Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Foster and Ross Thomson

Wednesday 4th September 2019 Commons Chamber

[Ross Thomson (Aberdeen South) (Con)]

9. What steps the Government are taking to strengthen the Union.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Kevin Foster)]

This Government are a Unionist Government firmly committed to strengthening our United Kingdom. My noble Friend Lord Dunlop is conducting an independent inquiry to ensure UK Government structures are configured to strengthen the working of the Union, while respecting and supporting the current devolution settlements.

[Ross Thomson]

Does my hon. Friend agree that all four nations of our United Kingdom benefit from the close bonds of our Union and that, as we leave the EU with powers returning from Brussels, we can strengthen those bonds even further?

[Kevin Foster]

I totally agree with my hon. Friend. Seeing powers coming back to this United Kingdom and going to the devolved tier of government will help to bring our four nations closer together. That is why it is so strange that those people who call themselves nationalists actually want to take powers back so they can give them away again to Brussels.