Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Anne McGuire and Alistair Carmichael

Wednesday 25th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Dame Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)]

4. What recent discussions he has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on property taxes in Scotland.

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

As part of the Scotland Act 2012 implementation process, UK Government Ministers have been in contact with Scottish Government Ministers to discuss devolved taxes, including property taxes, since the beginning of this year.

[Dame Anne McGuire]

May I encourage the Secretary of State to be a little more forthcoming and share with the House his view on whether Revenue Scotland is ready for the transfer of property taxes in April?

[Mr Carmichael]

The right hon. Lady will understand my hesitation when I say that we have to take the Scottish Government at their word. They assure us that they are ready and we have done everything within our power to assist them. If it should transpire that there are further difficulties that have not yet been foreseen or disclosed, we will do everything that we can to ensure that the system operates.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Anne McGuire and Alistair Carmichael

Wednesday 26th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)]

2. What recent discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on shipbuilding on the Clyde.

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

First, I would like to place on record my congratulations to Nicola Sturgeon on her recent election as Scotland’s First Minister. I spoke to her on the evening of her election and made the point that Her Majesty’s Government here look forward to working with her and her colleagues in the way I believe the people of Scotland would want.

I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues affecting Scotland, including shipbuilding on the Clyde, most recently last week with my right hon. colleague the Secretary of State for Defence, during which he reiterated his recent public statement underlining that complex UK warships are built only in UK shipyards. He plans to visit the Clyde again shortly.

[Mrs McGuire]

I am sure many on the Opposition Benches would echo the comments about the new First Minister and wish her well.

The Secretary of State gave a slightly nuanced answer. I wonder if he will state categorically that the Type 26 frigates will be built, and perhaps he could throw some light on why the First Sea Lord felt he could make the comments that threw into doubt the proposals for those frigates.

[Mr Carmichael]

I congratulate the right hon. Lady on finding nuance where absolutely none was intended. The First Sea Lord will, of course, speak for himself, but she will be aware that questions of contract are down to Ministers in the Ministry of Defence, and she will no doubt have seen, as other Members did, the comments of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on Monday making it very clear that that is where the orders will go.

Scotland within the UK

Debate between Anne McGuire and Alistair Carmichael

Monday 13th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)]

Given the enthusiasm of the Scottish electorate during the referendum campaign, how will the Secretary of State maintain the enthusiasm, engagement and transparency of the process, so that on 30 November it does not look as though we have delivered a fix, instead of something that has support among the Scottish people?

[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.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Anne McGuire and Alistair Carmichael

Wednesday 2nd July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Carmichael]

I will take absolutely no lectures from the Scottish nationalists on the subject of confrontational approaches. It really is a mark of the desperation of the position in which they find themselves that that is the best they can come up with.

[Mrs Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)]

The Secretary of State commented on the Ernst and Young report, and it also identified that although investment was increasing, the number of jobs related to that inward investment was decreasing. I wonder what action the Minister can take, hopefully in co-operation with the Scottish Government, to ensure that there is greater correlation between investment and jobs created in Scotland.

[Mr Carmichael]

The right hon. Lady points to a direction in which sensible politics ought to go, and I would love to be working in that way with the Scottish Government. Unfortunately, however, it takes two to tango.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Anne McGuire and Alistair Carmichael

Wednesday 7th May 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)]

Given the First Minister’s threat to blockade Scottish fishing grounds if he does not get his own way on EU membership and given that licences are held across the United Kingdom, what analysis has the Secretary of State done on the impact on employment in the Scottish fishing industry?

[Mr Carmichael]

The impact on employment would be serious in some of the most economically fragile communities in Scotland in our coastal and island communities. I have to say that the First Minister’s comment about blockading Scottish waters went beyond the ridiculous, but it makes me wonder whether that is why he seems so desperate to cosy up to Vladimir Putin.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Anne McGuire and Alistair Carmichael

Wednesday 18th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)]

1. What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the employment interests of workers in the whisky industry in Scotland.

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

I have regular discussions with the Chancellor about a wide range of issues, and I can assure the hon. Lady that the whisky industry in Scotland and its employees are a key priority. My Department has long-standing contact with the Scotch Whisky Association, which aids our understanding of the industry.

[Mrs McGuire]

Scotch whisky is exported to about 200 countries, and the industry directly employs 10,000 people in Scotland. According to a recent White Paper from the Scottish Government, there will be about 90 Scotch whisky embassies if the Scottish Government have their way after independence. Does the Secretary of State agree that trade agreements brokered by a strong and extensive United Kingdom diplomatic and international trade infrastructure are integral to the success of Scotch whisky exports? I—