Business of the House

Dave Doogan Excerpts

Thursday 6th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

Yes, of course—that is not a promise of a debate—but am I not right in thinking that the A5 goes along one of the old Roman roads? Therefore, it has been important to our history for generation upon generation. Where I think my hon. Friend is saying something of the greatest relevance is that we need to consider our roads as a United Kingdom, because they do not conveniently stop when they get to the boundary between counties or even the constituent parts of our great kingdom. He is right to call for a debate, but I suggest that on a specific road, even one as important and as ancient as the A5, that is probably most suitable for an Adjournment debate.

[Dave Doogan (Angus) (SNP)]

I know that the Leader of the House likes nothing more than to elicit a response from a Minister that an hon. Member has previously failed to elicit, so he will be alarmed to know that yesterday both my hon. Friend the Member for Stirling (Alyn Smith) and I asked the Secretary of State for International Trade how, when and why she would seek to deploy the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 to ride roughshod over devolution, but she refused to answer. Will he get an answer for us, please?

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I can give an answer very directly: Her Majesty’s Government have no intention of riding roughshod over the devolved settlement.