asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to ensure that only policemen are entitled to wear diced capbands.

No, Sir. Existing legislation, together with the common law, is already adequate to prevent anyone wearing articles of police uniform for an unlawful purpose.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that that Answer will, to a great extent, be welcomed, because the wearing of the diced cap distinguishes policemen from other types of uniformed people? Will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that policemen have the exclusive right to wear this band on their caps in the interests of preserving law and order in their communities?

Yes, Sir.

Will my right hon. Friend do everything in his power to ensure that nothing is done to prevent the wearing of the diced cap by The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders which is a souvenir of the part that they played as the Thin Red Line at the Battle of Balaclava?

I think that that is rather a different question.