Scotland and Wales Bill

Part of Clause 1 – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 19 January 1977.

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Photo of Mr John Smith Mr John Smith , Lanarkshire North 12:00, 19 January 1977

I intervened earlier but subsequently several right hon. and hon. Members have made points of detail on some of the amendments to which they spoke. I would like to refer briefly to some of them.

The right hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Page) referred in detail to some of the amendments that he moved and suggested some embellishments, additions and substitutions to Clause 1. One of the points the right hon. Gentleman raised concerned the tense used in the phraseology of Clause 1. We believe that the present tense is appropriate for a preliminary declaratory statement of the effect of the Bill.

Some of the right hon. Gentleman's other suggestions were in the form of embellishments. [Interruption.] I hope that hon. Members will allow me to develop just three sentences without strident interruptions.

Among the right hon. Gentleman's embellishments was the substitution of "sovereignty" and "competence" for "supreme authority". At the end of the day we have made it clear that this is bound to be a declaration of principle. The words which are there are clear. I rebut entirely the charge that there was any inaccuracy or untruthfulness in them.

There is not a great deal of difference between the arguments for "do" or "shall".