Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Dec 2015 Scotland Bill
"My Lords, I support Amendment 1. We have heard a lot of intricate and technical arguments and I do not intend to get involved in them.
I listened to the noble and learned Lord, Lord Wallace of Tankerness. He mentioned Section 1 of the Scotland Act. I remember that Act …..." Marquess of Lothian - View Speech
"I accept the noble and learned Lord’s suggestion. The word “permanent” is the one that concerns me. I do not think heads of agreement can change the British constitution—only Parliaments can change the British constitution. We could say something along the lines that we envisage that this will last for …..." Marquess of Lothian - View Speech
"I do not disagree with my noble friend. What I said was that I do not think that heads of agreement can change constitutions, nor do I think that Governments, by heads of agreement, can change them. The constitution can only be changed, Parliament by Parliament, by Parliament itself, and …..." Marquess of Lothian - View Speech
"Can the noble Lord explain how the removal of new subsection (1) would affect the existence of the Scottish Parliament?..." Marquess of Lothian - View Speech
"My noble friend is being asked to withdraw the words he is trying to insert because we do not know who is recognising? Subsection (3) of the proposed new section contains the words, “it is declared”. Do we know who is declaring?..." Marquess of Lothian - View Speech
"My Lords, I put a question to my noble friend Lord Forsyth. Having listened to this argument, does he agree with me that—perhaps I am being oversuspicious—somehow what this clause is about is trying to say to the people of Scotland, “It is all right. This is for ever”, and …..." Marquess of Lothian - View Speech
"My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the interesting speech of the noble Lord, Lord Turnbull. It will certainly deserve re-reading tomorrow to get its full impact and I shall certainly be doing so.
"I think I will have to take that as being as near to an apology as I will get from the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes...." Marquess of Lothian - View Speech
"I am very happy to reflect on it, but I make the point that had we not had devolution, I doubt whether we would have had the referendum because the basis for having the referendum would not have been there. A little later in my remarks I will deal rather …..." Marquess of Lothian - View Speech