The Brexit pain continues, with £140 billion wiped off the UK economy and more regulation making it tough for exporters. Relative to similarly sized countries, Scotland's exports are under real pressure. Two themes in the First Minister's industrial strategy were to become an independent nation and to rejoin the EU. All the evidence points to the fact that that is the correct course of action, does it not?

In my country, energy debt is rising, as Scottish consumers pay a premium on their energy bill. In light of that imbalance, has the Minister discussed abolishing Ofgem? If not, should his Government give full responsibility for energy pricing in Scotland to the Scottish Parliament?

What recent discussions she has had with Ofgem on trends in the level of consumer energy debt. I am concerned about the rising number of households unable to pay their bills, which is why we need to address this issue promptly.

Last week, the CBI conference raised the serious issue of a lack of people to do vital jobs that we need filling, especially in hospitality and food production. Both the Fraser of Allander Institute and the highlands MSP Kate Forbes have suggested localised worker visa solutions to boost the economy. Why is the Secretary of State not listening to those smart voices, and why is he not acting in the best interests of the Scottish economy?

The price of school meals has increased by more than a third in some parts of the UK, yet the Government, and indeed the Labour Front Benchers, will not commit to universal free school meals for primary school-age children. The Scottish Government are rolling out free school meals across all primary schools. The question is when this Government will take the lead from the Scottish Government and act decisively to help struggling families.

What discussions has the Minister had with the Prime Minister to find out what they can do now for farmers, growers and producers and to protect beleaguered shoppers? The plan needs improvement as current actions are not working.

Does the Secretary of State welcome the Scottish Government's focus on promoting global Scotland, considering recent issues with higher taxes for whisky and post-Brexit trade barriers?

HMS Prince of Wales currently lies in Rosyth for repairs and I hear it has been cannibalised for spare parts. Will this £3 billion asset be back on full operational duties by the end of the year?

Pension credit continues to be a serious issue, with £1.7 billion going unclaimed each year. Will the Minister introduce an effective strategy in the coming year, perhaps following some of the initiatives we see in Scotland, to make sure everyone gets what they are entitled to in these very difficult times?

This Government seem hellbent on destroying the Scottish seafood sector. Some £60 million has been spent on additional Brexit paperwork alone, while export delays and exclusions undermine our export potential. What has happened to the Brexit sea of opportunity that was promised, and does the Minister accept the assessment of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association that Brexit has failed to deliver any benefits of a coastal state?

Last week's Bloomberg report suggests that levelling up in Scotland is just not happening. Given that Scotland is self-sufficient in gas and has great offshore renewables, should not the stewardship, licensing and revenues be linked to the Scottish Government budget, rather than to Her Majesty's Treasury? Minister, when will these negotiations start?

What actions has the Secretary of State taken to assist in introducing a direct ferry service from Scotland to critically important export markets in Europe?

I endorse the comments of the Secretary of State on the Olympic and Paralympic teams, and the tartan army result last night; I am absolutely delighted with second place in the group at the moment, but let us go on to be first and get qualification. The Secretary of State will be aware of recent dismal export figures in the wake of Brexit, the need to reduce lorry miles to help us get to net zero and the current HGV driver crisis that make up the hat-trick of events that would seem to make the need for a ferry service from Scotland to mainland Europe almost self-evident. However, there are barriers, including the commitment of Border Force to provide the resources and personnel to support that new route. Next week, we celebrate London International Shipping Week—

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of creating direct ferry services from Scotland to mainland Europe.

What support will the Department provide to maritime and shipping sectors as part of the commitment to net zero shipping?

What recent steps has the Department taken to help facilitate transport decarbonisation in line with commitments to the Paris agreement and COP26?

In March, the Secretary of State told the House that he would reach out to the devolved Government to help get more clarity on the organisation and delivery of the shared prosperity fund in Scotland. On this issue, when did he last meet with Scottish Ministers? What specific Scottish Government policy objectives will be met by the shared prosperity fund?

I thank the Minister for his response. Any delay in the submarine dismantling programme is of grave concern to my Dunfermline and West Fife constituency, where we accommodate many of these redundant submarines. Can he confirm whether the Government's commitment to endorse the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee in 2019 still holds?

What recent discussions has he had with representatives of the Submarine Delivery Agency and Office for Nuclear Regulation on the progress of the submarine dismantling programme?

What is the Minister's assessment of the damage Brexit will do to the UK's financial sector, and how many own goals can we expect in the future?

You most certainly can, Mr Speaker, and thank you. I listened carefully to the right hon. Gentleman's answer, and yes, we are grateful for the vaccine, but I did not hear a response as to why he thinks that Scottish independence has now become the settled will of the Scottish people. This is not like him. He is usually quick to give his views about certain things, so why does he think that Scottish independence has sustained majority support, reaching a height of 58%, and is now the settled will of the Scottish people? Why is that the case?

Today, a poll revealed that 58% of Scots would vote for independence. This is the 17th consecutive poll to show a positive result and we are seeing a rise in support for independence across all age groups. The Cabinet Office can hoist as many Union flags as it wants, but what part of 'We are leaving' does the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster not understand?

It was reported last week that the Government are considering reducing our international aid spending from 0.7% to 0.5% of our GNI, despite that being a commitment enshrined in UK law and a firm Conservative manifesto promise. Does the Secretary of State agree that the pandemic landscape has changed things in such a way that this spending is probably needed now more than ever, and the FCDO must build up the resilience of vulnerable and developing countries to tackle current and future pandemics? Is the 0.7% commitment written in stone?

Around 250,000 businesses export to the EU but not elsewhere. Many of them are small and not VAT-registered, making it hard to reach them. To continue trading post-Brexit, they need to go through a lengthy process to get an economic operator registration and identification number. As the party committed to reducing red tape, what action is being taken by the Government to reduce this burden for SMEs exporting to Europe?

What are the Chancellor's economic advisers telling him about the Government's preparations for mass unemployment and the sectors that will be worst hit?

What fiscal support he is providing to mitigate the economic effects of the covid-19 outbreak?

What recent steps the Government have taken to support the UK transport sector and its supply chains during the covid-19 outbreak?

What assessment has he made regarding the impact of a reduction or loss of the P&O Cairnryan to Larne service, and what discussions has he had with P&O and trade unions on safeguarding this vital link between Scotland and Northern Ireland?