Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Brown Excerpts

Wednesday 28th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am sure that my hon. Friend’s working with those who are looking for a solution will be important and welcomed. I understand that when Church Hill dental practice closes, NHS England will be working with other dental practices in the area to ensure that services are available and that they can increase their capacity. A wider piece of work is being undertaken about dental services in east Kent—the needs and provision of those services—and I am sure, as I say, that my hon. Friend’s contribution to that will be welcomed.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

Q11. The Foreign Secretary was the figurehead for the Vote Leave campaign and the Environment Secretary was co-convenor. Their campaign director, Dominic Cummings, is quoted on the AggregateIQ website as saying that“the Vote Leave campaign owes a great deal of its success to the work of AggregateIQ. We couldn’t have done it without them.”How does the Prime Minister feel about her Ministers being caught red-handed using immoral data-mining techniques?

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman makes certain claims in that question that I did not recognise. I simply say this: if there are those who are trying to suggest that the Government should be rejecting the result of the referendum as a result of these sorts of claims, I say to them very clearly that the referendum was held—[Interruption.]

European Council

Alan Brown Excerpts

Monday 26th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

That was not an issue that I raised at the Council, but I join my hon. Friend in his disquiet at the rise of anti-Semitism that we are seeing, and not just across the European continent. Sadly, we see too many examples of anti-Semitism here in the United Kingdom. There is no place for any racial hatred, hate crime or hate speak in the UK, be it Islamophobia or anti-Semitism.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

Last week’s decision to stay in the common fisheries policy and to have no say in the matter for the next 21 months is further evidence of decades-long contempt for the fishing industry. Last week, Niels Wichmann of the Danish Fishermen’s Association said:

“Britain has never ever challenged the quota shares that we have used every year in the annual negotiations”.

If the Tories are so concerned about the fishing industry, why have they never challenged the quotas?

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman says that the common fisheries policy shows “decades-long contempt” for the British fishing industry, but it is the Scottish National party that wants to stay in the common fisheries policy and show such contempt.

Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Brown Excerpts

Wednesday 14th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Stuart Andrew]

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State always stands up for Wales in Cabinet and does so very effectively. We are looking at the tidal lagoon carefully to ensure that it is value for money for the taxpayer, too.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

2. What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the proposal for a Welsh EU continuity Bill.

[Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)]

7. What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the proposal for a Welsh EU continuity Bill.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Alun Cairns)]

As I have said previously, I do not think that the Welsh Government’s continuity Bill is necessary. The UK Government want to reach agreement with the Welsh Government on the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, with a view to securing the National Assembly’s support for the legislation.

[Alan Brown]

Despite that answer, the reality is that on Friday, the Cabinet Office printed a list of 24 devolved competencies that the UK Government are going to snatch back from Wales and Scotland. That proves the need for a continuity Bill. Why is the Secretary of State not defending his devolved Parliament and standing up for it, instead of allowing this power grab?

[Alun Cairns]

My relationship with the First Minister and the Welsh Government is a positive one. We do not agree on everything, but we agree on the objective, which is to improve the outcomes for businesses and communities in Wales. There are 64 areas of the devolution settlement with Wales. There are 24 areas that we want to discuss further with the Welsh Government, to come to an agreement on how best to ensure that common rules apply across the UK, so that Welsh businesses are protected and can market their products across the rest of the UK.

Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Brown Excerpts

Wednesday 7th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

Yes I do.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

Further to that question, will the Secretary of State give us a timeline for when the UK Government will agree the Ayrshire growth deal?

[David Mundell]

The hon. Gentleman’s constant flow of negativity is in marked contrast to the three local authorities that I met recently in Ayrshire, which are very keen to work with the Scottish Government and the UK Government to make the Ayrshire growth deal a reality.

UK/EU Future Economic Partnership

Alan Brown Excerpts

Monday 5th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

This Government have taken a number of steps over recent years to help support the steel industry. As I have said, I have raised the issue with President Trump, and we continue to discuss it within the European Union. There is this issue of overcapacity in the steel market around the world, which is why the issue has been raised at the G20. Bringing China into discussions around this is an important element of that, and I continue to believe, as I just said to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin), that the right way to approach the issue is to deal with it on a multilateral basis.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

If the Prime Minister is really so confident about getting a multi-layered, customs-type arrangement—the cherry- picked deal that she is looking for—will she explain the purpose of the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill?

