Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Strengthening the Union

Wednesday 23 June 2021 · 7 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial support includes improving connectivity between England and Scotland as highlighted by the A68 link.
  • UK Government provided 14.5 billion in additional Barnett funding to Scotland during the pandemic.
  • The UK Government emphasizes the success of the vaccine programme as an example of effective UK-wide collaboration.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Peter Gibson
Transport Scotland Wales
Context

There is concern over how the UK Government can support and strengthen ties between England and Scotland.

Question

What steps is he taking to strengthen the Union. The A68 links Darlington with Edinburgh and serves as an economic and cultural link between England and Scotland. Does my right hon. Friend agree that we should be celebrating and strengthening connections between our two nations, and will he lend his support to the proposed improvements to the artery in my constituency as a means of strengthening our precious Union?

Answer from Alister Jack (Secretary of State for Scotland)

Yes, and Darlington has also been supporting the Scottish football team over the last few weeks. It is vital that we have good connectivity between all parts of the United Kingdom. Sir Peter Hendy, in his review, is looking at how we can improve that, and he will publish his report later this year, but I must say—I put it on the record again—that I was disappointed that the Scottish Government told their civil service not to engage in this work because, as ever, they want to put a grievance ahead of improving Scotland's economy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary of State did not explicitly confirm his support for A68 improvements

How: Disappointed That The Scottish Government Told Their Civil Service Not To Engage In This Work

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Q2 Mark Fletcher
Economy Scotland Benefits & Welfare
Context

The UK Government have provided significant financial support through Barnett funding and the furlough scheme to Scotland.

Question

The UK Government have been unwavering in supporting Scotland through the pandemic, from providing £14.5 billion in additional Barnett funding to protecting nearly 900,000 jobs through our furlough scheme. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this shows how the UK Government and the Treasury have protected lives and livelihoods across every part of this country?

Answer from Alister Jack (Secretary of State for Scotland)

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. The support provided by the broad shoulders of the United Kingdom Treasury is staggering and simply unprecedented in peacetime. As he said, there are jobs being supported by furlough and an extra £14.5 billion provided to the Scottish Government through Barnett funding, and I would point out that 530,000 claims have been made in Scotland under the self-employment income support scheme, so far totalling around £1.5 billion.

Answered
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Q3 Mark Harper Con
NHS Scotland
Context

The vaccine programme has been successful in the UK.

Question

Is it not the case that the success of our vaccine programme, which was a combination of successful UK Government procurement and then an NHS roll-out in the individual nations of the United Kingdom, is a fantastic example of the two Governments in Scotland—the UK Government and the Scottish Government—working together, which is exactly what we should see in the future? That demonstrates the strength of our Union, and we should fight to keep it in place.

Answer from Alister Jack (Secretary of State for Scotland)

I absolutely agree with my right hon. Friend. The vaccine programme has been a huge success, and it was UK-wide procurement delivering vaccines on a UK-wide basis.

Answered
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Q4 Peter Gibson
Transport Scotland
Context

There is a proposal to improve the A68 road linking Darlington with Edinburgh.

Question

The A68 links Darlington with Edinburgh and serves as an economic and cultural link between England and Scotland. Does my right hon. Friend agree that we should be celebrating and strengthening connections between our two nations, and will he lend his support to the proposed improvements to the artery in my constituency as a means of strengthening our precious Union?

Answer from Alister Jack (Secretary of State for Scotland)

Yes, and Darlington has also been supporting the Scottish football team over the last few weeks. It is vital that we have good connectivity between all parts of the United Kingdom. Sir Peter Hendy, in his review, is looking at how we can improve that, and he will publish his report later this year, but I must say—I put it on the record again—that I was disappointed that the Scottish Government told their civil service not to engage in this work because, as ever, they want to put a grievance ahead of improving Scotland's economy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary of State did not explicitly confirm his support for A68 improvements

How: Disappointed That The Scottish Government Told Their Civil Service Not To Engage In This Work

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Q5 Mhairi Black SNP
Scotland Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The UK Government commissioned secret polling on people's feelings towards the Union using public funds.

Question

My hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh East (Tommy Sheppard) successfully pursued a two-year campaign calling on this Government to publish the results of the secret polling that they commissioned, using public funds, to ask people in Scotland how they feel about the Union. Can the Secretary of State confirm that that information will be published in the next three weeks, as the tribunal has ordered the UK Government to do?

Answer from Alister Jack (Secretary of State for Scotland)

The hon. Lady makes a point that is one for the Cabinet Office to answer, but the Cabinet Office is very clear that it does not spend money on political polling or research.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not confirm if information will be published in next three weeks

How: One For The Cabinet Office To Answer

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Q6 Mhairi Black SNP
Democracy & Elections
Context

The UK Government have used emergency covid funds to publicly fund further polls on the Union, in a contract given to close associates of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Question

I will move on from that rather bizarre answer. Today, we learned that the UK Government have used emergency covid funds to publicly fund further polls on the Union, in a contract given to close associates of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Would the Secretary of State say that that is an appropriate use of emergency funds, and will he back the SNP's calls for an inquiry into this misuse of funds?

Answer from Alister Jack (Secretary of State for Scotland)

Again, I say that the hon. Lady should be at Cabinet Office questions asking the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to answer for his Department. Again, I have spoken to the Cabinet Office about this. It does not engage in political polling, and it is very clear about that.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not confirm if use of funds was appropriate

How: Should Be At Cabinet Office Questions

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Q7 Brendan O'Hara SNP Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
Scotland Business & Trade Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Australia trade deal has been signed allowing UK market access for thousands of tonnes of beef and lamb.

Question

It seems to me that this Government's plan to strengthen the Union is to first sell out the fishing industry and then betray Scotland's farmers. Can the Secretary of State explain how the Australia trade deal, which allows the UK market to be flooded with thousands of tonnes of cheap, factory- farmed, inferior-quality beef and lamb, is the golden opportunity the Prime Minister promised? How will it help Scottish farmers' business?

Answer from Alister Jack (Secretary of State for Scotland)

The SNP has never found a trade deal that it likes.

How: The Snp Has Never Found A Trade Deal That It Likes.

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