Contributions
638 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSeed Potato IndustryI know this is an important issue for my hon. Friend’s constituency, as it is for many farmers in Scotland, and I can confirm that absolutely everything is being done to find a…27 Jan 2021HANSARDSeed Potato IndustryMinisters and officials from my Department are in regular contact with counterparts from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Foreign, Commonwealth and…27 Jan 2021HANSARDEnd of the Transition Period: PreparednessThere has been a major public information campaign running for businesses and citizens, telling them exactly what they need to do. We have always been clear that, whether it is…09 Dec 2020HANSARDEnd of the Transition Period: PreparednessThe Union is absolutely firing on all cylinders, whether it is the support of over 900,000 jobs in Scotland, the UK Government procuring, supplying and paying for all the vaccines…09 Dec 2020HANSARDUnited Kingdom Internal Market BillNo, not remotely. What we have delivered on is unfettered access. We promised unfettered access at the time of the withdrawal agreement and we have delivered it.09 Dec 2020HANSARDUnited Kingdom Internal Market BillScotland is in the fortunate position as part of the United Kingdom of not having a land border that it needs to worry about. The Northern Ireland situation is different—it has…09 Dec 2020HANSARDUnited Kingdom Internal Market BillThere is nothing disastrous about a United Kingdom Internal Market Bill that has mutual recognition and non-discrimination at its base, and that protects jobs in Scotland and…09 Dec 2020HANSARDEnd of the Transition Period: PreparednessAs my hon. Friend knows, it is the Scottish Government’s responsibility to ensure adequate certifier capacity for exports to the European Union. The UK Government have been…09 Dec 2020HANSARDArmed ForcesMy Department meets regularly with the Ministry of Defence to help raise concerns that are specific to Scotland. British armed forces personnel in Scotland play a crucial role in…09 Dec 2020HANSARDArmed ForcesI absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Scotland has always played a crucial role in the UK’s defence, and the projects that are supported by this spending, including shipbuilding…09 Dec 2020HANSARDArmed ForcesThe Scottish Government requested a military planning team to assist with the planning for the roll-out of the vaccine in the borders and across Scotland, and I am very pleased…09 Dec 2020HANSARDArmed ForcesI absolutely join my hon. Friend in thanking everyone at Kinloss barracks. At the start of the pandemic our British armed forces distributed essential equipment and personal…09 Dec 2020HANSARDEnd of the Transition Period: PreparednessI have regular conversations with the Scottish Government on preparedness for the end of the transition period, including meetings of the EU Exit Operations Cabinet Committee and…09 Dec 2020HANSARDUnited Kingdom Internal Market BillI have frequent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill, which is vital to protect seamless trade and jobs across all four corners of the…09 Dec 2020HANSARDUnited Kingdom Internal Market BillWhat the Prime Minister said was that devolution was a mistake when it was set up to be put in the hands of separatists, and I completely agree with that. I totally agree with it.…09 Dec 2020HANSARDEconomic Support: Covid-19From memory, question 16—it has been withdrawn altogether from the papers I was given this morning—was about transport, and I will say on that—11 Nov 2020HANSARDEconomic Support: Covid-19To answer my right hon. Friend’s question, the Secretary of State for International Trade last night had a Zoom call with MPs from across the House, and I know that she stressed…11 Nov 2020HANSARDStrengthening the UnionThat is quite a tenuous link, but I will answer the question. To be quite simple, my belief is that we should stick to the referendum from 2014 and respect it. It was very…11 Nov 2020HANSARDStrengthening the UnionThe good news is that I did bring this answer with me. This Government have always stressed the importance of the Union. The UK is a family of nations that shares social, cultural…11 Nov 2020HANSARDStrengthening the UnionNo, I think that it is quite straightforward. I think that people should respect democracy, as I said in my previous answer to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete…11 Nov 2020