Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Mundell and Martin Whitfield

Wednesday 24th July 2019 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

That sort of politicking is completely unworthy of this serious debate. The Home Office, the UK Government and, with respect, the Scottish Government take this issue seriously. We are going to have a summit in early course to discuss all the issues around this, and I sincerely hope, because I have had constituents die as well, that we can move forward.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

6. What recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the devolution of further powers to Scotland.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)]

I have regular meetings with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, who has been unwavering in her passionate support for our Union. We have regularly discussed the UK Government’s continued commitment to the devolution settlement and to a strong Scotland within a strong United Kingdom.

[Martin Whitfield]

If the Secretary of State is in his place later, what will he do to keep Scotland in its place in the UK?

[David Mundell]

I will continue to do as I have done for the past four and a bit years, and that is relentlessly to make the positive case for the benefit of Scotland being in the United Kingdom and to the United Kingdom of having Scotland in it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Mundell and Martin Whitfield

Wednesday 8th May 2019 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

What a surprising contribution from the hon. Lady—I would have thought that if she believed that, her colleagues in the Scottish Parliament would be advocating it. Instead, we learned recently that Richard Leonard’s keynote policy for Scottish Labour is an NHS pet service.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

5. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of arrangements for voter registration for the forthcoming European parliamentary elections in Scotland.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)]

I am content that the arrangements are robust. The UK Government have worked to ensure that the “register to vote” website, which has been running since 2014, is secure against malicious attacks and robust enough to manage traffic in line with registration deadlines.

[Martin Whitfield]

If it is robust enough, how come only 288 of the 2,000 non-UK EU citizens in East Lothian have managed to register? Is that really the foundation of the Secretary of State’s democracy?

[David Mundell]

If the hon. Gentleman can bring forward details of any citizens who have tried to register but not succeeded in doing so, I will obviously look at that. There have been many campaigns to encourage people to register, and I particularly commend the Daily Record newspaper for its efforts in that regard.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Mundell and Martin Whitfield

Wednesday 27th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

Could the Secretary of State assist the people of Scotland by indicating how he intends to vote this afternoon?

[David Mundell]

I am awaiting your decision, Mr Speaker, on which motions will be selected this afternoon.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Mundell and Martin Whitfield

Wednesday 16th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The SNP is a false friend to Scottish fishermen. It wants to keep Scotland in the CFP by staying in the EU, and, failing that, it wants an independent Scotland to rejoin the CFP. Throughout the negotiations, this Government have shown that they have put the interests of Scottish fishermen and those across the UK at the heart of our approach to leaving the EU.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

Would no deal not be a disaster for the fishing industry and its support industries, and should we not say no to no deal now?

[David Mundell]

If that is the hon. Gentleman’s view, he should have voted for the Prime Minister’s deal last night.

European Union (Withdrawal) Bill: Sewel Convention

Debate between David Mundell and Martin Whitfield

Thursday 14th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

I am clear on what my role is: to stand up for Scotland’s place within the UK and the current constitutional arrangements. That is what I am going to continue to do. Of course SNP Members are not going to like that, because they do not like the existing constitutional arrangement and they want to change it, but I am not changing. I am sticking with that role of standing up for what people in Scotland voted for in 2014.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

The past few days have seen the theatrical best of this Parliament, so perhaps the opportunity should now be taken to see the political best. Would the Secretary of State therefore like to stand up and make an open invitation to talks, and then see what the answer is?

[David Mundell]

I have made it clear, as the hon. Gentleman will have heard, that my door is open, as is that of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, for discussions with anyone, but a constructive proposal needs to be on the table. At the moment, the position of the SNP Scottish Government is not to change from the one they adopted a year ago. We investigated that as recently as Monday; given the constructive approach from Professor Gallagher and Gordon Brown, we reached out to the Scottish Government to find out what their approach was. It was exactly the same: they were not for moving, compromising or changing. Until we can see a situation where movement might arise, although it might be possible to talk I do not anticipate it being possible to reach agreement.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Mundell and Martin Whitfield

Wednesday 7th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that, despite scare stories to the contrary that have appeared in some parts of the media, there will be no change to the protection of those brands or an allowing in of false brands purporting to be them.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

Non-UK nationals are essential to the agricultural industry in East Lothian. Can the Secretary of State guarantee that they will still have the same access after we leave the EU?

[David Mundell]

I very much welcomed the debate in this Parliament on that issue, led by my hon. Friend the Member for Angus (Kirstene Hair) who has been a strong advocate of the need for seasonal workers in Scotland, particularly in the soft fruit industry. The points raised in that debate and in the meetings of the Scottish Affairs Committee have all been recognised by the Government and will be looked at as we move forward.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Mundell and Martin Whitfield

Wednesday 6th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

I absolutely will do that. My right hon. Friend will know that, at the recent conference of the parties event in Germany, there were considerable efforts on the part of the whole United Kingdom—the Scottish Government working with the UK Government —to deliver just that.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

At the last Scottish questions, the Secretary of State said that he had shared analysis with the Scottish Government. This morning we discovered that there is no impact assessment, so what analysis was shared with the Scottish Government?

[David Mundell]

First, the material that has been provided to the Exiting the European Union Committee has also been provided to the devolved Administrations. The position was—and is—that officials from the UK and Scottish Governments are working together on the basis of analysis that they have both done.