Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Strength of the Union

Wednesday 8 September 2021 · 9 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The United Kingdom is considered the most successful political and economic union in the world.
  • The Government aims to support Acorn as one of the tier 1 projects and urges Scottish colleagues to support the oil and gas industry.
  • The Government emphasizes the importance of working across the UK to rebuild the economy and restore the NHS.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Patrick Grady SNP
Democracy & Elections
Context

Discussion about the current state and future prospects of the UK union.

Question

What recent assessment has his Department made on the strength of the Union?

Answer from Alister Jack

My assessment continues to be that the United Kingdom is the most successful political and economic union that the world has ever seen. It is the foundation on which all our citizens and businesses are able to thrive. The United Kingdom Government are committed to protecting and promoting the strengths of our United Kingdom.

Answered
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Q2 Stephen Flynn SNP Aberdeen South
Scotland Energy
Context

Concern over the status of the Acorn carbon capture storage project and high grid charges for renewable projects.

Question

Will the Government back Acorn as one of two clusters next month?

Answer from Alister Jack

As the hon. Gentleman knows, that is under review. We want Acorn to be one of the tier 1 projects, and we are pressing for that. I think he should press for his colleagues and his Government in Scotland to support the oil and gas industry.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment about backing Acorn as a tier 1 project

How: Under Review

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Q3 Patrick Grady SNP
Scotland Democracy & Elections
Context

Concern over the divergent franchises and voter suppression measures proposed by the UK Government.

Question

How does the Union strengthen despite diverging franchises?

Answer from Alister Jack

I think the coalition with the Greens shows very clearly to everyone that one thing that the SNP failed to achieve in May was an outright majority.

Not addressed: Explanation of how the Union strengthens despite diverging franchises and voter suppression measures

How: Snp'S Failure

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Q4 David Mundell Con Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
NHS Economy
Context

Concern over the SNP Government's announcement of a referendum while Scotland has some of the worst covid rates in Europe.

Question

Will this Government work constructively across the UK to defeat covid?

Answer from Alister Jack

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Our focus is on rebuilding our economy. Our focus is on restoring our NHS. I think most right-minded Scots would agree that using civil service resources to design a prospectus for independence is the wrong thing to be doing at this time.

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Q5 John Lamont Con Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Scotland
Context

Discussion about the Union dividend value in Scotland.

Question

Does he agree that figures confirm the benefit of Scotland remaining part of the UK?

Answer from Alister Jack

I absolutely would agree with my hon. Friend. I would add that the recent “Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland” reports in August showed that the deficit last year for the Scottish budget was £36.3 billion. That is more than the Scottish Government spend on education, housing, transport, culture and health.

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Q6 Tommy Sheppard SNP
Scotland
Context

Concern over the refusal to publish research findings about public opinion on the Union.

Question

Is it time to tell us what was found out about Scottish people's views on the state of the Union?

Answer from Alister Jack

As I have said before at this Dispatch Box, that is a matter for the Cabinet Office, and I suggest the hon. Gentleman raises it at Cabinet Office questions.

Not addressed: Publication of research findings about public opinion on the Union

How: Matter For Cabinet Office

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Q7 Alun Cairns Con
Scotland
Context

Concern over additional financial support received by Scotland during the pandemic.

Question

What is the scale of the additional financial resource that Scotland received as a result of the covid pandemic?

Answer from Alister Jack

I absolutely agree with my right hon. Friend. The strength of support was over £14 billion during the covid crisis, and the furlough support helped 900,000 jobs in Scotland at the height of the pandemic, which is nearly a third of the Scottish workforce.

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Q8 Ian Murray Lab Edinburgh South
Benefits & Welfare
Context

Concern over the removal of £20 from universal credit and tax rise impacting low-income families.

Question

What advice does he give those families who will be affected by these changes?

Answer from Alister Jack

The uplift in universal credit was always intended to be temporary—it was to help claimants through the economic shock and financial disruption of the pandemic—and we now have the kickstart programme and a multibillion-pound plan for jobs. I understand it is difficult to break a manifesto promise, and the Prime Minister was clear that he was doing that in raising national insurance, but he also had a manifesto promise to address social care, which, since Tony Blair said he would address it in 1997, has not been done.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific advice for families affected by changes

How: Temporary Uplift, Kickstart Programme

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Q9 Ian Murray Lab Edinburgh South
Climate Scotland Energy
Context

The MP noted a visit to the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, which has excess renewable energy due to transmission issues. He also referenced ongoing government support for the Cambo oilfield.

Question

There is no money going into social care, but we will leave that for a different time. Last week, Labour's shadow team visited Orkney and its European Marine Energy Centre, which has facilities such as the most powerful tidal turbine in the world, resulting in excess energy that it cannot get back to the mainland. At the same time, the Scottish and UK Governments are backing the Cambo oilfield. With COP26 coming to Scotland, should the Secretary of State not lead by example, refuse Cambo and reform the outdated transmission charge regime while providing funding for a new large-capacity interconnector between Orkney and Shetland and the mainland? That would bring huge benefits and innovation to the islands and power large parts of Scotland from renewable resources.

Answer from Alister Jack

On Cambo, all our North sea oil licences are factored into the 2050 net zero plan. Discussions are ongoing on the interconnector. It is partly devolved, with Ofgem and others involved. However, leaving that to one side, I take the overall view that there will be multiple uses for oil and gas for years to come—people must understand that—and we may as well get oil domestically rather than import it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Reforming the transmission charge regime and providing funding for a new interconnector between Orkney and Shetland and the mainland

How: Discussions Are Ongoing On The Interconnector, Partly Devolved With Ofgem Involved

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