Scottish City Deals

Siobhain McDonagh Excerpts
Tuesday 27th February 2018

(6 years ago)

Westminster Hall
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Paul Sweeney Portrait Mr Sweeney
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Glasgow City Council has been pressing valiantly to deliver projects such as the Glasgow airport rail link, but it has been thwarted at every turn by Transport Scotland. Why? Because municipal power has been progressively ripped out of city councils across Scotland by the Scottish Government. [Interruption.] It happened in 2008, when SPT was denuded of any executive transport planning powers. It has the capacity to do it.

Siobhain McDonagh Portrait Siobhain McDonagh (in the Chair)
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Order. It is great to have so much enthusiasm in the room, but I remind Members that any comments should be made through the Chair.

Paul Sweeney Portrait Mr Sweeney
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Thank you, Ms McDonagh. I shall conclude by putting two direct questions to the Minister. What will he do to ensure that city deals in Scotland are properly delivered and to ensure the deals bring the hoped-for benefits to the city regions? What discussion has he had with the Scottish Government about enhancing the Glasgow city region’s political power in concert with the city deal, as has happened in other UK cities to their benefit? Will he show us some of the leadership lacking in the Scotland Office by committing to raise those issues with the Scottish Government without delay?