[The Prime Minister]

That particular Bill is, of course, a contingency Bill. Members on both sides of the House ask us to ensure that we make contingency arrangements for every scenario, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Brown Excerpts

Wednesday 28th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

We have a huge number of programmes that are supporting those people in particular—not just the short-term needs of shelter, food and so forth, but education, jobs and livelihoods. Those individuals have some unique needs that have not been addressed to date with as much focus by the international community, and the setting up of a panel to consider those needs and what more we can do to help in similar situations will be a big step forward.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

3. What representations she has made to the US Administration on their withholding funding from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

[The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Alistair Burt)]

We are concerned about the impact on UNRWA’s activities whenever unexpected reductions or delays in predicted donor disbursements occur, and I raised that with a senior US official last week. Our officials are collaborating with the US and other donors to maintain UNRWA’s vital services across the region.

[Alan Brown]

The Minister will be aware that half a million Palestinian children attend schools funded by the UN Relief and Works Agency—schools that should really be funded by Israel as the occupying force. Has that been explained to the US Administration, as well as the impact of the loss of $65 million of funding? Is it not time that Palestine was independent and controlled the resources?

[Alistair Burt]

It has been clearly explained to US officials what the impact of the funding decision may be, particularly in Jordan, Lebanon and other places where Palestinian refugees are supported. We have provided £50 million to UNRWA in this financial year, which assists in the provision of education and other needs, and we will continue to provide funding.

Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Brown Excerpts

Wednesday 21st February 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I know that the sympathies of Members across the House are with Alfie and his family as he undergoes treatment. We recognise that people with chronic pain and debilitating illnesses will always look to alleviate their symptoms, but if we are going to permit medicines to be used, we first need to ensure that they have been through the most rigorous testing and that we apply the most rigorous standards. We believe that cannabis should be subjected to the same regulations that apply to all medicines in the United Kingdom.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

Q8. I have previously highlighted that each Scottish Tory MP costs Scotland £265 million. It turns out that their Scottish leader is much cheaper, because the party wanted to hire her out for £15,000 a day at a Tory fundraising dinner. At that same dinner, the Defence Secretary was on hire for £30,000, while £2,000 bought the International Trade Secretary and it was £55,000 for the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister agree that although her party will sell anything that moves, it is time to halt the privatisation of Tory MPs and they should get on with the day job?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Forgive me; I was struggling to hear. Just before I ask the Prime Minister to respond, I need an assurance from the hon. Gentleman that he is not suggesting that the presence of a Member of Parliament was bought. If he is suggesting that, it is straightforwardly out of order. Is that what the hon. Gentleman is saying?

[Alan Brown]

Mr Speaker, I was referring to a story that was in the newspapers.

[Mr Speaker]

I am afraid that that is not good enough. Forgive me—I have to make instant judgments. If the Prime Minister wishes to issue some sort of response, she is free to do so, but she is under no obligation. No? Then I call Andrew Bridgen.

Capita

Alan Brown Excerpts

Thursday 1st February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Dowden]

I would be very happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss all those points.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

Will the Minister tell the House the size of the pension deficit and what arrangements the Government are putting in place to cover that black hole?

Carillion

Alan Brown Excerpts

Monday 15th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lidington]

I normally have time for the hon. Gentleman, but I am afraid that in this instance he wrote his script before listening to the statement. There have been no payments to Carillion except payments for services actually delivered by Carillion companies, in line with their contracts. What today has demonstrated is that the financial risk is transferred to the private sector contractor, and it is right that that should be the case while the Government concentrate on continuity of public services.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

As was highlighted by the hon. Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous), hundreds of subcontractors risk losing money as a result of cash retentions on the part of Carillion. The Government could have legislated previously to end that practice. As part of the review, will the Government establish how much cash Carillion is withholding, and for how long the payments were due to subcontractors? Will the Minister try to ensure that the money is released, and legislate to end unprotected cash retentions? As a co-sponsor of the private Member’s Bill presented by the hon. Member for Waveney, I should be happy if the Government adopted it.

[Mr Lidington]

I will not promise today to introduce legislation, but I assure the hon. Gentleman, as I assured my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney, that we will take a fresh look at those ideas.

European Council

Alan Brown Excerpts

Monday 18th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

As I indicated in response to an earlier question, the reference to full alignment in the progress report is not the first option in ensuring that there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. We believe that we can achieve that through the overall relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. That is what we will be working for.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

In her statement, the Prime Minister said that our “universities remain a highly attractive destination for students from across the EU”. The blunt reality is that the number of applications from EU students has gone down. On EU citizens’ rights, she said she was “providing vital reassurance to all those citizens and their families in the run-up to Christmas.” Just last week, the Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs heard confirmation from a seafood supplier that at this moment in time, his employees do not feel any reassurance. To allow Scotland to take control of this situation, does she agree with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that post-Brexit, Scotland should have control of its own immigration policy?

[The Prime Minister]

If I heard the hon. Gentleman correctly, he was not correct at the beginning of his question. In 2009-10, the number of non-UK EU higher education students in the UK was 100,275. In the 2015-16 academic year, the figure had gone up to 112,410.