Luke Graham

Scotland had an independence referendum in 2014. It was legal, fair and decisive and people in Scotland voted by a significant margin to remain part of the UK. The UK Government is committed to upholding and respecting the result of the 2014 referendum. The Scottish Government has stated that the cost of running the 2014 referendum was £15.8 million.

The Civil Service HR team within Cabinet Office regularly engages with its counterparts in the Scottish Government on a range of workforce matters where there are shared interests and to share best practice. This also ensures consistency in approach and ways of working (as appropriate) across both bodies.

All UK Government civil servants are expected to adhere to the principles set out in the Civil Service Code throughout their working practices. Civil servants working for the Scottish Government, and their agencies, have their own versions of the code, as do the Welsh Government. However, both the Scottish and Home Civil Service adhere to the same core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each Government department. However, the Government’s Industrial Strategy will help create a more balanced economy by moving Arm’s Length public bodies out of London and the surrounding area and into clusters in the regions and devolved nations of the UK.

The Civil Service HR team within Cabinet Office regularly engages with its counterparts in the Scottish Government on a range of workforce matters where there are shared interests and to share best practice. This also ensures consistency in approach and ways of working (as appropriate) across both bodies.

All UK Government civil servants are expected to adhere to the principles set out in the Civil Service Code throughout their working practices. Civil servants working for the Scottish Government, and their agencies, have their own versions of the code, as do the Welsh Government. However, both the Scottish and Home Civil Service adhere to the same core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Offshore wind is supported under the Renewables Obligation (RO) and Contracts for Difference (CfD). The RO was available to all eligible generators^[1]. Since 2015 onwards, support has been awarded on a competitive basis using Contracts for Difference (CfD). The offshore wind capacity brought forward in Scottish waters through RO and CfD since 2010 is approximately 2.3 GW^[2].

The costs of these schemes are paid for through consumers’ energy bills and managed by Ofgem and the Low Carbon Contracts Company. From 2010 to 2017/18, the last financial year for which spend figures are available, there has been £355.6 million of spending under the RO on offshore wind in Scotland. No CfD payments were made in respect of offshore wind generation in Scotland during the same period.

Innovation has been key in bringing down the costs of offshore wind. The work of the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, based in Glasgow and Levenmouth, has been, and will continue to be, important, in this. For example in June 2018 the ORE Catapult announced a £1.3 million programme of technology innovation projects designed to advance Scotland’s offshore wind sector[i]. In 2018, the Government also announced a further £73.5 million, five-year funding plan for the ORE Catapult.

[1] The RO closed to new capacity on 31 March 2017 (with exceptions that extended the deadline to 31 March 2018 for certain offshore wind stations). Accredited capacity will receive support for 20 years or until the final closure of the scheme on 31 March 2037, whichever is the earlier.

[2] CfDs awarded for 2,062 MW; under RO total installed at the end of 2017/18 was 218.5 MW.

[i] https://ore.catapult.org.uk/press-releases/innovation-funding-boost-scottish-offshore-wind/

The Department has had regular engagement with Parliamentary colleagues and industry to discuss energy policy matters, including on tidal energy.

Since 2003 the Government has made £174m innovation and grant funding available to wave, tidal stream technologies (£80m of that since 2010). As set out in the Clean Growth Strategy, wave, tidal stream and tidal range technologies could have a role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK, but they will need to demonstrate how they can compete with other forms of generation.

Our Industrial Strategy sets out our aim to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business.

We are ranked top 10 in the world for doing business by the World Economic Forum and World Bank and amongst the very best in Europe. But as the Patient Capital Review identified, we could do better in the longer-term process of building up successful businesses to reach large-scale and as the Scale-Up Taskforce has highlighted, more can be done to increase the number of businesses that achieve their full potential.

So as part of the Industrial Strategy, we have an action plan to unlock over £20bn of investment in high potential businesses, including through establishing a new £2.5bn Patient Capital investment fund incubated within the Government owned British Business Bank (BBB). The BBB, through its Start Up Loans programme, has lent over £410m to more than 55,000 entrepreneurs across the UK to start their own businesses. The New Enterprise Allowance Scheme from the Department of Work and Pensions also provides money and support to help people receiving certain benefits to start their own business.

