Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Julie Minns and Douglas Alexander(3 days, 10 hours ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mr Alexander
That was rather more like a party election broadcast than a question. As always, I would recommend the good voters of Aberdeen to vote Scottish Labour.
Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr Douglas Alexander)
This Government are and remain committed to the successful delivery of the borderlands inclusive growth deal. In March, the UK and Scottish Governments approved a deal reset, which confirmed a more deliverable and affordable financial profile. The reset will boost the delivery of key projects such as the Chapelcross development and the mountain bike innovation centre in Innerleithen, and will help the deal to make a real difference to the south of Scotland.
Ms Minns
May I wish you a very happy birthday, Mr Speaker?
Members on both sides of the border and both sides of the Chamber believe that the deal has the potential to be transformative for our region. What steps are being taken to ensure that progress on the deal is maintained, and will the Secretary of State meet me, and my colleagues on both sides of the border, to discuss the reset?
Mr Alexander
I apologise unreservedly for the unforgivable oversight of not beginning my contributions by wishing you a happy birthday, Mr Speaker.
The borderlands growth deal is driving growth, which is why the UK and Scottish Governments have approved a strategic reset. I assure my hon. Friend that we will endeavour to take forward the work as described.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Julie Minns and Douglas Alexander(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr Douglas Alexander)
The UK Government are working closely with the Scottish Government to deliver for the people of Scotland. Since taking office, we have provided the Scottish Government with a record budget settlement, reversing austerity and years of underfunding and ensuring that communities get the support they deserve. I met the Deputy First Minister earlier this month. Labour, as the party of devolution, is already delivering an extra £11 billion for the Scottish Government’s budget, £120 million of investment for Grangemouth and a defence dividend for Rosyth and Faslane.
Ms Minns
One example of what might politely be called ineffective relations between the Scottish and UK Governments concerns bovine electronic identification, where instead of agreeing to adopt the same radio frequency as the rest of the UK and Europe, the Scottish Government have chosen to use a high-frequency spectrum. The implications for the UK’s largest auction mart, in my constituency, will be a doubling of costs, as it has to invest in two types of scanner. Will the Secretary of State press the Office for the Internal Market to look in detail at how auction houses and hauliers such as those in my constituency will be placed at a competitive disadvantage thanks to the SNP Government?