Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Scotland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim McGovern Excerpts
Wednesday 2nd July 2014

(9 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alistair Carmichael Portrait Mr Carmichael
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I agree with my hon. Friend that that is the view of most people in England, and in Wales and Northern Ireland. I look at how we have tackled the challenges we have faced over the past 300 years, and I see that over that time we have identified the problems and reached out from Scotland, to communities such as Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester, Cardiff and Belfast, and tackled them by making common cause. That has worked for us, and I believe that it will continue to work for us.

Jim McGovern Portrait Jim McGovern (Dundee West) (Lab)
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4. What assessment his Department has made of the effect of the regional air connectivity fund on Scotland.

David Mundell Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)
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The regional air connectivity fund was announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury last year and was doubled to £20 million in the Budget. It has already been successful in securing the air link between Dundee and London, a vital support for economic growth in the hon. Gentleman’s great city.

Jim McGovern Portrait Jim McGovern
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I thank the Minister for that answer. Some £2.8 million came from the UK Government to retain the air link between London and Dundee. Is that not just one more example, albeit a crucial one for Dundee, of why Scotland is stronger as part of the UK?