and it was senior members of the Labour Party who continually told us that this was the thing that would stop the nationalists in their tracks. However, the years go by and now here we are, all working together to try to stop this process. I do not think there is any naiveté anywhere in this Government about the role that the First Minister of Scotland takes or the verbal gymnastics and occasional distortions that take place. The Government are utterly committed to providing evidence-based information to the people of Scotland so that they can very clearly see what the impact of breaking up the United Kingdom would be and what the separatist cause would lead us to.

[Lord Selkirk of Douglas]

My Lords, will the Leader of the House accept that, while some tactical advantages may have been gained by the Scottish Administration during the formation of this agreement, these are outweighed by the fact that there will be one single question? Will he also accept that the large increase of powers for the Scottish Parliament in the Scotland Act have been consistently underestimated and that further issues relating to devolution should be set aside until the result of the referendum is made entirely clear?

[Lord Strathclyde]

Yes, my Lords, I agree with my noble friend that there is no need to discuss any further devolution settlement until the referendum has taken place and that there is also a pipeline of provisions in the Scotland Act. I am not sure that the nationalists have received a tactical advantage, but it is now right that the decision should be brought to the Scottish people.

Libya

Debate between Lord Selkirk of Douglas and Lord Strathclyde

Monday 21st March 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Strathclyde]

My Lords, our overriding objective is to protect the civilian population in Libya; that is the purpose of the action that we have taken. But the noble Lord is right to say that regimes can be sustained by their revenues, including those from oil. This question is in the mind not only of the Government but of the United Nations.

[Lord Selkirk of Douglas]

Will my right honourable and noble friend bear in mind that very serious allegations have been made from within Libya that Colonel Gaddafi had foreknowledge of the Lockerbie outrage before it occurred? Will he also keep in mind that the Lord Advocate in Scotland has said that she may consider reopening the Lockerbie case?

[Lord Strathclyde]

My Lords, that is extremely important and valuable. I am sure that it is entirely right for the Lord Advocate in Scotland to keep the case closely under review.