Oral Answers to Questions

Eilidh Whiteford Excerpts

Wednesday 6th January 2016 Commons Chamber

[Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)]

2. What recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on Scotland’s fiscal framework.

[Dr Eilidh Whiteford (Banff and Buchan) (SNP)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on Scotland’s fiscal framework.

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

10. What recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on Scotland’s fiscal framework.

--- Later in debate ---

[David Mundell]

As I said, we are involved in an ongoing negotiation, which Mr Swinney is conducting. I have tremendous respect for his ability to reach a fair settlement for Scotland, and for the Chief Secretary’s ability to reach a fair settlement for the rest of the United Kingdom. On the basis of the discussions that took place between the First Minister and the Prime Minister, my own discussions with the Deputy First Minister and the meeting that is due to take place on Friday, I am confident that we will be able to achieve a fair settlement.

[Dr Eilidh Whiteford]

A good new year to you, Mr Speaker.

Many people will find it bizarre, and frankly unacceptable, that the Secretary of State for Scotland is not even attending the negotiations on Scotland’s fiscal framework. Can he explain why his office of Secretary of State seems to have been deemed irrelevant to those critical negotiations? Given that he is not directly involved in the negotiations, will he share his personal view on whether he agrees with the learned professors and the STUC on the preferred model?

[David Mundell]

I think what many people in Scotland will find bizarre is that at a session in Parliament that is called Scottish questions, the Scottish National party could come up with only one question, which all its Members were clearly told to ask.

I know that it may impinge on the importance that some SNP MPs attribute to themselves, but it is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, who is negotiating the agreement, not them.