Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the UK's signatory status to the European Convention on Human Rights on the competencies of the Scottish Parliament.
Answered by David Mundell
Section 29 of the Scotland Act 1998 sets out that the Scottish Parliament cannot legislate incompatibly with any of the rights in the European Convention on Human Rights. There are no plans to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the effect of levels of immigration on Scotland's economic performance in the last five years.
Answered by David Mundell
Migrants from outside the UK and within the UK make a significant contribution to Scotland – not only in terms of its economy, but also society and wellbeing. This Government will always welcome the brightest and the best who come here to work.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for the Scottish agricultural sector.
Answered by David Mundell
I meet regularly with Cabinet colleagues to discuss a wide range of matters. Just last month, I met with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss a number of issues relating to the Scottish Agricultural Sector.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on future funding for the Scottish Government.
Answered by David Mundell
I have regular discussions with my cabinet colleagues, including the Chancellor, on a wide range of issues.
In February, the Scottish Government and the United Kingdom Government signed the agreement on the Scottish Government’s fiscal framework.
As set out in the Smith Agreement, changes in the Scottish Government’s block grant will continue to be determined via the operation of the Barnett Formula.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what incentives are provided by the Government to encourage electricity providers to create opportunities for households with dynamically teleswitched metres to switch between electricity suppliers.
Answered by David Mundell
The Government recognises that customers using dynamically teleswitched meters do not enjoy the same wide choice of energy suppliers as other domestic customers. In its final report in June, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) included in its remedies an order on energy suppliers with more than 50,000 domestic customers to make all their single-rate electricity tariffs available to all existing and new domestic electricity customers with restricted meters, without requiring the meter to be replaced. Suppliers will also need to ensure these customers receive regular information on the options to switch supplier or tariff. The Citizens Advice will become a recognised provider of information and support for customers with restricted meters. These provisions will be implemented through CMA orders on suppliers and amendments to their licence conditions.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what opportunities are available to households in Scotland with dynamically teleswitched meters to switch between electricity suppliers.
Answered by David Mundell
Households in Scotland with dynamically teleswitched meters can switch to a single-rate or an Economy 7 tariff offered by their existing supplier or by a rival supplier. At present, some suppliers may require the dynamically teleswitched meter to be replaced at a cost to the customer and they may suffer a loss of functionality. In its final report in June, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) included in its remedies an order on energy suppliers with more than 50,000 domestic customers to make all their single-rate electricity tariffs available to all existing and new domestic electricity customers with restricted meters, without requiring the meter to be replaced. Suppliers will also need to ensure these customers receive regular information on the options to switch supplier or tariff. The Citizens Advice will become a recognised provider of information and support for customers with restricted meters.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what tariffs are available to households in Scotland with dynamically teleswitched meters that may want to switch between electricity suppliers.
Answered by David Mundell
Households in Scotland with dynamically teleswitched meters can switch to a single-rate or an Economy 7 tariff offered by their existing supplier or by a rival supplier. At present, some suppliers may require the dynamically teleswitched meter to be replaced at a cost to the customer and they may suffer a loss of functionality. In its final report in June, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) included in its remedies an order on energy suppliers with more than 50,000 domestic customers to make all their single-rate electricity tariffs available to all existing and new domestic electricity customers with restricted meters, without requiring the meter to be replaced. Suppliers will also need to ensure these customers receive regular information on the options to switch supplier or tariff. The Citizens Advice will become a recognised provider of information and support for customers with restricted meters.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many households in (a) Scotland and (b) the Highland area of Scotland have their electricity supplies controlled by dynamically teleswitched meters.
Answered by David Mundell
We do not hold information on how many households in Scotland and the Highland area of Scotland have their electricity supplies controlled by dynamically teleswitched meters. In Ofgem’s response to the Competition Markets Authority’s Notice of Remedies published in August 2015, it was estimated that there were 160,000 households across Great Britain with dynamically teleswitched meters in operation at the end of 2014.
The Competition Markets Authority’s Notice of Remedies is available online at:
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to the statement by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury of 10 June 2015, if he will take steps to (a) ensure the Royal Bank of Scotland continues to meet the commitments in its 14 Point Customer Charter and (b) prevent the closure of Royal Bank of Scotland branches in Invergordon, Lochinver and Lybster.
Answered by David Mundell
The 14 Point Customer Charter was a commitment set out by RBS following an internal RBS review to improve customer service.
The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. From the first of May this year, a bank must carry out a number of steps if it is closing a branch. The steps include establishing the impact of a branch closure before it takes place; finding suitable alternative provision; and putting satisfactory alternative measures in place before a branch is closed.
The UK government recognises the concerns for consumers and small businesses that branch closures continue to play in affected communities and wrote to the British Bankers’ Association to set out our expectations around effective compliance with the bank branch closure protocol.
The full text of the joint-letter by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury Harriett Baldwin MP and the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise Anna Soubry MP can found at the following:
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the compatibility of proposals to implement English votes on English laws with the Union with England Act 1707; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Mundell
The Union with Scotland Act 1706 and the Union with England Act 1707 provide that the United Kingdom of Great Britain shall be represented by one Parliament. I am satisfied that the proposal to introduce English votes on English laws is compatible with this legislation. Parliament will remain the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and all Members will be entitled to debate and vote on all legislation.