Sir: The consequences of full Scottish devo- lution might rightly
frighten Paul Bew, but for all their grand words the complaint from the 'Constitutional Convention' amounts to nothing so grand.
According to the Convention's and the Liberal Democrats' policy paper their principal concerns are not about real gov- ernment. They talk of local control of edu- cation, the welfare state and other such public services. Doing the rounds in Con- servative circles is the thought that those very areas are not political matters and should perhaps be set apart from the gov- ernment proper.
There is no danger in devolving such Petty things. It is not beyond the wit of the Sir Humphreys to have those ministries lis- ten in their doings north of the Tweed to the senatorial and tribunicial voice of the Grand Committee rather than the Com- mons as a whole. It would relieve much pressure without the grand collapse Mr Bew foresees.
Rupert A.H. Barnes
53 Church Street, Great Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire
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