Scottish Government: Welfare

Lord Cormack Excerpts

Monday 19th December 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Dunlop]

I certainly think that the realities of devolving welfare powers put into context the assertion of the then First Minister of Scotland, who said that an independent Scottish state could be established within 18 months. We have seen some of the domestic policy record; two weeks ago, we learned that Scotland’s schools had recorded their worst ever performance in PISA tests since those were set up in the year 2000. This underlines why the Scottish Government should perhaps spend less time searching for new reasons to hold another independence referendum and more time on the day job.

[Lord Cormack (Con)]

My Lords, have they not proved that you cannot fill a void with a vacuum?

[Lord Dunlop]

I am inclined to agree with my noble friend.