Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Scotland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Sheridan Excerpts
Wednesday 12th September 2012

(12 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Mundell Portrait David Mundell
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As the hon. Lady will know, although there are changes to the management arrangements of coastguard operation centres, the same local volunteers, lifeboats and helicopters will remain in the coastal waters of Scotland. There will be no change, and it is wrong to suggest otherwise.

Jim Sheridan Portrait Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (Lab)
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8. How many publicly funded projects in Scotland have been undertaken by firms which engage in blacklisting against trade union members.

David Mundell Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)
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Information on this is not held centrally. Regulations were introduced in 2010 to outlaw trade union blacklisting in the UK. We welcome the Scottish Affairs Committee’s inquiry into blacklisting in employment, and encourage all hon. Members and interested parties to feed their views into the inquiry.

Jim Sheridan Portrait Jim Sheridan
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I thank the Minister for his response. I, too, commend the Scottish Affairs Committee’s inquiry. If there is tangible evidence that Government contracts are being awarded to companies that are engaging in blacklisting trade unionists, will those contracts be reviewed?

David Mundell Portrait David Mundell
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The hon. Gentleman is a strong campaigner on this issue. As I said in my original answer, I suggest he put that view to the Scottish Affairs Committee so it can form part of its report. We will certainly take its report very seriously.