Oral Answers to Questions

David Linden Excerpts

Thursday 1st October 2020 Commons Chamber

[Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)]

What assessment he has made of the implications for the strength of the Union of recent differences in UK and Scottish Government policy on international law.

[David Linden (Glasgow East) (SNP)]

What assessment he has made of the implications for the strength of the Union of recent differences in UK and Scottish Government policy on international law.

[Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow North East) (SNP)]

What assessment he has made of the implications for the strength of the Union of recent differences in UK and Scottish Government policy on international law.

--- Later in debate ---

[Michael Gove]

First, I apologise to the hon. Gentleman for any delay in answering his written questions. I will take that up with the team in the Cabinet Office.

Of course, Government do undertake research, and that research reinforces to us the vital importance of serving every part of the United Kingdom effectively. The research that we undertake, for example, reveals that, across the United Kingdom, people believe it is vital that Governments work together to deal with the current covid pandemic, and it is important that the good co-operation that we have recently enjoyed with the Scottish Government continues.

[David Linden]

It seems to be the approach of a slippery fish from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. How much money—UK taxpayers’ money—is he spending on this private polling? Given that all public polling shows that there is an increase in support for Scottish independence, is it not correct that support for the Union is pretty weak at the moment and it is only a matter of time before Scotland becomes an independent country?

[Michael Gove]

Talking of fish, slippery or otherwise, one of the benefits of leaving the European Union is that we will be taking back control of our territorial waters. As the Scottish Government have pointed out, and as I know the hon. Gentleman is aware, there will be hundreds of thousands of new jobs and millions of pounds of new investment in the north-east of Scotland as a result of leaving the European Union. We do not need any opinion polling to tell us that that is a Brexit boost for the north-east. These are facts, and facts are chiels that winna ding. Therefore, that is a ding-dong for the Union.