Through the Industrial Strategy we are continuing to invest in 38 Growth Hubs across England alongside the Business Support Helpline. Business support is devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. All businesses can access core services, information and guidance on starting up and running a business, as well as their statutory rights and obligations, on GOV.UK.

More widely, the Small Business Commissioner has been launched with the purpose to assist small businesses to prevent and resolve late payment issues with their larger business customers. And we are opening up public procurement to SMEs, with a commitment to one pound in every three of central government procurement spend going to SMEs by (directly or via the supply chain) 2022.

We will also drive change through the biggest increase in public investment in R&D in our history, raising total R&D investment to 2.4% of GDP by 2027. Finally, we will support businesses to access international markets. This means driving up exports by the Government and private sector including identifying smaller businesses with the potential to succeed and grow as exporters.

Government is working with the Tay Cities region to fulfil the commitment we made in the 2016 Budget to agree a City Deal with the local area. In line with the national Industrial Strategy, we are keen that City Deals build on local strengths and support key sectors, and the UK Government will consider supporting any local proposals in our reserved policy space that support these aims. All proposals will need to have the support of key stakeholders and will need to show that they use public money effectively to drive growth and productivity.

The Department works closely with the Scottish authorities to promote the space sector in Scotland. Space companies and organisations in Scotland directly employed some 7,000 people in 2014/15, 18% of the UK’s total employees in space. In February 2018, the UK Space Agency, working with the European Space Agency, announced over £4m in investment in Spire Global to develop cutting-edge small satellite technology in Glasgow. The Space Industry Act 2018 has also received royal assent, which will boost plans to develop new space launch services in Scotland.

The UK Space Agency is also co-funding the Satellite Applications Catapult’s Scottish Centre of Excellence, which has a Scotland-wide remit to promote opportunities for increased awareness and uptake of Satellite Applications, broker partnerships and identify funding opportunities. It has also supported Space start-ups in the Tontine business incubator in Glasgow. In addition, the UK Space Agency’s Space for Smarter Government Programme is providing a training programme for Scottish Public sector organisations to help them to understand how space services can be used to deliver more efficient public services.

I refer the hon member to the answer to written question 133562 answered on 28th March.

The action taken by mobile operators as a result of the 2014 agreement with Government, has helped to improve coverage on the UK's roads. We recognise that there is further to go, which is why the Government has a Manifesto commitment to deliver full and uninterrupted mobile phone signal on all major roads by 2022.

The action taken by mobile operators as a result of the 2014 agreement with Government, has helped to improve coverage on the UK's roads. We recognise that there is further to go, which is why the Government has a Manifesto commitment to deliver full and uninterrupted mobile phone signal on all major roads by 2022.

We have made no such estimate.

The delivery of BDUK’s Superfast Programme in the areas of Perth, Kinross and Clackmannanshire is managed by the local delivery partner, Digital Scotland. The Department has several meetings scheduled with this project to discuss further Superfast roll-out across Scotland. Currently, there are no meetings scheduled between the Department and those councils in regards to Superfast roll-out.

While there are no meetings scheduled with either council to discuss mobile coverage we remain committed to our ambition for the UK to have good quality connectivity where people live, work and travel. This is why we reformed the Electronic Communications Code in 2017, making it easier and cheaper to install digital infrastructure across the UK including Scotland. We also welcome Ofcom’s consultation, launched on 9 March, which outlines potential new licence obligations for rural coverage as part of the upcoming 700MHz spectrum auction. This will further help drive coverage improvements for consumers.

Electric car batteries are classified as industrial batteries and covered under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009. This bans the disposal to landfill of such batteries and their incineration. It also establishes take-back and recycling obligations for industrial battery producers.

The UK’s £246 million Faraday Battery Challenge is playing a leading role in promoting the reuse and recycling of battery components. One of the eight technical challenges set is to be able to recycle 95% of an electric vehicle battery pack by 2035.

A number of live projects are exploring this area including a £10 million Faraday Institution research project. This is developing the technological, economic and policy framework that would allow high percentages of the materials in lithium-ion batteries at the end of their first life to be reused or recycled. In addition, several collaborative research and development projects are looking at reusing, remanufacturing or recycling end-of-life, automotive lithium-ion batteries.

