Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Devolution Settlement

Wednesday 12 October 2022 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial discussions on amending the devolution settlement with Scotland have not resulted in any powers being revoked.
  • The UK government has committed to not taking back powers devolved to the Scottish Government under any circumstances.
  • The First Minister's use of language such as 'detest' towards the Tories was deemed unacceptable by the minister.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Deidre Brock SNP
Scotland
Context

Discussions on the devolution settlement between the UK and Scottish Governments.

Question

Whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on amending the devolution settlement with Scotland. He inquired about any ongoing talks regarding changes to the current devolution arrangement.

Answer from Alister Jack

The Scottish Parliament is one of the most powerful devolved Parliaments in the world, and we believe that the current devolution settlement strikes the right balance. We continue to work collaboratively with the Scottish Government on implementing the Scotland Act 2016, including passing secondary legislation to deliver welfare and tax powers.

Answered
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Q2 Allan Dorans
Scotland
Context

Concern over senior Conservatives calling for the UK Government to claw back powers from the Scottish Parliament despite popular support in Scotland for more autonomy.

Question

The vast majority of people in Scotland support the continued existence of the Scottish Government, yet some senior Conservatives are increasingly vocal about reclaiming powers. Will he commit that under no circumstances will powers devolved to the Scottish Government be revoked?

Answer from Alister Jack

Absolutely, since leaving the European Union, we have given more powers to the Scottish Parliament. We continue this practice and there has never been a power taken away from Scotland that SNP members can point out.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment is somewhat vague as it only affirms past actions without providing a clear, future-oriented commitment against revoking powers.

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Q3 Deidre Brock SNP
Economy Scotland
Context

Concern over rising mortgage payments in Scotland following the UK Government's fiscal statement and a decline in GDP, questioning if the current approach to devolution is sufficient.

Question

With EU forecasts of Irish economic growth surpassing 5%, contrasting with the UK's recent downturn, why won't he acknowledge that his handling of devolution is insufficient for protecting Scots? Shouldn't there be an independence referendum?

Answer from Alister Jack

This is absolute nonsense. A vast majority of Scots do not believe this is the right time for an independence referendum. The constitution is reserved for Westminster, currently under review by the Supreme Court. Support was provided during and after COVID-19 through furloughs, energy cost support, freeports, and investment zones.

Not addressed: The answer avoids addressing economic concerns and focuses on timing and constitutional issues instead of discussing whether devolution is sufficient to protect Scotland's economy.

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Q4 Douglas Ross Con
Scotland
Context

Discussion on the importance of political discourse, specifically regarding First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's statement about detesting the Tories.

Question

Devolution involves cooperation between UK and Scottish Governments. The success is seen with growth deals and freeports progress. Does he agree that language in politics is crucial? When the First Minister said she 'detests' the Tories, it was insulting to hundreds of thousands of Scottish Conservative voters.

Answer from Alister Jack

Of course I agree. Language is crucial in politics. The use of words like 'detest' (which means hate) by a politician responsible for representing all Scots is unacceptable, especially given the First Minister's party bringing forward a hate Bill.

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