Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem Excerpts

Wednesday 9th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Michael Moore]

I understand the hon. Gentleman’s passion for Scotland’s independence, but I wish it were shared with some intention to get on with the debate. The chairman of the independence campaign is sitting beside him. What are they scared of? Let us get on with it.

[Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife) (LD)]

My right hon. Friend has outlined the benefits to Scotland of European Union membership and the uncertainty that would surround those benefits in the event that Scotland were to be independent. Does he agree that it would help to resolve that uncertainty if the Scottish Government published the legal advice they have had on the point, so that it may contribute properly to the debate?

[Michael Moore]

My right hon. and learned Friend makes a very important point. The idea that we would somehow simply get membership of the European Union with complete agreement, without discussion and without needing to worry about the terms of negotiation is quite fanciful. It is a journey into the unknown and we need to have the detail.

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. There are far too many private conversations taking place in the Chamber. It is very discourteous to the Member asking the question and to the Minister answering it. I want to hear Sir Menzies Campbell.

[Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife) (LD)]

What possible confidence can we have in the findings of a group that is unwilling to meet the Advocate-General, who last year established an inquiry for precisely the same purpose as this group has been established?

[David Mundell]

The right hon. and learned Gentleman makes an extremely good point. As I said in my initial response, it seems incredible that a group set up to consider this very complicated issue is not going to take evidence or receive submissions. I am pleased that the Advocate-General has in any event made his information available to the group, so that might give us some confidence in the report it produces.

Scotland Bill

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem Excerpts

Thursday 27th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Michael Moore]

I quite agree with my hon. Friend, who puts his point in such an elegant way.

[Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife) (LD)]

I hope that my right hon. Friend is not accusing the Scottish National party of inconsistency. Its attitude towards the Calman commission is entirely consistent with its attitude towards the Scottish Constitutional Convention, which it also declined to join.

[Michael Moore]

Once again, my right hon. and learned Friend puts it very elegantly.

As I was saying before that brief diversion, the fiscal powers included in the Bill are not limited to tax; they extend to borrowing as well.

--- Later in debate ---

[Pete Wishart]

Hon. Members seems to want to hear so much about our amendment. It states that the Bill is unacceptable; a cut of this magnitude to the Scottish budget is unacceptable. As I said, the SNP will scrutinise the Bill as it goes through Committee. I am not expecting any scrutiny of the Bill from Labour Members; I just expect them to sit there agreeing, complicit with the Conservative-led Government. We have tabled a reasoned amendment and, thankfully, Mr Speaker has accepted it. However, we will allow the Bill to proceed to Committee and seek to improve it there. Right now, the Bill is a broken Bill that needs to be fixed. There are serious difficulties with it and we will try to improve it. The challenge for the Labour party is this: will it support us in trying to improve the Bill?

[Sir Menzies Campbell]

In the interests of clarity, will the hon. Gentleman tell the House whether he intends to divide the House on his amendment?

[Pete Wishart]

We would not table a reasoned amendment if we did not intend to divide the House. Of course we are going to divide the House. The Bill is unacceptable, as we have said. If the right hon. and learned Gentleman wants to go home, he can do so, although I would suggest that he hang around.

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem Excerpts

Wednesday 16th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

We are all proud of the efforts of officers from the Dumfries and Galloway police force and others in Scotland after the events in Cumbria. I will meet the hon. Gentleman’s delegation.

[Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife) (LD)]

Perhaps I should declare an interest as the holder of a shotgun licence, for sporting purposes only.

If any question were to arise of separate legislation for Scotland, would the Minister undertake to consider the difference between the sufficiency of existing legislation and the extent to which it is properly enforced? Further, in view of the geographical position of his constituency and that of his colleagues, will he take account of the considerable cross-border traffic in sporting activities involving firearms?

[David Mundell]

I shall most certainly take into account the issues that the right hon. and learned Gentleman has raised. He will, however, be aware that the Calman commission has recommended that the regulation of air guns be transferred to the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament, and the Government are committed to doing that in the Bill that we will bring forward in the autumn.