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Wednesday Volume 538 11 January 2012 No. 246 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 11 January 2012 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 159 11 JANUARY 2012 160 that there are no current plans to reduce the number of House of Commons MOD police. I hope he will also be able to assure the House that the Government will never adopt any plans Wednesday 11 January 2012 to reduce security at Faslane and Coulport, given the importance of the nuclear installations there. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Michael Moore: As I have said, national security and the defence of our security installations are our highest priority, and we will do nothing that would compromise PRAYERS that security. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Child Tax Credits 2. John Robertson (Glasgow North West) (Lab): What assessment he has made of the effect of the Oral Answers to Questions autumn statement on child tax credit payments in Scotland. [88252] SCOTLAND The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell): The welfare system must remain fair and affordable, while protecting the most vulnerable. The Secretary of State was asked— Most working-age benefits, benefits for disabled people and the basic state pension will increase by 5.2% in Ministry of Defence Police April. In order to remain on course with the debt consolidation plan and meet their fiscal mandate, the 1. Dr Eilidh Whiteford (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): Government will increase the child element of child tax What discussions he has had with the Secretary of credit by the rate of inflation. State for Defence about Ministry of Defence police numbers in Scotland. [88251] John Robertson: According to the House of Commons Library, the Government’s decision not to proceed with The Secretary of State for Scotland (Michael Moore): the £110 increase in the child element of child tax credit We have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues will take £41 million away from nearly 400,000 children on defence matters relating to Scotland. The Under- in Scotland alone. Worst hit in Scotland will be Glasgow Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend city, where 44,000 children are set to miss out on the Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale £4.8 million. When will the Secretary of State stand up (David Mundell), last spoke about the issue to the for the children of Scotland? Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Leicestershire (Mr Robathan) David Mundell: The Government are standing up for —who is responsible for defence personnel, welfare and the children of Scotland. That is why our priority is veterans—earlier this week. sorting out the mess that the Labour Government made of our economy. The hon. Gentleman would do well to Dr Whiteford: As recently as November last year, the heed the words of the former Secretary of State for Prime Minister said that Scotland, the right hon. Member for East Renfrewshire “there are no current plans to reduce the number of Ministry of (Mr Murphy): Defence police at the Faslane or Coulport naval bases.”—[Official “The truth is the Labour party would have to make cuts if we Report, 23 November 2011; Vol. 536, c. 295.] were in power.” Since then, however, the Government have confirmed plans to cut the MOD police budget by 50%. I am John Stevenson (Carlisle) (Con): We all accept that curious to know whether the Prime Minister’s assurances these are difficult economic times, but does the Minister hold water. May I ask the Secretary of State what agree that one of the most effective ways of helping the proportion of that cut will fall in Scotland, and whether lowest-paid families is raising the income tax threshold he believes that the threats to our national security have to £10,000 and beyond? diminished sufficiently in recent months to justify a 50% cut? David Mundell: I entirely agree. The measure has had a significant impact in Scotland, and more than 2 million Michael Moore: What the Prime Minister said stands. basic-rate taxpayers will benefit from it during the There are no current plans for the MOD to reduce the current Parliament. core police role relating to the security of our national institutions, such as nuclear safety at Coulport or Faslane. Anas Sarwar (Glasgow Central) (Lab): After another National security, including the security of our defence week that has been dominated by political debate and installations, is our highest priority. The reason we have headlines relating to Scotland’s constitution, we must so many MOD police in Scotland in the first place is not ignore a report by End Child Poverty showing that our huge defence imprint, which would be put at risk 50% of local authority areas in Scotland contain wards immediately if the country were to become independent. in which 30% of children are living in poverty, and that in some wards in my constituency the figure is 50%. Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD): I am delighted What action is the Secretary of State taking, along with by what the Secretary of State says about the importance the Scottish Government, to ensure that every child in of security at Faslane and Coulport, and by his assurance Scotland is given the best start and opportunities in life? 161 Oral Answers11 JANUARY 2012 Oral Answers 162 David Mundell: The hon. Gentleman raises important Mr Speaker: Order. Let me just point out to the issues, such as the fact that many of the levers relating Minister that I do not have my own Scottish Government. to child poverty rest with the Scottish Government. As a result of the autumn statement, the Scottish Government Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): Does my received more than £500 million in additional revenue. I hon. Friend believe that were Scotland to become separate should have thought it would be better if they focused from the United Kingdom, and were it to be forced to on how to deploy that revenue to deal with such problems join the eurozone as a condition of re-entry into the as child poverty than to obsess about the constitution. European Union, that would hinder or help inward investment into Scotland? Inward Investment David Mundell: Uncertainty over Scotland’s position 3. Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan) (Con): What in the EU, and uncertainty over which currency Scotland steps he is taking to promote Scotland as a destination would use if it were ever to become independent, would for international inward investment. [88253] certainly hinder inward investment into Scotland. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland NEETs (David Mundell): My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I firmly believe that Scotland is the ideal destination for international inward investment, and we 4. Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab): have taken a range of actions to promote such investment. How many young people are not in employment, My right hon. Friend recently led the largest ever Scottish training or education in Scotland. [88255] trade delegation to Brazil to promote closer business links with a key emerging market for the Scottish economy. The Secretary of State for Scotland (Michael Moore): The annual population survey of 2010 estimates that Alun Cairns: Does my hon. Friend accept that, in an 36,000 18 to 19-year-olds in Scotland were not in education, ever more competitive world, uncertainty about employment or training between 2009 and 2010. independence has not helped the cause of Scotland or any other part of the United Kingdom that is seeking to Mr Donohoe: I thank the Secretary of State for that attract much-needed inward investment? response, but it does not really answer the question of what is happening between the ages of 16 and 18, which David Mundell: I entirely agree with my hon. Friend, is as important, if not more important. What is he which is why I believe it is better that a referendum on doing to encourage youngsters to enter industry and to Scottish independence be held sooner rather than later. enable them to take up apprenticeships as joiners, electricians and plumbers, because this Government have failed to Angus Robertson (Moray) (SNP): In contrast to the attract people into those industries? Does he agree that previous intervention, will the Minister acknowledge the idea, which I suggested to him at a meeting, of that international companies investing in Scotland since setting up schools-industry liaison committees is worth the re-election of the Scottish National party Scottish supporting? Government include INEOS, PetroChina, Dell, Gamesa, Amazon, Hewlett Packard and Mitsubishi Power Systems? Michael Moore: The hon. Gentleman rightly continues Does he acknowledge that and welcome the investment? to focus on this issue. We are all deeply concerned about youth unemployment. I have visited his constituency, David Mundell: I acknowledge that those companies and I have also had other meetings in Ayrshire and have invested in spite of the uncertainty. We should elsewhere, and it is right that we should join the Scottish consider the level of investment that Scotland could Government, employers and all the agencies to help achieve if there was not that uncertainty. young people—aged between 16 and 18 and of any age—to find work or support.
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