Oral Answers to Questions

Angela Crawley Excerpts

Wednesday 25th April 2018 Commons Chamber

[Stuart C. McDonald (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)]

8. What recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on Scotland.

[Angela Crawley (Lanark and Hamilton East) (SNP)]

13. What recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on Scotland.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)]

I have regular discussions with the Prime Minister and Cabinet colleagues. The UK is committed to securing a deal that works for all parts of the UK, including Scotland.

--- Later in debate ---

[David Mundell]

As I made clear earlier, the UK Government are committed to working with the Scottish Government, but we are not just partners; what the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues cannot accept is that Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, and that is the nature of the agreement we have reached, which the Welsh Government say protects the devolution settlement.

[Angela Crawley]

The SNP asked the Secretary of State countless times whether amendments to clause 11 of the EU withdrawal Bill would be tabled to protect devolution, and time and again he promised that they would. The Scottish Government have drafted amendments and provided proposals, but the Westminster Government have ignored all of them. Is this not just another broken Tory promise to Scotland?

[David Mundell]

I am sure that question looked better written down than it sounded. The Welsh Government, who Mike Russell only last week said were fully aligned with the Scottish Government’s purpose and requirements, have made it clear that the amendment we are lodging to the EU withdrawal Bill protects the devolution settlement.