Oral Answers to Questions

Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh Excerpts

Wednesday 11th May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP)]

2. What assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

[Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (Ochil and South Perthshire) (SNP)]

3. What assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

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

6. What assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

[David Mundell]

The biggest issue facing Scotland currently is the uncertainty over the Scottish Government’s inability to rule out a second independence referendum, which they could quite easily do. I look forward to the First Minister, if she is re-elected to that post, setting out clearly that we will not have a second independence referendum. The Scottish Affairs Select Committee has produced a good report on the work study visa, and the Government are looking at it.

[Ms Ahmed-Sheikh]

Does the Secretary of State consider that with 60% of UK landings in Scotland, a Scottish fisheries Minister should lead during the period of the UK presidency of the EU? Would not such an initiative be widely welcomed by Scottish fishermen, or is the Secretary of State still stuck in this Westminster rut of some nations being “more equal” than others?

[David Mundell]

My position is that Scotland voted decisively to remain part of the United Kingdom, and that the United Kingdom represents Scotland’s interest on fishing in the EU. The hon. Lady may be aware that the Scottish Government and the UK Government have been in discussions on intergovernmental relations, and particularly on how these issues of representation should work in the EU. My understanding is that the previous SNP-led Scottish Government were in agreement with those proposals.