Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Scotland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Bruce of Bennachie Excerpts
Wednesday 7th May 2014

(10 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alistair Carmichael Portrait Mr Carmichael
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Both Governments agreed in the Edinburgh agreement that there would be no question of pre-negotiation. That was a sensible situation and I am astonished that the hon. Gentleman now seeks to walk away from it.

Lord Bruce of Bennachie Portrait Sir Malcolm Bruce (Gordon) (LD)
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Does the Secretary of State agree that the Bank of England is not an asset to be shared but an institution that belongs to the United Kingdom which Scotland chooses to leave? Does he also agree that it is an extraordinary kind of independence where one wants to hand over control of one’s fiscal and monetary policy to a foreign bank?

Alistair Carmichael Portrait Mr Carmichael
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My right hon. Friend puts it perfectly. The difference between an asset and an institution is not a difficult one to understand, but the Scottish nationalists do seem to struggle with it.