Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Philip Hollobone

Wednesday 25th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We are now better informed, I am sure.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

But is the Secretary of State satisfied that the capacity of the electricity interconnector between Scotland and England is sufficient and will not act as a brake on competition in the supply and generating markets?

[Mr Carmichael]

That is exactly the kind of work that is within the ambit of National Grid and Ofgem.

Smith Commission

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Philip Hollobone

Thursday 27th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Carmichael]

The hon. Lady is right to highlight that one of the great successes of the whole referendum experience was that we got the widest possible range of engagement across Scottish society. We have to make sure that that does not now just wither away; we have to do what we can to harness and nurture it. I recently met representatives of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Scottish Trades Union Congress, the Church of Scotland and the National Union of Students to discuss exactly that process. Not everything of this sort has to be done by Government and through the party political process. The most effective civic engagement is that which grows out of civic groups themselves.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Scotland receives from English taxpayers an additional annual public subsidy, over and above what any English region receives, not because there is an extra level of deprivation, but simply because Scotland is Scotland. What proportion of the funds that are given to Scotland under the Barnett formula will be affected by the ceding of tax-raising powers to the Scottish Parliament?

[Mr Carmichael]

It was of common accord between the parties that the Barnett formula would remain. As I have made clear to the House, the amount of money that goes to Scotland under the Barnett formula will be reduced, because what is taken in taxation directly by the Scottish Parliament will be taken out of the equation. It is an important truth that, although the Barnett formula produces some anomalies, no party has ever been able to produce a better option.

Scotland within the UK

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Philip Hollobone

Monday 13th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Carmichael]

I will be more than happy to play my role in the process that the right hon. Lady outlines. There is a duty and an opportunity for all of us, across all the parties, to play a role. The electorate has rebooted politics in Scotland. It is for us now to respond to the initiative that has been taken by the people.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

I am told that on all sorts of measures Kettering is the most average borough in England. I would contend that Kettering people are the most fair-minded people in England. I am sure that my constituents would be very happy for Scotland to have lots more powers so that it can decide things for itself. However, what the fair-minded people of Kettering cannot accept—I would like the Secretary of State to try to explain it to them—is the Scottish people receiving premiums for public services, over and above what the average English taxpayer gets in England, unrelated to relative deprivation.

[Mr Carmichael]

The flow of money between the different parts of the United Kingdom comes and goes at different times over the years. What we have—Scotland has just said that it wishes to continue to be part of this—is a situation in which we all share and pool risks and resources. That is what the people of Scotland have voted for. I hope the hon. Gentleman will sign up to that too.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Philip Hollobone

Wednesday 7th May 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Carmichael]

The Bank of England will continue to take its instructions from the UK Treasury. It is a UK institution and that would not change.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

If Scotland separated from the United Kingdom, how would the UK’s foreign exchange reserves be reallocated?

[Mr Carmichael]

That would be a matter to be determined in the event of Scotland voting to leave the United Kingdom. I very much hope that will not come to pass.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Philip Hollobone

Wednesday 18th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

3. What estimate he has made of the number of illegal immigrants in Scotland.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr Alistair Carmichael)]

Given the ability of illegal and clandestine immigrants to move freely within the UK, it is not feasible to produce separate estimates for each part of the UK.

[Mr Hollobone]

It would appear that the Government do not really know how many illegal immigrants there might be in Scotland. Given the attraction of the whole of the UK to people from other countries, I suspect that the problem might be rather greater than the Secretary of State imagines, particularly in cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh. Will he reassure the House that he will work closely with the UK Border Agency to ensure that Scotland is not an easy route into the UK for illegal immigrants?

[Mr Carmichael]

Certainly there should be no easy routes for anyone in these circumstances, but I would caution the hon. Gentleman against devoting too much Government resource to the compilation of figures that do not help us to tackle the problem.

Helicopter Crash (Glasgow)

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Philip Hollobone

Monday 2nd December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Carmichael]

I echo the hon. Gentleman’s comments about the chaplains. Today, I met social workers in Glasgow who have also been closely involved in giving comfort and counselling to those who need it, and I hope that they too may in time be able to avail themselves of any support that they may need. There is often a cost to those who have to give the counsel and the comfort, and not just to those who are most directly involved.

Use of the helicopter is an operational matter for the chief constable of Police Scotland, who would be accountable for his decision to the Justice Secretary in the Scottish Government.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

I associate myself entirely with the remarks of both the Secretary of State and his shadow. Rescuing victims from collapsed buildings is an extremely complicated task, which in this case is being made far worse by the fact that a very heavy upside-down helicopter is on top of the rubble. A few years ago, through the fire service parliamentary scheme, I had the privilege of visiting the Fire Service College at Moreton-in-Marsh and observing the specialist training given to fire officers to enable them to go into collapsed rubble, locate victims and extract them. Does the Secretary of State agree that we are fortunate indeed to have in our United Kingdom some of the very best specialist skills in the world to deal with incidents such as this?

[Mr Carmichael]

Indeed. Not only is there training of that sort, but rehearsals are conducted regularly by the city council, the various rescue services, the Procurator Fiscal Service, and all the other agencies. Since Friday night, we have seen the value of the work that is done in that regard. I am not familiar with the facility to which the hon. Gentleman referred, but in recent days we have observed the benefit of all the training that has been given to our emergency services.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Philip Hollobone

Wednesday 6th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Carmichael]

This is a serious issue, and I accept that these posters were not appropriate, but I think a slightly more measured approach than the hon. Gentleman’s is appropriate to questions such as this. It was made clear in the Immigration Minister’s statement last week that these posters will not be back. I am content with that position.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

What is the Secretary of State’s estimate of the number of illegal immigrants in Scotland?

[Mr Carmichael]

I do not have that figure to hand, but I will be more than happy to make the appropriate inquiry and write to my hon. Friend.