Ministers and officials are in regular contact with the Scottish Government on the need for common frameworks. The Secretary of State last met Ministers from the Scottish and Welsh Governments and senior officials from Northern Ireland on 14 May 2018 when the need for common frameworks was discussed.

It is our intention that each administration has the freedom to design policies that support their farming sectors and enhance their environment. We are working with the devolved administrations to identify where common frameworks are required. Common frameworks should only be established where they are needed; whether this is to maintain a functioning UK internal market, to strike trade deals, or to provide the certainty required to meet international obligations.

Agriculture is a devolved responsibility, and it is the Government’s intention that each administration has the freedom to design policies that support the individual characteristics of their agricultural industries and unique landscapes.

The Government has committed to work closely with the Devolved Administrations and stakeholders to deliver an approach that works for the whole of the UK and reflects the individual needs of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; subject to where common frameworks may be necessary.

Responsibility for policy, and any related initiatives, to support rural communities in Scotland rests with the Scottish Government.

We are committed to working closely with the devolved administrations on the development of common frameworks that work for the whole of the UK and reflect the devolution settlements of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Common frameworks should only be established where they are needed, whether this is to maintain a functioning UK internal market, to strike trade deals, or to provide the certainty needed to meet international obligations.

I refer my Hon. Friend for Ochil and South Perthshire to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Midlothian on 26 February 2019, UIN 224362.

Not only has the Board of Trade met for the first time in 150 years, delivered its first overseas mission, and been out across the country meeting businesses, but later today, I will be travelling to Preston for the second meeting of the Board of Trade where I will be announcing a new National Trade Academy programme and the winners of the inaugural Board of Trade Awards - the BOFTAS.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) has a whole of UK approach to investment and actively promotes Scotland as one of the leading locations to invest in and set up business operations. There are also DIT officials based in Scotland, working on export and investment promotion. From April 2017 to date, working in collaboration with Scottish Development International (SDI), DIT has supported several investments into Scotland from China and Hong Kong, creating 176 jobs. DIT provides a pipeline of projects to the Devolved Administrations and works together to ensure projects land in the UK.

The two Governments have established an official level Joint Programme Board (JPB) to oversee arrangements for delivering the transfer of the British Transport Police’s functions in Scotland. Membership of the Board includes representatives from both Governments, the two Police Authorities and the two Police Forces.

The UK Government’s ambition is to see a smooth transition to the new arrangements for policing the railways, with the focus on ensuring the continued effective policing of the railways once responsibilities are split between the British Transport Police and Police Scotland, including appropriate coordination arrangements.

Whilst significant progress has been made on a number of aspects of integration, including preparing the secondary legislation which will transfer those BTP officers and staff currently responsible for policing the railways in Scotland to Police Scotland, a number of significant operational issues remain to be resolved. For this reason the Scottish Government announced in February that the planned 1 April 2019 transfer date would not be achieved. A detailed re-planning exercise is now underway to ensure robust delivery plans are in place for all of the key elements of the programme and to establish a new delivery date.

Scotland stands to benefit substantially from HS2. When Phase One opens in 2026, services will run directly between London and Glasgow, bringing the journey time below 4 hours. When the full HS2 network opens in 2033, journeys between London and Glasgow and Edinburgh will be 3 hr 40 min. The Department for Transport estimates HS2 will deliver around £5bn of benefits to the Scottish economy.

HS2 will help transform the UK economy, directly creating 25,000 new jobs - 70 percent of which will be outside of London. It will directly link 8 of the UK’s 10 largest cities and provide a step change in the country’s railway capacity. The Government regularly assesses the benefits of HS2 through the economic and strategic business cases.

Stirling station was included in the original Access for All programme but no solution to provide access to every platform could be found. The funding was therefore reallocated to other stations in Scotland. We are seeking new money to extend Access for All beyond 2019. If this is successful we will be asking the industry for new station nominations next year.

The amount of Universal Credit paid to claimants reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period.

Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid and how utility companies and other service providers collect payments. It also allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month, this means that if a claimant’s income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.

