Oral Answers to Questions

Ben Howlett Excerpts

Wednesday 1st March 2017 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

I have made it absolutely clear, as has the Prime Minister, how much we value the contribution that EU nationals make in Scotland to both the economy and civic society. We want them to stay, but we also want UK nationals elsewhere in the EU to be able to stay where they are.

[Ben Howlett (Bath) (Con)]

5. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Joint Ministerial Committee.

[Mr Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) (Con)]

10. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Joint Ministerial Committee.

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

The Government are committed to getting the best deal for Scotland and the UK in the negotiations with the EU. The Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations was established to facilitate engagement between the UK Government and devolved Administrations and has had substantive and constructive discussions in monthly meetings since November.

[Ben Howlett]

At the last meeting of the JMC, the Prime Minister committed to an intensified engagement with the Scottish Government on their EU proposals. Can he update the House on that process?

[David Mundell]

When I appeared last week before the Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee, I was able to tell it that in the two weeks since the plenary meeting of the JMC, six substantive meetings had taken place between senior officials so that both Governments could discuss the proposals set out in the document, “Scotland’s Place in Europe”. We regard this as a serious contribution to the debate and continue to engage with it.