WHY would anyone liberally pepper a Parliamentary committee set up to scrutinise accusations that Scotland was getting too much funding with Scottish representatives?

And why, when the claim is Scotland is reaping financial aid at the expense of Merseyside, is there not a single MP from the north of England on the committee?

Eight of the 12 are from the Celtic nations – four from Scotland – and, of the rest, two are from the Midlands, one London and the other from Norfolk.

No wonder MPs are now being urged to protest against the make-up of the 12- strong group of peers tasked with investigating whether the Barnett Formula unfairly rewards Scotland.

Dari Taylor, a Labour backbencher from the North East, is leading the protest to the Leader of the Lords, Baroness Royall. He is also urging Merseyside MPs to do the same, and it is in the interests of this region that they join Mr Taylor in his representations post haste.

Any decision made by such a Scottish- dominated committee would be forever tainted by accusations that it was unfair and biased.

The facts speak for themselves. Scotland, in the last financial year, received £9,179-per-head from the Treasury. The North-West figure was just £8,247 – even though income north-of-the- border was 95% of the national average in 2006, compared to 73% for Merseyside.

Of course, the whole Barnett Formula has been dogged by controversy since the outset, and so we should not be surprised by this latest row.

But, nevertheless, it is difficult to understand how no one involved in putting the committee together could see the fairly obvious questions that would be raised about its impartiality.

Frankly, it’s like putting the fox in charge of the keys to the henhouse.