We have recently reviewed and updated guidance to help ensure claimants, staff and representatives are aware of the importance of employers reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles.

We know that some people find managing their money challenging and Alternative Payment Arrangements (APA) can be provided to help them manage that change. These include: managed payment of the Universal Credit housing cost to landlords; making payments more frequently; and splitting the payment between partners within the household.

APAs can be requested by a claimant at any point during their claim and are considered on a case by case basis and assessed by Universal Credit staff. Staff work closely with claimants and are trained to gauge a claimant’s financial needs at their initial interview, and throughout their claim, based on their personal circumstances.

We continuously review Universal Credit using feedback from claimants and stakeholders. We are currently trialling new ways of working around more frequent payments, monitoring the outcomes to further inform improvements to the service.

As of May 2019, the Department has funded Citizens Advice Scotland with £2,343,378 to provide the Help to Claim service for Universal Credit claimants in Scotland.

DWP staff also have discretion to signpost benefit claimants to local support services where appropriate.

The financial model and reporting for Universal Credit roll-out and disability welfare is undertaken at a national level and we do not break these cost categories into lower level geographies, such as constituencies. We therefore do not hold the information requested.

We continue to work closely with the Scottish Government on the transfer of welfare powers covered by the Scotland Act 2016. The Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare was set up to oversee the devolution of social security powers and meets regularly to discuss progress and resolve issues. The group is attended by ministers from both Governments and includes the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities. The next meeting is due to take place on 14 June.

The establishment of the Social Security Agency is a matter for the Scottish Government.

Reviews are a key part of Personal Independence Payment and ensures that awards remain correct and claimants receive the correct level of support that they are entitled to.

As my Rt Hon. Friend the Prime Minister said during her recent visit to China, in this ‘Golden Era’ of UK-China relations, our relationship is broad and deep, and delivering real benefits for both countries. We are global partners, working together to strengthen further our trade links and tackle global challenges.

The Chancellor announced at the recent Spending Round that we will provide £160m to the Scottish Government in 2020-21 in relation to historic allocations of Common Agricultural Policy ‘convergence’ funding. The additional funding will be ring-fenced for farmers and land managers in Scotland. The review led by Lord Bew of Donegore has considered a separate but related matter.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are responsible for the assessment of Child Maintenance payments, including the verification of the absent parent’s income. Upon request from DWP, HMRC provide information held on their National Insurance and PAYE Service, or their Self-Assessment Service. The information is made available under a Memorandum of Understanding, and is for the latest completed tax year.

The independent Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) is responsible for the regulation of the underwriting of buy-to-let mortgages. Under the PRA’s Supervisory Statement of September 2016, firms are required to conduct: an interest coverage ratio test which compares expected rental income to the monthly interest cost of mortgage repayments; and/or an income affordability test. Lenders must also take into account future changes to interest rates over a minimum period of five years. The purpose of this is to prevent lenders taking excessive risk by ensuring that the borrowers have the ability to repay the loan.

Beyond the requirements set out in the regulations, decisions concerning how lenders assess mortgage applications are commercial decisions for banks and building societies. I hope you can appreciate that it would be inappropriate for the Government to intervene in these decisions.

The Government recognises that branch closures can be difficult for the customers affected and urges the banks to consider these concerns when making decisions on their branch network. That is why Government supports the Access to Banking Standard, and makes clear to the banks and building societies who have signed up that they should participate genuinely and with the spirit of the agreement, not just the letter, in mind.

The Government supports the Lending Standard’s Board’s monitoring and enforcing of the Standard, and welcomed their recent report on firms’ compliance with its requirements. The Government considers the current scheme of oversight to be working effectively at present.

The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Access to Banking Standard, and Lending Standards Board oversight of it, to ensure that it continues to strike the right balance between providing commercial flexibility and consumer protection.

The government applies a zero of rate of VAT to the construction of charitable buildings. This includes nursery buildings where they operate as charities. While all taxes are kept under review, the application of further zero rates is strictly limited by EU law.

Future VAT rules will depend on the outcome of negotiations with the EU. Any future decisions on VAT will continue to be taken as part of the normal Budget process.