World Cup: Travelling Fans

5. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support Scottish football fans travelling to the FIFA world cup 2026.

My hon. Friend and I both know that the tartan army will be out in full force supporting Scotland’s FIFA world cup campaign this summer. The UK Government are working with partners in the host countries and the Scottish Football Association to provide guidance to supporters on travel, security and consular assistance. We are determined to help everyone have a fantastic and safe world cup, hopefully beyond the group stages.

Despite fears of trade tariffs, I have checked and the price of a pint of beer in Boston, Massachusetts, where Scotland is due to play its first game, is about $8. That is a bargain, because the SNP wants to charge its fans £750 a pint to have a drink with the right hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Stephen Flynn), who, unusually, is not in his seat today. I am always open to a pint with the Opposition, but would the Secretary of State rather have a beer in Boston with the tartan army or a pint of bitter with the SNP?

I commend my hon. Friend for his question. I am not sure that I’ll be coming down the road to have a pint with the right hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Stephen Flynn) any time soon. Come to think of it, I would walk 500 miles to avoid having a beer and a blether with him.

I am quite surprised at that last question, because one of the things that Scotland qualifying for the world cup brings is a unity to the nation. We are all looking forward to Scotland competing for the first time since 1998. We will all get selfies—it will be us with the tartan army. Does the Secretary of State think that there is any chance that we will get a photograph with the Prime Minister and Anas Sarwar?

I respectfully point out that we qualified under a Labour Government this time, and the last time, when I was there in the Stade de France, there was a UK Labour Government.