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Wednesday Volume 601 4 November 2015 No. 64 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 4 November 2015 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2015 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 947 4 NOVEMBER 2015 948 Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (Ochil and South Perthshire) House of Commons (SNP): The Secretary of State will be aware of the case of the Binn eco park in my constituency. It has the Wednesday 4 November 2015 support of the local community, and the developers worked diligently to secure planning permission from Perth and Kinross Council. Despite that support, the The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock development is threatened by the regressive approach to support for renewable energy that the UK Government have taken, putting local jobs at risk. Will he look again PRAYERS at the case? The development has been penalised because of a responsible approach to community engagement [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] on planning issues. David Mundell: I am always happy to look at individual cases raised by Members from Scotland. I would be Oral Answers to Questions delighted to meet the hon. Lady and hear more about the case she sets out. SCOTLAND John Stevenson (Carlisle) (Con): Does the Secretary of State agree that the Scottish Parliament could learn a lot from the devolution debate in England? [Laughter.] The Secretary of State was asked— Will he encourage the Scottish Parliament to devolve Onshore Wind Power: Planning more responsibilities and powers to local government, which could even include elected mayors for the great cities of Scotland? 1. Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire) (Con): If he will encourage the Scottish Government to devolve responsibility for onshore wind planning to Scottish David Mundell: I agree with my hon. Friend. The local authorities. [901897] response of Scottish National party MPs says it all—they think they know best and know better than local people. The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell): Let us see local decision making. Let us see Lord Before I answer the question, may I begin by commending Smith’s individual recommendation on devolution within you, Mr Speaker, not just for your attendance at the Scotland honoured by the Scottish Government. Davis cup semi-final in Glasgow, but for the enthusiasm with which you got behind Team GB for that momentous Ian Austin (Dudley North) (Lab): In addition to this win? I am sure you will join me not only in wishing our question, question after question on the Order Paper Team GB the best in the final in Ghent, but in confirming from the Nats queries the powers of the Scottish Parliament, that Glasgow, as it has once again demonstrated with yet the truth is this: they have missed the A&E waiting the world gymnastics championships, is a great sporting time in Scotland for six years; more than 6,000 children city. leave primary school unable to read properly; children The UK Government have given local communities from poor families get a particularly bad deal under the final say on new onshore wind developments in devolution; and Scotland faces a housing crisis. When I England. Planning for onshore wind is a matter fully visited Edinburgh a week or so ago, I was stunned at the devolved to the Scottish Parliament and sadly the Scottish level of rough sleeping in that city—it is much higher Government have kept that power to themselves. I than in comparable cities. Should the Nats not be would urge them to look closely at this Government’s sorting out the things for which they are responsible policy of an affordable energy mix that also protects instead of demanding all those other powers? They are our natural landscapes. not just the most centralising but the most useless— Mr Speaker: I thank the Secretary of State. I shall be Mr Speaker: Order. I have been generous. We must there in person, all being well, to support the team. now hear from the Secretary of State. Glyn Davies: True devolution means that power should David Mundell: The Scotland Bill will make the Scottish rest as closely as possible to the people in Scotland, in Parliament the most powerful devolved Parliament in Wales and in Northern Ireland. [Interruption.] Does the world. What we require now is to hear from the SNP the Secretary of State deplore the centralising policies and the Scottish Government how they will use these of the current Scottish and Welsh Governments, who Parliaments. They prefer arguments about process. They seem to think they know better than the people and the do not want to tell us what they will do and they do not communities of Scotland and Wales? follow that through with action. David Mundell: I agree with my hon. Friend. The Mr Speaker: I call Angus Brendan MacNeil current Scottish Government are one of the most centralising Governments on record, routinely overruling the wishes of local people and local authorities. The Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) UK Government are delivering devolution to Scotland. (SNP): Me? As Lord Smith recommended, let us see devolution delivered within Scotland. Mr Speaker: Yes, it is you, Sir. 949 Oral Answers4 NOVEMBER 2015 Oral Answers 950 Mr MacNeil: Thank you, Mr Speaker. It was difficult Mr Gauke: As I said, HMRC will be making an to hear over the noise from Labour over there. announcement in the next few days about its long-term As we know of course, the only damage to onshore plan, but it is right that it seeks to find savings on its wind comes from the right hon. Gentleman’s Government, property costs so that the money can be used to improve and for me the only centralising problem in Scotland is customer service and get the taxes in. that it is not centralised enough—if only the Scottish Smith Commission Government could take control of inter-island flights. Planning is working well in Scotland. In fact, perhaps the Secretary of State could commend several things in 3. Angela Crawley (Lanark and Hamilton East) (SNP): Scotland to Wales, such as the political system, under What assessment he has made of progress in meeting which 99% of Scottish voters rejected the Tories and the recommendations of the Smith commission; and if 95% of Members sent back here were SNP Members. he will make a statement. [901899] He could learn a lot from that. The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell): The Scotland Bill delivers the Smith commission agreement David Mundell: The hon. Gentleman could learn a lot in full. I have tabled amendments that strengthen the from the leader of the Western Isles Council, who is Bill and look forward to it returning to the House for keen to have confirmation that the Scottish Government debate next week. It represents another milestone in will devolve responsibility for the Crown Estate to the making the Scottish Parliament one of the most powerful Western Isles—a measure that he, as MP for the Western devolved Parliaments in the world. Isles, does not appear to support. [Interruption.] Angela Crawley: The Smith commission identified Mr Speaker: Order. The hon. Member for Na h-Eileanan that Scotland’s budget should be no larger or smaller an Iar (Mr MacNeil) is the Chair of the Energy and simply as a result of the initial transfer of new powers Climate Change Committee, and I urge him to behave and recommended that the Scottish and UK Governments in the statesman-like manner expected of such a high work together to agree a fiscal and funding framework office holder. We might learn about onshore wind from for Scotland. Will the Secretary of State reassure my Michelle Thomson. constituents that that framework will be in place to accompany the devolution of further powers so that Michelle Thomson (Edinburgh West) (Ind): The provision Scotland’s funding is not adversely affected? of an extra runway for either Gatwick or Heathrow is likely to require related infrastructure improvements, to David Mundell: Yes. be met from the public purse. Given that the money spent will include a population share of the financial Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con): Does my right consideration from Scottish taxpayers, will it be taxation hon. Friend agree that, rather than relying on subsidies without representation or can the Secretary of State from London, the Scottish Government should use guarantee that Scottish MPs will have a vote on an extra their tax-raising powers to pay for the services provided runway? to the people of Scotland? Mr Speaker: Order. I am genuinely trying to be David Mundell: I do not recognise my hon. Friend’s helpful to Members. May I please urge them to look at description of the Barnett formula, which of course will the terms of the question on the Order Paper? This one remain in place. The Scottish Parliament will now have is specifically about onshore wind planning. I think we significant powers over tax and welfare, and it is about must now move on. time the SNP told us what it will do with them. HMRC Offices Angus Robertson (Moray) (SNP): It is interesting that the Secretary of State did not take the opportunity to condemn the views of his Conservative colleagues who 2. Stuart C. McDonald (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and believe that Scotland is subsidised. Kirkintilloch East) (SNP): What recent discussions he Only 9% of people in Scotland believe that the vow has had with Her Majesty’s Treasury on the future of has been delivered, so unsurprisingly the Government Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs tax offices in are belatedly having to accept amendments.