Wednesday Volume 639 25 April 2018 No. 127 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 25 April 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/. 859 25 APRIL 2018 860 David Mundell: What will happen is that today the House of Commons UK Government will table an amendment to clause 11 of the withdrawal Bill in the House of Lords, on the Wednesday 25 April 2018 basis agreed with the Welsh Government, and on the basis offered to the Scottish Government. The intergovernmental agreement accompanying the clause The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock will also be published. PRAYERS Mr Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) (Con): As my right hon. Friend knows, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has taken a close [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] interest in this matter. Is he aware that we will be travelling to Edinburgh on Sunday, for hearings on Monday on the matter? I invite him to feel less Oral Answers to Questions disappointment and more hope, because the SNP Government have always insisted that their interests are aligned with those of the Welsh Government. Can we SCOTLAND give the Scottish Government time to reflect on the fact that the Welsh Government now support the UK The Secretary of State was asked— Government’s position, and that they might wish to do so in future? Ties with the Rest of the UK David Mundell: I am sure that the Committee will be 1. Luke Graham (Ochil and South Perthshire) (Con): made very welcome in Edinburgh. Anything that it can What steps he is taking to strengthen ties between do to focus Nicola Sturgeon’s mind on what has been Scotland and the rest of the UK. [904844] offered, and what the Welsh Government have been able to sign up to, given that it protects the devolution The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell): settlement, will be very welcome. I hope that Nicola The United Kingdom is the vital Union for Scotland, Sturgeon will think again. and this Government will always work to strengthen the integrity of the UK. That includes working closely and Lesley Laird (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath) (Lab): constructively with the Scottish Government. But I was May I first place on the record my congratulations to disappointed that, unlike the Welsh Government, Nicola the Scottish Commonwealth games team on their success Sturgeon has been unwilling to agree our proposed in Melbourne? amendments to clause 11 of the European Union Coming back to the task in hand, it has been widely (Withdrawal) Bill. The Welsh Government have said reported that Mike Russell was happy with the amendment that this is a deal that respects devolution. They have and agreed to the deal, before being overruled by Nicola said: Sturgeon. Can the Secretary of State confirm whether “This is a deal we can work with which has required compromise there was an agreement on this issue from the Scottish on both sides.” Government at any point during the process? I absolutely agree, and I continue to hope that the Scottish Government will join us. David Mundell: What I can confirm is that there were extensive negotiations on the proposal, which has ultimately Luke Graham: I share my right hon. Friend’s been agreed with the Welsh Government, and the Scottish disappointment and surprise that the SNP Administration Government were actively involved in those discussions. in Edinburgh have been unable to reach agreement with To be fair to Mike Russell, he has never led us to believe the Government. I ask him to work with those people in that there was any decision maker in the Scottish the devolved Government in Edinburgh who are willing Government other than Nicola Sturgeon. to reach agreement to ensure that we put the politics of division behind us and work together so that we can Mr Speaker: Order. These exchanges are rather move the conversation on for our constituents. ponderous. I am sorry, but we really need to speed up, because we have a lot of questions to get through. Let David Mundell: I absolutely agree. I was certainly us get on with it. very disappointed that the Scottish Government, despite sharing the same concerns as the Welsh Government, Lesley Laird: I thank the Secretary of State for that decided not to agree with this approach. We will of non-response. The Labour party anticipated that political course continue to have a constructive dialogue with the games would be played with the constitution. It is time Scottish Government, and I want to put it on the record for the people of Scotland to know exactly what has that Mike Russell, the Scottish Minister, has put a lot of been going on behind closed doors, so will he tell me personal effort and commitment into getting this over the truth and shame the devil, and agree to publish the the line, and I still hope that his Government will join minutes of all meetings and conversations between him in reaching that agreement in the coming weeks. the Scottish and UK Governments and any member of the Conservative party or the SNP on clause 11? Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP): In the interests of facilitating negotiations, will the Secretary of State David Mundell: What we will publish is the clause and confirm whether the Lords will be asked to agree to the the intergovernmental agreement that goes along with European Union (Withdrawal) Bill on Third Reading it, which is what the Welsh Government have signed up before the Scottish Parliament has had time to consider to. That is what was on the table for the Scottish a legislative consent memorandum? Government to agree. It remains on the table. 861 Oral Answers 25 APRIL 2018 Oral Answers 862 Ross Thomson (Aberdeen South) (Con): The SNP’s John Lamont: The Scottish borders have a number of Brexit Minister, Mike Russell, said that he could not industries with international reach, including the textiles envisage a situation in which Scotland would be content industry, which is a global player in fashion. There is and Wales would not be, or vice versa. Those words ring also an international market for food and drink from hollow today. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the borders, and indeed from across Scotland. Can my Nicola Sturgeon’s belligerence in snubbing an agreement right hon. Friend reassure me that producers of textiles on clause 11 reminds us that the SNP believes in and of food and drink in the borders and across Scotland independence, manufactured grievance and a narrow will be taken account of as part of the Brexit negotiations nationalist agenda, which will always come before the so that they can take advantage of the opportunities good of the country? that Brexit presents? David Mundell: Some people might conclude, given David Mundell: My hon. Friend is always a champion that Mike Russell did say that the Welsh Government for the businesses in the borders, and I can of course and the Scottish Government were in exactly the same give him that reassurance. We are talking to producers position, that there might be just one issue where there in the borders, across Scotland and indeed across the is a difference.That difference is that the Welsh Government UK to ensure that they can make the most of the believe in devolution and the Scottish Government opportunities around the world as we leave the EU. believe in independence. David Duguid: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP): for his response. Will he encourage the Secretary of Does the Secretary of State think that taking the Scottish State for International Trade to meet seafood processors Parliament to court to overturn the democratic decision during his visit to Aberdeen next month? of that Parliament will help to strengthen the ties between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom? David Mundell: Scottish seafood is rightly famous around the world. I was pleased that my hon. Friend David Mundell: No. could join me earlier this month when I met the Scottish Seafood Association to discuss the impact of the EU Pete Wishart: For the first time ever, I probably agree exit. As I said then, there are growing opportunities for with the Secretary of State. It comes as no surprise to us the sector in Scotland, and I would of course be happy that Welsh Labour has so easily capitulated to the Tories both to meet the fish processing industry myself and to on this issue. We will never stop defending the integrity encourage my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of our Parliament, and we will never allow the Tories to for International Trade to do so. diminish our Parliament’s powers. We will not allow that to happen. Is it the case with these amendments Kirsty Blackman (Aberdeen North) (SNP): Consistently, that, if the Scottish Parliament does not give its consent reports have said that Aberdeen is set to be hit the worst in these devolved areas within its responsibilities, the by Brexit, not least because of the number of incredibly UK Government will simply overrule our democratic successful exporting businesses we have. What is the Parliament again? Is that what is going to happen? Secretary of State doing to ensure that we stay in the single market and the customs union to protect businesses David Mundell: I read recently on the hon.