Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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Wednesday Volume 637 7 March 2018 No. 106 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 7 March 2018 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 287 7 MARCH 2018 288 Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab): Will the Secretary House of Commons of State set out for the House the mechanism he will use to amend clause 11 of the EU withdrawal Bill, should no agreement be in place by the time the Bill completes Wednesday 7 March 2018 its passage in the other place? The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock David Mundell: I do not share the hon. Gentleman’s pessimism that there will not be agreement before the Bill completes its passage in the other place. I remain PRAYERS positive about being able to reach an agreement with both the Welsh and Scottish Governments. I believe that they are sincere in their expressed view that they [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] wish to reach such an agreement, and we will take every step to ensure that we negotiate to a position at which we can reach an agreement. Oral Answers to Questions Ross Thomson (Aberdeen South) (Con): Leaving the EU means taking back control of our waters, which is a huge opportunity for Scotland’s fishermen. Does my SCOTLAND right hon. Friend agree that the Scottish Government’s EU continuity Bill and stated position of remaining in The Secretary of State was asked— the single market and customs union would simply sell out Scotland’s fishermen by handing all those new Brexit: Devolution powers straight back to Brussels? 1. Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab): What discussions he David Mundell: It is incredible that that is indeed the has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Scottish position of the Scottish National party and the Scottish Government on the devolution of powers to the Scottish Government. Although at one point SNP Members Parliament upon the UK leaving the EU. [904136] came to this House and talked about a power grab, they The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell): are now willing and want to hand back powers over The Government have intensified their discussions with fishing to the EU right away and to go back into the the Scottish and Welsh Governments on both the significant common fisheries policy. increase in powers that we expect to see for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly and some common Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP): Will the UK frameworks following the UK’s EU exit. We are Secretary of State explain why, if he believes that Brexit making good progress in those discussions and will is going to have a profound effect on the devolution meet again tomorrow for the next Joint Ministerial settlement, he was excluded from the recent meeting of Committee on EU Negotiations, at which I hope further his Cabinet colleagues at Chequers to formulate the progress can be made. UK’s Brexit strategy? Chris Elmore: The Secretary of State and fellow David Mundell: I know that the hon. Gentleman does Scottish Conservatives say that clause 11 of the European not recognise the result of the 2014 referendum and Union (Withdrawal) Bill is deficient. He gave an undertaking therefore that the UK Government Cabinet is a Cabinet to this House that he would table amendments, which for the whole United Kingdom, as are all its sub-committees. he failed to do.He now says that he will deliver amendments The decisions on the Prime Minister’s approach to the in the other place, which he still has not done. Will he EU negotiations were agreed by the whole Cabinet. set out what happens if he runs out of time to deliver his much-promised amendments? Mr Speaker: I call Lesley Laird. David Mundell: I am confident that we will be able to Tommy Sheppard rose— bring forward such amendments. We are in significant discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government and Mr Speaker: Order. Was the hon. Gentleman planning the Scottish Government, which both acknowledge that to come in again? He has had one question. we have tabled to them a significant proposal for changing the Bill. I hope to hear their detailed response to that Tommy Sheppard: I thought I had two. tomorrow. Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con): Will my right Mr Speaker: There was no indication that the hon. hon. Friend confirm that it is the Government’s wish Gentleman was seeking two. In an hour-long session, that as powers are returned from Brussels to the UK yes, but not otherwise. I do not know why the hon. they will be devolved, not only to Scotland but to Wales Gentleman’s brow is furrowed; he has got what was his and Northern Ireland? entitlement and has nothing about which to complain, so he can sit down and we are most grateful to him for David Mundell: Yes, indeed; that is the Government’s doing so. wish, although we acknowledge that to make the common market within the UK function effectively, some powers Lesley Laird (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath) (Lab): and responsibilities will have to be conducted at a The Secretary of State stood at the Dispatch Box and UK-wide level. promised the House that the devolution settlement would 289 Oral Answers 7 MARCH 2018 Oral Answers 290 be protected. Three months on, we are facing a RBS Branch Closures constitutional crisis. What exactly is the Secretary of State doing to fix the mess he has made of the EU 2. Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower) (Lab): What discussions withdrawal Bill? he has had with the Royal Bank of Scotland on the potential effect on local communities of the proposed David Mundell: I will not take any lessons from the closure of its branches in Scotland. [904137] hon. Lady whose party was quite prepared to play the SNP game in the Scottish Parliament and vote for a piece of legislation that was quite clearly ruled as not The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell): competent by the Presiding Officer of the Scottish I have met senior RBS management in Scotland to Parliament. discuss the decision. I made it clear that its plans were disappointing for customers and communities across Mr Speaker: Good communication is very important Scotland, and I urged it to mitigate the impact of in these matters. My office was notified of the intention closures as comprehensively as possible. of the hon. Member for Edinburgh East (Tommy Sheppard) to ask a question, which he has asked. If he wants to Tonia Antoniazzi: Small businesses have already reported ask a second, so be it, but he should not be flailing and in Wales and across the United Kingdom that they are gesticulating as though he has been the subject of some being refused if they try to pay in large sums of cash at sort of adverse treatment, because he has not. If he the post office, as it presents a security risk and post wants to get up and blurt out a second question, he is office workers do not have the time to count such large most welcome to do so. Let’s hear from the fellow. sums of money. What will the Secretary of State do to Come on! ensure that there is no disruption to small businesses or the public as a result of these ill-thought-out closures? Tommy Sheppard: Thank you, Mr Speaker—I did want to ask the Secretary of State a second question. David Mundell: I certainly share the hon. Lady’s view He has previously said that the most important thing that these are ill-thought-out closures, and I am very about changes to the withdrawal Bill is that they should happy to take the specific point forward. I am sure that command the support of all sides. May I ask him: is colleagues who serve on the Scottish Affairs Committee that still his policy,and does he believe that any framework will also be prepared to put that view to the chief arrangements should require the consent of the Scottish executive of the Royal Bank, who, I am pleased to say, Parliament if it changes its operations? has finally agreed to appear before that Committee. David Mundell: I have set out clearly that, in the John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) process of leaving the EU, I want to ensure that the (Con): The big issue for many rural communities, such Scottish Parliament has more powers and responsibilities as those in my constituency in the borders, will be the than it does today. I also want to ensure that we have an access to cash given that RBS is shutting so many arrangement in place to allow us to agree frameworks branches on the back of previous bank closures. Can as we move forward, and that frameworks, as I have the Government do more to ensure that rural communities previously said, should not be imposed. are getting access to the cash to support the local economies? Mr Speaker: These exchanges are far too slow. We need short questions and short answers. I want to make David Mundell: My hon. Friend raises a very good progress. Lesley Laird, a couple of brief inquiries, please. point. I would be very happy to meet him to discuss that issue further. Lesley Laird: My party is the party of devolution, and we will continue to protect that. We are 20 months on from the EU referendum, and a year away from Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) leaving the EU, and yet Scotland’s invisible man in the (LD): The decline in the centres of our Scottish towns is Cabinet cannot even blag himself an invite to the awayday there to be seen.