Oral Answers to Questions

David Gauke Excerpts

Wednesday 4th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Stuart C. McDonald (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)]

2. What recent discussions he has had with Her Majesty’s Treasury on the future of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs tax offices in Scotland.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr David Gauke)]

As part of its ongoing and long-term transformation, HMRC will shortly be making face-to-face announcements in all 170 offices to all staff explaining where its future offices will be.

[Stuart C. McDonald]

Good-quality jobs at our local HMRC office—the largest employer in Cumbernauld—are in serious danger because of this Government’s drastic cuts, debt management privatisation and proposed office mergers. What will the Minister and the Secretary of State do to protect the jobs of hard-working HMRC employees and the local economies of towns such as Cumbernauld?

[Mr Gauke]

As I said, HMRC will be making an announcement in the next few days about its long-term plan, but it is right that it seeks to find savings on its property costs so that the money can be used to improve customer service and get the taxes in.

[Angela Crawley (Lanark and Hamilton East) (SNP)]

3. What assessment he has made of progress in meeting the recommendations of the Smith commission; and if he will make a statement.

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[George Kerevan (East Lothian) (SNP)]

5. What discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on reforming the estimates process to take account of the changes made to the Standing Orders of the House to implement English votes for English laws.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr David Gauke)]

Ministers have had discussions with the Leader of the House on English votes for English laws and their implementation. These sensible and pragmatic steps do nothing to limit Scottish MPs’ rights to represent their constituents.

[George Kerevan]

Is the Secretary of State as concerned as I am that Barnett consequentials that affect all three devolved nations are not clearly spelled out and safeguarded in the new arrangements for English votes for English laws? Will he take his fifth opportunity to explain what is happening with the fiscal compact?

[Mr Gauke]

The changes to Standing Orders do not make any difference to the estimates process. When my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House challenged hon. Members to provide examples of where there would be difficulties, no examples could be provided.

[Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con)]

As the Procedure Committee is planning to hold an inquiry into the manner in which the House deals with estimates, may I urge the Minister to defer holding discussions with his Cabinet colleagues until that report is to hand?

[Mr Gauke]

The Government will look carefully at what the Procedure Committee has to say about reforms to the estimates process, which is ultimately a matter for the House.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

6. What steps the Government are taking to facilitate the sharing of best practice with the Scottish Government on public spending on health.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr David Gauke)]

Health spending is a devolved matter and the Scottish Government are responsible for the NHS in Scotland. It is up to the Scottish Government to decide how best to use their funding and deliver health services in Scotland. The UK Government are happy to share good practice with the Scottish Government to help ensure that people living in Scotland receive high-quality healthcare. Discussions between UK Health Ministers take place where necessary.

[Andrew Bridgen]

Has the Minister seen the recent Audit Scotland report which shows that the Scottish Government have completely failed to pass on health spending increases instigated by the United Kingdom Government, and that that has resulted in a 0.7% real-terms reduction in health spending in Scotland between 2008-09 and 2014-15?

[Mr Gauke]

I have seen that report, and my hon. Friend is right to bring it to the House’s attention. The fact is that a Conservative Government have shown more commitment to public spending on the NHS—[Interruption]—in England than an SNP-led Government have shown in Scotland.

[Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP)]

We now have “English votes for English laws” on issues such as health spending in England. Does the Minister not think that it is time for “Scottish Members for Scottish business” and “Scottish questions for Scottish Members”, and for Scottish Ministers to answer Scottish questions in this House?

[Mr Gauke]

I note that the hon. Gentleman has raised the issue of English votes for English laws, and that he gets very worked up about it. Let me remind him and the House that, just a year ago, he said that English votes for English laws was

“an issue that the Scottish people could not care less about”.

That does not seem to be his approach any more.

[John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

7. What assessment he has made of the level of anti-Semitism in Scotland.

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[Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) (SNP)]

8. What steps he is taking to ensure that the new devolution arrangement which would result from the provisions of the Scotland Bill is financially neutral.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr David Gauke)]

The UK Government are delivering the cross-party Smith agreement in full, giving the Scottish Government substantial new powers over tax and spending. The Smith agreement stated that the devolution of powers

“should be accompanied by an updated fiscal framework”.

The UK and Scottish Governments are discussing that.

[Deidre Brock]

Let me offer the Secretary of State a sixth opportunity to disassociate himself from the subsidy claims that have been made by his own party in the Chamber. Will he do so now? Does he agree that the Treasury’s statements of funding policy over the devolution years have been a creaking and unstable mess, creating unnecessary friction, and will he recommit himself to a more open and transparent process—as he refused to do previously—for the calculation of the block grant to underpin the new fiscal framework?

[Mr Gauke]

There is a process, and it involves UK Treasury Ministers in negotiations with the Scottish Government. We are continuing to work on that process, and we will update the House when there is further news.

[Jo Cox (Batley and Spen) (Lab)]

9. What discussions he has had with women’s organisations on devolving competence for abortion legislation to the Scottish Parliament.