Political correspondent David Porter reports

Scottish Secretary John Reid told the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster his department would in future be known as The Scotland Office.

The minister also suggested that a reduction in the number of Scottish MPs at Westminster could win government support.

Dr Reid told the cross-party Commons committee the Scotland Office would employ around 130 civil servants.

The Scottish Executive and the Scottish Parliament had seen some 4,200 staff transfer across from the Scottish Office of old.

He said he had decided to retain its London headquarters at Dover House, but a small office to be staffed by 15 people with accommodation for visiting ministers would be set up in Edinburgh.

The BBC's Tim Reid reports on the changes

But Dr Reid said the main office would be in Glasgow. It is likely they will be based in Meridian Court.

"Glasgow is very important in representing the west of Scotland and the industrial areas there and light manufacturing," said Dr Reid.

He hoped the East-West split would be seen as "not just functional and efficient, but fair".

As expected Dr Reid stressed that he wanted the devolution settlement to be seen as a "partnership of parliaments".

Boundary Commission review

When pressed by the committee on whether there was a need for four ministers to be retained in London, he said that was something for the prime minister to decide.

Dr John Reid: Announced name change

Before the hearing Dr Reid admitted on the BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there was a disproportionate number of Scottish MPs at Westminster.

He said: "So I think it's reasonable now that powers have been devolved from Westminster to Scotland that we should look at the number of MPs, probably at the next Boundary Commission."

Conservatives have warned English nationalism could be fuelled by Scottish MPs voting on English affairs, while English MPs cannot affect Scottish decisions at Holyrood - the so-called West Lothian Question.

"The West Lothian Question is an anomaly - I've never denied that but the whole constitution is based on anomalies," he said.

Party infighting

In the run-up to Dr Reid's first appearance before the Commons committee he has been accused in the press of fighting a "turf war" with First Minister Donald Dewar.

Speculation about tension between the men has been flatly denied by them both.

Dr Reid has warned party insiders against stirring things up, but the Labour infighting looks set to continue with Cunninghame South MP Brian Donohoe predicting Mr Dewar will not have a second term.

Brian Donohoe MSP: "People in Holyrood are jockeying for position."

''I don't think Donald will be there for another term after this one,'' Mr Donohoe told the BBC.

''Part of the problem which exists and has been blamed on what is named as the turf wars between Holyrood and Westminster is down to the fact that people in Holyrood are jockeying for position.''

Mr Donohoe added that the jockeying was for Mr Dewar's position and said: ''It is that more than anything else which is causing some of the dissent.''