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Written Question
Trade Agreements
Thursday 23rd October 2025

Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of visits abroad by Scottish Government Ministers on UK trade policy.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland

The Hon Gentleman, not the Scottish Government, can be assured that it is the UK Government that has delivered trade deals with India, the United States, the European Union. As the former trade policy Minister, I have some experience in these matters.

In every negotiation there is give and take. The President does not give gifts, he does deals and the negotiating counterpart of the United States is the United Kingdom.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 22 Oct 2025
Devolution in Scotland

"I just gently point out that I think more Scots voted for Brexit than for anything else in the history of Scotland...."
John Cooper - View Speech

View all John Cooper (Con - Dumfries and Galloway) contributions to the debate on: Devolution in Scotland
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 22 Oct 2025
Devolution in Scotland

"Sorry, but I will not give way, because I want to make some progress.

John Swinney—not so much yesterday’s man as the day before yesterday’s man—is a pound-shop Parnell trying to suborn British institutions to undermine Britain. Devolution is not working, but it is not broken beyond repair. My noble …..."
John Cooper - View Speech

View all John Cooper (Con - Dumfries and Galloway) contributions to the debate on: Devolution in Scotland
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 22 Oct 2025
Devolution in Scotland

"Devolution is not working. Instead of two Governments working in harness, Scotland has one in Westminster with its back turned to the one in Holyrood, which daily plots to break up Britain. Labour took power convinced that they were the grown-ups who would reset relations with the SNP at Holyrood. …..."
John Cooper - View Speech

View all John Cooper (Con - Dumfries and Galloway) contributions to the debate on: Devolution in Scotland
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 22 Oct 2025
Devolution in Scotland

"The Minister will agree that the work on those trade deals was begun under the previous Administration...."
John Cooper - View Speech

View all John Cooper (Con - Dumfries and Galloway) contributions to the debate on: Devolution in Scotland
Division Vote (Commons)
21 Oct 2025 - Sentencing Bill - View Vote Context
John Cooper (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 89 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 104 Noes - 317
Division Vote (Commons)
21 Oct 2025 - Sentencing Bill - View Vote Context
John Cooper (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 89 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 105 Noes - 381
Division Vote (Commons)
21 Oct 2025 - Sentencing Bill - View Vote Context
John Cooper (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 88 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 182 Noes - 307
Division Vote (Commons)
21 Oct 2025 - Sentencing Bill - View Vote Context
John Cooper (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 88 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 167 Noes - 313
Division Vote (Commons)
21 Oct 2025 - Sentencing Bill - View Vote Context
John Cooper (Con) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 89 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 389 Noes - 102