Wednesday Volume 662 19 June 2019 No. 316 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 19 June 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 219 19 JUNE 2019 220 Drew Hendry: According to every piece of the Secretary House of Commons of State’s own Government’s analysis, there is no version of Brexit that fails to harm Scotland. New YouGov Wednesday 19 June 2019 polling shows that Tory members would prefer Scotland to be an independent country, rather than stopping Brexit. Which choice should the Scottish Secretary make: The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock a devastating no-deal Brexit Britain, or giving the people of Scotland the choice to be an independent European nation? PRAYERS David Mundell: Mr Speaker, it will not surprise you to hear me say that Scotland has already made its [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] choice on whether to be independent or part of the United Kingdom. The poll to which the hon. Gentleman referred was based on a false premise. This Government are about delivering Brexit and keeping Scotland at the Oral Answers to Questions heart of the United Kingdom. John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con): Will the Secretary of State tell us how much SCOTLAND money the Scottish Government have given to local authorities in Scotland to prepare for our exit from the The Secretary of State was asked— European Union? Leaving the EU David Mundell: As far as I understand it, the UK Government have made more than £100 million available to the Scottish Government to help to prepare for 1. Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh South West) (SNP): Brexit—and, indeed, a no-deal Brexit—but precisely What recent discussions he has had with the Prime none of that money has been allocated directly to local Minister on the UK leaving the EU without a deal. authorities or to Police Scotland. [911386] Stephen Kerr (Stirling) (Con): Further to the reply 11. Drew Hendry (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and that the Secretary of State gave a few moments ago, Strathspey) (SNP): What recent discussions he has had does he agree that the majority of Scots voted in the with the Prime Minister on the UK leaving the EU 2017 general election for parties that were committed to without a deal. [911397] delivering the 2016 referendum, and that it would be a dereliction of our democratic duty not to do so? The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell): I should like to begin by wishing Shelley Kerr and the David Mundell: I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Scotland team all the best in tonight’s women’s World That is why this Government are committed to respecting cup match against Argentina. Although results have not the outcome of both the referendums that have taken necessarily gone the team’s way to date, they have been place in Scotland: the 2014 independence referendum, a credit to Scotland and have transformed people’s in which people voted to remain in the United Kingdom; views on women’s football. and the 2016 EU referendum, in which people across I have had regular discussions with the Prime Minister the UK voted to leave the EU. on a range of matters relating to EU exit. It is the Government’s position that leaving the EU with a deal 10. [911396] David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): Given that is in the best interests of Scotland and the UK. the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly have both said that the economies of Scotland and Wales Joanna Cherry: One thing that the Secretary of State would fall by between 7% and 8% on no deal, what has for Scotland and I can agree on is wishing our colleagues the Secretary of State said to the five leadership candidates well in the football, and, of course, things always go about the impact of no deal and why they should very well for the Scots where Argentina and football are avoid it? concerned. David Mundell: This is not just about the five leadership It seems clear that the Conservative party is on the candidates. Both in this House and elsewhere, I have verge of electing a new leader and Prime Minister been clear that a no-deal Brexit would be bad for whose primary purpose will be to deliver a no-deal Scotland, and we want to avoid that. We want to leave Brexit. Is the Secretary of State prepared to be part of a with a deal and, as I understand it, the leadership no-deal Cabinet that will shrink our economy by up to candidates are all setting out how we could leave with a 7% and put 100,000 people in Scotland out of a job? deal. David Mundell: Obviously, I am answering questions 9. [911395] Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire) (LD): on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government and not on Brexit is already having an impact on East Dunbartonshire’s behalf of the leadership candidates, but I am clear that major employers. Aviva has announced that there will those aspiring to the leadership of the Conservative be job losses in the coming years, and a major engineering party want to leave with a deal. Throughout this process, firm—an award-winning exporter—has told me about I have voted on every occasion to leave the EU with a the negative impact Brexit is having on its business. deal. The hon. and learned Lady has never done so. Knowing what he does about the devastating impact 221 Oral Answers 19 JUNE 2019 Oral Answers 222 on Scotland, how can the Secretary of State possibly Tommy Sheppard: Many of us appreciate that this countenance the no-deal or hard Brexit being offered by may well be the Secretary of State’s last outing in this his colleagues in his party’s leadership election? Chamber in his current role, so his mind may be somewhat distracted, but he must surely recognise that the David Mundell: I thought for one moment that the circumstances have now changed. His party is about to hon. Lady was going to refer to her own leadership elect a leader and force upon us a Prime Minister campaign, and if I did not think it would stymie her hellbent on a no-deal Brexit. If that happens, will he chances I would wish her well. She knows that the continue to refuse the right of the Scottish Parliament current uncertainty is the more serious problem for to consult Scotland’s people on their own future? businesses in Scotland and elsewhere, but we could have ended that uncertainty much earlier by voting for a David Mundell: I understand that the Scottish Parliament deal. will consult via a people’s assembly process, although I do not agree with it. When we have a Scottish Parliament Paul Scully (Sutton and Cheam) (Con): My right and 129 elected representatives, I feel that is the forum hon. Friend spoke about the £100 million being given to in which these matters should be discussed. the Scottish Government to tackle Brexit. Will he confirm The hon. Gentleman is wrong in how he characterises that Scottish nationalists have chosen to spend £10 million the Conservative leadership candidates, who have made of it on plugging holes in their own budget? it clear that their preference is to leave the EU with a deal. David Mundell: I fear that there are so many holes in the Scottish Government’s budget that a mere £10 million Household Incomes will not fill many of them. 2. Paul Masterton (East Renfrewshire) (Con): What Mr Paul Sweeney (Glasgow North East) (Lab/Co-op): assessment he has made of the effect of recent changes I join the Secretary of State in congratulating and in the personal allowance on levels of household income sending our best wishes to Scotland’s women’s team, in Scotland. [911387] particularly to Leanne Crichton. She is from Dennistoun in my constituency, and it was a pleasure to meet her The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell): just a couple of weeks ago. We are helping families to keep more of what they earn by raising the personal allowance, which has gone up Speaking of team players, the Secretary of State has to £12,500. As a result, 2.4 million Scottish taxpayers refused to rule out working with the calamitous former received a cut in their tax in 2019-20 compared with Foreign Secretary, who is prepared to see the United 2015-16. Kingdom leave the EU on disastrous no-deal terms. A majority of Conservative party members would rather Paul Masterton: As well as letting hard-working families see the economy crash, the United Kingdom fragment, keep more money in their pockets—in stark contrast to and their own party destroyed to secure Brexit. The the Scottish Government, who are taxing 22,000 of my party is now better described as the “English nationalist constituents more than they would be taxed if they party” rather than a party that wishes to preserve the lived in England—raising the personal allowance also unity of the British people. Has it now dawned on the takes some of the lowest paid out of tax altogether. Will Secretary of State that he may not have left the Conservative my right hon. Friend confirm how many people in party, but the Conservative party has certainly left him? Scotland have been taken out of paying income tax by the Conservative Government? David Mundell: I am sure that that read better as a press release.