Wednesday Volume 561 24 April 2013 No. 145 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 24 April 2013 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2013 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 867 24 APRIL 2013 868 people as possible to come to Blantyre in my House of Commons constituency and visit the centre there and take part in the celebrations? Wednesday 24 April 2013 David Mundell: I thank the hon. Gentleman for noting the work the UK Government, and indeed the The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Scottish Government, have done on the matter. He, too, is to be commended for the part he has played in PRAYERS promoting the David Livingstone bicentenary. He is correct: there are a number of continuing events, [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] and all those who wish to do so should take the opportunity to take part in them. BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire) (Con): I very much welcome the various celebrations that the Minister has HUMBER BRIDGE BILL announced today. Does he agree that there could be no Bill, as amended, considered. finer commemoration of that magnificent missionary, scientist, statesman and explorer than his gravestone in Westminster Abbey? It does not list any honours, or Oral Answers to Questions even his dates of birth and death or his parenthood; on a piece of Scottish granite, it simply says the magnificent words “David Livingstone.” Scotland Office David Mundell: Indeed, that is a poignant memorial The Secretary of State was asked— to Dr Livingstone. It was particularly memorable to see members of his family laying a wreath on the gravestone, David Livingstone: Anniversary along with President Banda, at the commemorative 1. Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest) (Con): What service. steps his Department has taken to commemorate the Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab): I 200th anniversary of the birth of David Livingstone. presume that Dr Livingstone was a great educationalist, [150798] who believed in education. What has the Minister’s right hon. Friend the Secretary of State done to set up The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland the school-industry liaison committees that he promised (David Mundell): The Scotland Office is working closely me some months ago? with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and the David Livingstone Mr Speaker: Order. That is very tangentially related 200 partnership on the programme of celebrations to to the 200th anniversary of the birth of David Livingstone. mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Dr David The hon. Gentleman should not speculate about what Livingstone. On 19 March, the Scotland Office hosted a Dr Livingstone would have said, because the fact is that reception at Dover House following the commemorative he did not—he was not in a position to do so and he service at Westminster Abbey in the presence of President cannot do so now. I think we had better move on. I call Joyce Banda of Malawi. Iain Stewart. Mrs Laing: I am sure the whole House will be Caledonian Sleeper Train pleased to hear what the Scotland Office is doing. It is 2. Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South) (Con): What fitting, especially to those of us who well remember discussions he has had with the Scottish Government childhood trips to Blantyre, the birthplace of David on the future of the Caledonian sleeper train. [150799] Livingstone, that tribute should be paid to him here in Parliament. Does my right hon. Friend agree that The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland although a minority of Scots want to put artificial (David Mundell): The UK Government provided £50 million barriers around Scotland, the vast majority of Scots to safeguard and improve the Caledonian sleeper service believe in the pioneering, enterprising spirit of David in 2011. Responsibility for taking the project forward is Livingstone, and want Scotland to play its full part now with the Scottish Government. We look forward in the United Kingdom, and indeed in the world in general? finally to seeing some progress. David Mundell: I could not agree more. David Iain Stewart: I am pleased that the Government have Livingstone was both a great Scot and a great Briton, invested in the future of the Caledonian sleeper, which who had an outward, progressive-looking attitude to is a vital transport link for business and tourism alike, the world, which exemplifies why Scotland and Britain but does my right hon. Friend share my disappointment are better together. that the Scottish Government have not shown the same urgency on upgrading that vital link? Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op): I place on record my thanks to the David Mundell: I agree with my hon. Friend. He Scotland Office and the Foreign Office for ensuring might be aware that, since the spending review, the that President Joyce Banda was able to visit Scotland, Scottish Government have received over £1 billion in particularly Blantyre in my constituency, to mark the additional funding for what they said were shovel-ready start of the celebrations. May I draw the attention of projects, but the only shovelling of which they seem the Minister and the House to the wide range of events capable is digging the sort of hole that we saw yesterday happening through the year, and encourage as many regarding the currency. 869 Oral Answers24 APRIL 2013 Oral Answers 870 Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) Jim Sheridan: I thank the Minister for that response. (SNP): The Scottish National party Government have Does he agree that having to pay to volunteer is a in fact invested £130 million in the sleeper service— contradiction in terms, and that that debars many people [Interruption.] If the hon. Member for Glasgow South from participating in a sport such as golf? Will he make West (Mr Davidson) wants to be quiet, he can be. The further representations to the Ryder cup’s organisers SNP Government understand the importance of linking that they should follow the lead of Glasgow city council mega-regions, which has been identified by Professor by creating genuine volunteers? Richard Florida as a win-win for all concerned. In Spain, the linking of Seville to Madrid has benefited David Mundell: I understand the hon. Gentleman’s not only Seville as intended, but Madrid far more. With concerns, which I will take forward with EventScotland the sleeper service maintained to Inverness and Fort and Shona Robison, the Scottish Government Minister William, when will the UK Government ensure that with responsibility for the Ryder cup. there are high-speed links and landing slots at Heathrow to maintain full connectivity between mega-regions, Mr Michael McCann (East Kilbride, Strathaven and because we want England, in particular, to keep pace Lesmahagow) (Lab): The Ryder cup is a unique golf with Scottish prosperity post independence? tournament, because the competitors compete not for cash prizes but for the pride of representing their country David Mundell: The Government are committed to or continent, so it is perverse that volunteers will be ensuring that there is connectivity within the United asked to pay to deliver their services. Will the Minister Kingdom, just as they are committed to ensuring that add that point to his representations when he meets the we stay a United Kingdom. event’s organisers? Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife) (LD): Has David Mundell: I will certainly be happy to add my right hon. Friend considered that the sleeper service the hon. Gentleman’s concerns to those expressed by might be better served if there were electrification of the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire North the east coast main line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen? (Jim Sheridan). Coincidentally, that passes through my constituency, and the project would provide a better service for the Welfare Reform stations of Ladybank, Cupar and Leuchars. David Mundell: The right hon. and learned Gentleman 4. Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP): is rightly always keen to promote his constituency interests, What discussions he has had with the Secretary of but he will be aware that that was one of the many State for Work and Pensions and the Chancellor of the projects that the Scottish National party said in opposition Exchequer on the Government’s welfare benefit it would deliver—yet it does not seem to be on the reforms in Scotland. [150801] agenda any more. 5. Fiona O’Donnell (East Lothian) (Lab): When he Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow South West) (Lab/Co-op): last met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Does the Minister accept that the Caledonian sleeper is to discuss the effects of welfare reform in Scotland. a vital link between the Ministry of Defence in London [150802] and the shipyards on the Clyde? Does he accept that trade on the Caledonian sleeper will drastically reduce The Secretary of State for Scotland (Michael Moore): in the event that we have separation and the Clyde My right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary and I are in shipyards close? regular contact with ministerial colleagues in the Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions on matters David Mundell: What I accept is that if we were to relating to welfare reform in Scotland. have separation, there would be a great deal of uncertainty, and not just for the operators of the Caledonian sleeper Pete Wishart: We now know that more than 100,000 Scots service. As we saw yesterday, for example, those promoting will be affected by the Government’s bedroom tax, independence have no idea what currency would be which is opposed by over 90% of Scottish MPs and has used in an independent Scotland, which will be a significant appalled civic Scotland.