Mr. Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con): What discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies voting on the Education and Inspections Bill. [54026]
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Alistair Darling): I have frequent discussions with my ministerial colleagues on a wide range of matters.
Mr. Dunne: Given the anticipated publication of the Education and Inspections Bill later this afternoon, has the Secretary of State been able to assure the Prime Minister that he will be able to rely on the votes of Labour MPs representing Scottish constituencies during the passage of the Bill, which has no jurisdiction over schools in Scotland? How many of those MPs support the alternative White Paper?
Mr. Darling: We discussed this matter a short while ago, and our position remains exactly the same. I suspect that the Conservatives' interest in this issue stems not so much from principle, given that, in the last two general elections, they have managed to get only one MP elected in Scotland. The Conservatives spent more than £1.3 million in Scotland at the last election, and all they got for it was the hon. Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (David Mundell). And to cap it all, they also want him to be a part-time MP.
