Oral Answers to Questions

Christine Jardine Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

No promise is being reneged on; a power surge is occurring. Scores of new powers are going to the Scottish Parliament and, as my hon. Friend the Member for Moray (Douglas Ross) pointed out yesterday, no Scottish National party MP, MSP, councillor or activist can point to a single power currently exercised by the Scottish Parliament that is being taken away. There is no power grab; there is simply an example of SNP myth-making, which this internal market Bill finally puts to bed.

[Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD)]

What steps his Department is taking to improve the sustainability of Government supply chains.

[The Minister without Portfolio (Amanda Milling)]

The Government prioritise the environment at every step, investing in sustainable infrastructure to fuel economic growth and to create green jobs.

Contracting authorities are already required to consider social, economic and environmental impacts of their procurement. This year we will take a step further, implementing a new social value model so that those impacts are monitored in Government procurement and our high standards are maintained through effective contract management.

[Christine Jardine]

I was thinking particularly of economic sustainability, which also affects the private sector, not least the Scottish whisky industry, which has suffered a 65% downturn in trade to the United States, 30% of which is because of the tariffs. Can we have some clarity from the Government on how they will protect that and make it sustainable in this trade war?

[Amanda Milling]

I am sure we are all aware, as many people have spoken in this House about it, of the importance of the Scottish whisky industry. I am sure we will continue to have discussions on the matter.