Oral Answers to Questions

Dave Doogan Excerpts

Wednesday 29th April 2020 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

It is always good to see my right hon. Friend, even—or especially—via Zoom. I thank all the heavy goods vehicle and delivery drivers for all that they are doing in the country to keep us going. Across the House I think that we probably agree that our view and definition of key workers have changed as we have come through this crisis; there is an appreciation of people doing those gritty jobs day in, day out and of quite the extent to which we rely on them.

All motorway service stations in England currently remain open to road users. That is why the Transport Secretary is continuing, based on the concerns that my right hon. Friend has rightly raised, to work with motorway service operators to ensure that as many facilities within those individual service stations as possible remain open to make sure that HGV drivers can take a break and use whatever facilities they need before they go back to work. He raises an excellent point.

[Dave Doogan (Angus) (SNP) [V]]

The Chancellor said of his covid-19 response:“We will not leave you behind. We all stand together.”He then delivered a financial package that did leave behind hundreds of my constituents in Angus and thousands more across these islands—by a Government who will refuse to introduce a universal basic income. I think of people just like my constituent in Arbroath, who could not be furloughed by his former employer and, because of Treasury rules, cannot be furloughed by his new employer either. So now, after 44 years of working, he has been cut adrift as collateral by this Government. What is the First Secretary’s advice to my constituent?

[Dominic Raab]

We do not support a universal basic income mainly because, it would not target our precious resources at such a challenging time at those who need them most. In total, Scotland will receive a cash boost of over £3 billion to tackle coronavirus, so the financial support from the UK Government is going there. That is on top of the UK military support, with things such as mobile testing and the airlifting of patients from some of the island communities in Scotland. We are also expanding testing capacity right across the UK; centres have recently opened in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. We will get through this crisis and we will do so as one United Kingdom.

Global Britain

Dave Doogan Excerpts

Monday 3rd February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right—financial services are a critical part of the UK economy. In the political declaration, clear arrangements are envisaged to make sure that we can strengthen financial services, both in the UK and into the European Union, and in particular I hope that the arrangements that we will pursue around equivalence will give effect to that.

[Dave Doogan (Angus) (SNP)]

Those of us on the SNP Benches are told continually that we are privileged to be part of the world’s most successful union of nations, yet I could detect no reference whatsoever to the devolved Administrations in the Secretary of State’s speech. What will his negotiating strategy be with the devolved Administrations as he seeks to take forward his vision of global Britain?

[Dominic Raab]

I am glad to say that, beneath all the political froth, in my time as Brexit Secretary and from what I have observed since, the devolved Administrations have played a vital role in feeding in their priorities, making sure that the Government can update them on the process, the trade-offs and the competing interests that inevitably inform an international negotiation. I know that that will continue as we move forward.