Clause 3. — [General Duty of the Corporation.)

Part of Orders of the Day — Iron and Steel Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 25 July 1949.

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Photo of Colonel Sir Alan Gomme-Duncan Colonel Sir Alan Gomme-Duncan , Perth 12:00, 25 July 1949

I would like to ask the Secretary of State for Scotland a question, and I hope we shall be given a direct answer. The question which I wish to ask him is whether he has given his consent to this Amendment. I notice that my question is perfectly clear to him. If he has given his consent to this Amendment, he has betrayed his trust as Secretary of State for Scotland. The hon. Member for Leek (Mr. Harold Davies) may laugh, but he knows that it is a fact that the basis of the law of Scotland has always been the freedom of the individual, and it has always been that the people of Scotland control the country, and not the Executive. There have been constant wars in Scotland for that sole purpose and if the Secretary of State today has publicly said to the people of Scotland—as I presume his silence means he has—that he has approved of this Amendment, then he has given up that age-long right for which we have fought. The blame will lie upon his own head. He is a traitor to his country, if he agrees to this.