Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Dave Doogan

Wednesday 10th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Dave Doogan, and welcome him to his new position.

[Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. When the Secretary of State first took up his job in government, his first priority should have been advancing the economic interests of Scotland across the world, but we now know what he was really up to instead. His first external meeting as Scotland Secretary and as a Minister was to meet Global Counsel, Peter Mandelson’s international lobbying fund, and he conveniently forgot to declare that meeting for a year and a half. Was that meeting a function of official advice from civil servants in his Department, or is it just the case that when Peter Mandelson says “Jump”, Ministers like him say “How high?”?

[Dave Doogan]

On the case of Peter Mandelson, the Secretary of State expects—[Interruption.]—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We have just had “The Generation Game” played.

[Dave Doogan]

On the case of Peter Mandelson, the Secretary of State says, “I’m in the clear because the Prime Minister says so.” The Prime Minister is also up to his neck in the Peter Mandelson scandal, so that is no clean bill of health at all. We saw just this week a stream of gushing—nauseating, actually—messages between Peter Mandelson and the Secretary of State.

How are we to believe that the Secretary of State for Scotland is doing anything in the interests of the people of Scotland when two of his own Labour MPs this week described him as the “most absent” man in the UK Cabinet? What does it say about him that the only person who thinks he is any use is his pal Peter Mandelson?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Dave Doogan

Wednesday 20th May 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Dave Doogan.

[Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for calling me for my first Prime Minister’s question since becoming SNP Westminster leader, following the SNP’s stunning victory in Scotland. I am enjoying the sense of challenge and opportunity a new job can provide—a sense of renewal I am certain the Prime Minister will be enjoying in the weeks ahead.

This week, we saw the latest chapter of Labour infighting, in which Andy “Brexit” Burnham wants the UK to stay out of the EU, but Peter Mandelson’s pal, the former Health Secretary, wants us to go back in. Can the Prime Minister advise us which of his potential successors he agrees with?

[The Prime Minister]

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his new post and thank him for the calm, reasonable approach I have come to expect. My position is very clear: we have already negotiated a closer relationship with the EU, which we did last year. We will have another negotiation and agreement this year at a summit, where we will get even closer and take a big step forward in our relationship with the EU, which is in our national interest.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Dave Doogan

Tuesday 4th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)]

The Scottish Secretary—a grown man who seems easy to upset—was very upset recently when the First Minister of Scotland had direct meetings with the President of the United States over whisky tariffs. The SNP and the First Minister will always stand up for Scotch whisky. Will the Chancellor follow suit, or will she continue in the Treasury’s long-standing tradition of suckling off the enterprise of Scottish businesses rather than supporting them? Her tax hike on Scotch whisky last year cost jobs and investment in Scotland. Will she now stand up—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Sit down.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Dave Doogan

Wednesday 29th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I thought so.

[Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)]

3. What recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on reducing the cost of living in Wales.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Dave Doogan

Thursday 4th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)]

Unbelievably, the Secretary of State has just doubled down, in the House, on the falsehood that he advanced on 21 July on “Channel 4 News” that pollution levels are worse in Scotland than they are in England. I am sure that the Secretary of State does not want to mislead the House. Will he take the opportunity to correct the record—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. “Falsehood” is not a word we would use. I am sure more constructive wording could be used.

[Dave Doogan]

Thank you for your guidance, Mr Speaker.

The Secretary of State has inadvertently advanced the same argument that he did on 21 July on “Channel 4 News”. Will he clarify that pollution levels under publicly owned Scottish Water are substantially better than those under privately owned English water companies? Will he recognise that Scottish bill payers pay lower bills and that Scottish Water’s borrowing is sustainable and consistent with the value and quality of Scotland’s water?

[Steve Reed]

The hon. Gentleman is showing why the problem persists—if the SNP does not recognise the problem, there is no way that it can fix it. I have published the data and I stand by it: pollution under the SNP in Scotland is even worse than it was under the Tories in England. He should be thoroughly ashamed of what he is doing to the beautiful countryside of the country that he represents.

Business of the House

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Dave Doogan

Thursday 12th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)]

When the Bank of Scotland branch closes later this year in Pitlochry, the town will desperately need a banking hub. That is why I was disappointed that the independent assessor and Link assessed only access to cash, not access to banking. I challenged Link on that, and it said that that is because of the mandate set for it by the Financial Conduct Authority; so I challenged the FCA on that, and it said that that is because of the regulatory framework in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023; so I challenged the Treasury on that and asked it to change its regulatory framework and imposition on the FCA. The Treasury said it will not do that. In opposition, Labour tabled an amendment to the Financial Services and Markets Bill that would have mandated a survey of access to banking services, not just access to cash. Can we have a debate in Government time about how we fix this utter guddle?

[Mr Speaker]

We have just had the debate!

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Dave Doogan

Tuesday 4th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister gives a very good answer to a non-question.

[Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)]

We can listen to the braying of Labour MPs from Scotland or we can look at the fact that the Scottish economy grew 12% more than the UK economy in 2024. That is because of the SNP Scottish Government’s forensic focus on making Scotland the most attractive place in the UK for foreign direct investment year after year, having a progressive taxation system, rewarding our public sector workers properly and investing in our communities. What difference does the Minister think agricultural property relief and business property relief will have on the Scottish economy—positive or negative?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Dave Doogan

Wednesday 5th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dave Doogan]

That’s the same answer you gave the last time.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Mr Doogan, I want no more.