Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 December 1965.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to prohibit the exchange of Scottish £ notes in England for less than £1.
No, Sir. I do not know of any Scotsman who would accept less than 20s. for a £.
Is my right hon. Friend aware that Scotsmen in certain parts of England, particularly Manchester and Birmingham, have no option but to accept 19s. 6d. for the Scottish £ because that is all they get; and has the recent case been drawn to his attention of a Service man who was refused the right to spend two Scottish £ notes in a Naafi in Malaya on the ground that they were worthless; and will——
Order. Even if the Scottish £ is short, the Question must also be short.
The fact is that these Scottish £ notes have to be given away more or less as matters of local interest as souvenirs.
Order. I think the Chancellor is seized of the Question.
Order. The hon. Gentleman must resume his seat. Mr. Callaghan.
I am quite willing to offer the hon. Gentleman, shall we say, 19s. 9d. for any £ note. I do not want to exacerbate relations, and I am sure that it will produce a lot of correspondence in the Treasury, but the simple truth is that Scottish £ notes are not legal tender.
Mr. Edward M. Taylor.
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of that most unsatisfactory answer by the right hon. Gentleman, I wish to give notice that I will make every effort possible to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
Order. The hon. Gentleman should give notice in the usual form, but, by doing so, he now cuts out other supplementary questions in support of his point of view.