Oral Answers to Questions

Tommy Sheppard Excerpts

Wednesday 30th November 2022 Commons Chamber

The Prime Minister was asked—

[Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)]

Q1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 30 November.

[The Prime Minister (Rishi Sunak)]

I am sure that colleagues around the House will want to join me in congratulating England on last night, in commending Wales for inspiring millions and in wishing everyone a happy St Andrew’s day.

This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such meetings later today.

[Tommy Sheppard]

In 2014, the Prime Minister’s predecessor David Cameron signed up to the Smith commission, which promised among other things that

“nothing in this report prevents Scotland becoming an independent country…should the people of Scotland so choose.”

Does the Prime Minister share that view? If he does, in the light of last week’s Supreme Court judgment, will he bring forward legislation to allow that choice to be exercised?

[The Prime Minister]

We did have that conversation not so many years ago—it was described as a once-in-a-generation referendum—and we discussed this last week. I think what the people of Scotland want is for us to be working constructively together to focus on their priorities. That is indeed what we are doing in the hon. Gentleman’s own area: we are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in a growth deal and ensuring that with the new concert hall we can enshrine Edinburgh’s reputation as a city of culture.