Oral Answers to Questions

Martyn Day Excerpts

Thursday 28th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Angela Crawley (Lanark and Hamilton East) (SNP)]

4. What recent discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on the UK leaving the EU.

[Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP)]

12. What recent discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on the UK leaving the EU.

[Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)]

18. What recent discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on the UK leaving the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Walker]

We have, of course, taken careful note of the submissions from the devolved Administrations, but we have Governments led by different parties with different political positions. We discuss that regularly in the ministerial forum. What we need to do is work together to ensure that our approach works for the whole UK, and that is what we will continue to do, recognising the differences of opinion that exist between the respective Governments.

[Martyn Day]

Will the Government now admit that if they had engaged properly with the devolved Administrations two years ago and had meaningful discussions with the Scottish Government about their—the Scottish Government’s—paper “Scotland’s Place in Europe”, they would not now be in the position of having to blackmail the House into choosing between a bad deal and no deal?

[Mr Walker]

We have engaged on those papers, and we have had a range of meaningful discussions over the years, in many of which I have been personally involved. However, we respect the fact that we will take politically different positions on some of these issues. The UK Government believe that they must discharge their responsibility for the UK to leave the EU, and the Scottish Government do not agree with that. Nevertheless, we will continue to work together to find the best approach to these challenges.