Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Strength of the Union

Monday 10 July 2023 · 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 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Union and support for the Union is strong, as evidenced by a decline in Scottish independence support from 45% to 37%.
  • The Scottish Parliament has significant powers but fails to use them effectively, particularly in the area of education.
  • The Secretary of State does not accept that rejecting proposals for drug consumption rooms and decriminalisation undermines the Union.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Patrick Grady SNP
Scotland Democracy & Elections
Context

The question arises from concerns about support for independence in Scotland, particularly after recent opinion polls suggested a decline.

Question

What assessment has been made of the strength of the Union?

Answer from Michael Gove

The Union and support for the Union is strong, as evidenced by recent opinion polls showing a decline in Scottish independence support from 45% to 37%. The Scottish Parliament has significant powers but fails to use them effectively, particularly regarding education.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address the specific question about assessment of Union strength beyond opinion polls and made a broader critique of Scottish government effectiveness.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Patrick Grady SNP
Scotland
Context

The previous answer noted a decline in support for independence, prompting further inquiry about the baseline comparison of Scottish Parliament powers.

Question

What is the Government's baseline for assessing the power level of the Scottish Parliament?

Answer from Michael Gove

The Scottish Parliament has significant powers but fails to use them effectively, leading to issues in education and other areas. The Government believes reforms made in England have improved performance in comparison.

Not addressed: The question asked for a baseline comparison of power levels with other parliaments, which was not addressed.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Chris Stephens SNP
Scotland
Context

The Secretary of State previously commented on public health measures backed by strong scientific evidence, prompting a question about the rejection of drug consumption rooms and decriminalisation.

Question

Does the Secretary of State accept that rejecting proposals for drug consumption rooms and decriminalisation undermines the Union?

Answer from Michael Gove

The Secretary of State does not accept this view, stating that the Scottish Government's proposals are wrong at this time. Drug deaths in Scotland are high, but he believes there is no single answer to this problem.

Partly answered

Not addressed: While acknowledging the issue is serious and complex, the response did not directly address whether rejecting these proposals undermines the Union.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q4 Chris Stephens SNP
Crime & Law Enforcement NHS Scotland
Context

The Secretary of State's rejection of decriminalisation proposals prompted a request for more engagement and cooperation between UK and Scottish Governments.

Question

Will the Secretary of State engage seriously with the Scottish Government and drug campaigners to address drug policy?

Answer from Michael Gove

The Governments should work together, NHS, law enforcement, and others to tackle the challenge of high drug deaths. However, specific proposals for decriminalisation are not believed to be the best way forward.

Partly answered

Not addressed: While acknowledging the complexity of the issue, the response did not commit to serious engagement as requested.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email