Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

“Scotland’s Right to Choose”

Wednesday 8 January 2020 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 5 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Chris Law asked the Secretary of State about the implications of the Scottish Government's publication "Scotland's Right to Choose"; the Secretary responded by referencing the 2019 election and 2014 independence referendum results.
  • Drew Hendry inquired if the Secretary of State respects the Scottish Parliament's potential refusal to consent to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill; the Secretary stated that they respect the UK referendum's outcome but noted the Sewel convention allows for exceptional circumstances.
  • John Lamont questioned the Secretary of State about the Scottish First Minister's focus, noting issues with education standards and NHS performance in Scotland; the Secretary agreed with the sentiment expressed.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Law SNP Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Scotland
Context

The Scottish Secretary is being asked about the implications of a recent publication by the First Minister and the Government's response.

Question

What assessment has he made of the implications for his policies of the Scottish Government's publication entitled “Scotland's Right to Choose”? The Secretary of State repeatedly said to the people of Scotland during the general election campaign that every vote for the Conservatives is a vote to 'say no to indyref2'. That went well for them, didn't it? It saw them lose over half their seats and left them with barely a rump of MPs. Will the Secretary of State now listen to the people of Scotland, as reflected by the 80% of seats won by the SNP, and support their expressed democratic will to choose their own future?

Answer from Alister Jack (The Secretary of State for Scotland)

Some 45% of Scots voted for the SNP in the 2019 election, and 45% of Scots voted for independence in 2014. The numbers simply have not changed. Further, in 2014 the independence referendum came on the back of something called the Edinburgh agreement, which was signed by Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, the then deputy leader. The Edinburgh agreement stated that both parties would respect the outcome of the referendum, and that has not happened.

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Q2 Drew Hendry SNP Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Scotland Brexit Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The Scottish Secretary had anticipated that the Scottish Parliament will refuse legislative consent for the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

Question

A good new year to you, Mr Speaker. The Scottish Secretary has anticipated that the Scottish Parliament will refuse legislative consent for the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill. He said, “that's something we understand and respect because their position is that they don't support Brexit.” When consent is refused today, how will the UK Government demonstrate that respect?

Answer from Alister Jack (The Secretary of State for Scotland)

What we are respecting is the democratic outcome of referendums, which the SNP does not respect. The referendum in 2016 was a United Kingdom referendum, and we voted to leave the European Union. We are respecting that. Under the Sewel convention, we have provision for what is known as “not normal”. This is a constitutional matter. Constitutional matters are reserved, and they are not normally under the remit of the Scottish Parliament. We are delivering what the 2016 referendum requested us to deliver.

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Q3 John Lamont Con Roxburgh and Berwickshire
NHS Education Scotland
Context

Education standards are falling and the NHS is failing patients with missed waiting-time targets.

Question

I welcome the new ministerial team to the Scotland Office. In Scotland, education standards are falling and the NHS is failing patients with missed waiting-time targets. Does the Secretary of State share my embarrassment that the First Minister of Scotland, rather than sorting out these important issues, is obsessing with independence?

Answer from Alister Jack

Yes.

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Q4 Stephen Crabb Con Beckenham
Scotland
Context

The SNP has a right to make the case for independence but dragging people around the same mountain time and again is not productive.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the SNP has every right to continue making the case for independence, and to do so with passion and force, but that what it does not have the right to do is to keep dragging the people of Scotland and Scottish businesses around the same mountain time and time again to try to get the answer it did not get the first time?

Answer from Alister Jack

My right hon. Friend makes a good point. What Scotland needs now is a period of peace and tranquillity, not division and rancour. We need to take the opportunities that Brexit will bring us, not least on the common fisheries policy and other great trade deals, and make 2020 a year of optimism and growth.

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Q5 Rachel Maclean Con Wyre Forest
NHS Scotland
Context

The NHS is a precious asset for people in Scotland, but the Scottish Government's obsession with independence detracts from their focus on the NHS.

Question

The NHS is a precious asset that is just as important to people in Scotland as it is to my constituents in Redditch. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Scottish Government's obsessive attraction to independence detracts from their focus on the NHS? They should focus first on the people of Scotland who are missing the 12-week treatment target, which the Scottish Government have never met.

Answer from Alister Jack

Yes, my hon. Friend makes a good point. Today's The Herald highlights the fact that accident and emergency waiting times have deteriorated in Scotland to a record low, with record numbers of patients now waiting more than 12 hours to be treated.

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