Scotland Questions House of Commons


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Hello come and a very warm welcome to Westminster for February's

:00:23.:00:26.

Scottish Questions. A mixed bag with questions on the

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so-called bedroom tax and what is likely to be in the Budget next

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month, the issue of the Scottish independence referendum is also

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continuing to weigh on the minds of Scottish MPs. But proceedings began

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with an inquiry about the importance of nuclear power to the

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Scottish economy. Question number one, Mr Speaker.

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There is currently just over two gigawatts of installed and

:00:55.:01:02.

operational nuclear capacity in Scotland, split between two sites.

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33% of electricity generated in Scotland in 2011 came from these

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two stations. I am grateful for his response. Is he aware that in

:01:14.:01:18.

Anglesey we are about to benefit from a massive investment in new

:01:18.:01:22.

nuclear power station? Does he share my disappointment in the

:01:22.:01:26.

attitude shown by the Scottish government to reject any new

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nuclear investment? Can I say to my honourable friend that clearly

:01:31.:01:35.

there is a significant contribution to our current energy mix from

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nuclear? He will be aware that planning is devolved on these

:01:39.:01:44.

matters to Scotland, it is a matter, rightly, for the Scottish

:01:44.:01:48.

parliament to determine. For my part I am delighted we are seeing

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an increase in the proportion of renewables in the energy mix as

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part of a sustainable, affordable energy supply in the UK.

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Nuclear power stations including the one in my constituency produced

:02:03.:02:08.

their highest output for seven years in 2012. Does he agree with

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me that there is a continuing long- term role for nuclear in keeping

:02:12.:02:17.

the lights on in Scotland? I don't think anybody can ignore the

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significant contribution that nuclear makes. Like her I have many

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constituents employed there, and I think it is an important role they

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play in our local economies. But I want to see a sustainable mix

:02:31.:02:36.

across the energy supplies and generation sector, and I think with

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renewables and others in the mix, that is a good thing.

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Why is it this Government is determined to throw money at an

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industry which has never be economically viable while refusing

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to set a decarbonisation target to boost the renewables then it --

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industry which is already creating thousands of new jobs in Scotland?

:02:57.:03:00.

Through energy market reform we are underpinning a renewables sector

:03:00.:03:07.

for a very long time. Although I don't -- what I don't understand is

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how the SNP can propose independence, where Scottish

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renewables would end up losing the biggest source of consumers who

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underpinned the economics of that sector. Question number two.

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In its impact assessments published on the 28th June 1920 12, the

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Department for Work and Pensions estimates that 80,000 claimants of

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housing benefit in the social rental sector in Scotland will be

:03:34.:03:38.

affected by the under occupation measure. The Minister knows as well

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as I do that thousands of people in low-income households in Scotland

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will lose out because of the bedroom tax, with no realistic

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prospect of moving to a smaller house. According to that assessment,

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claimants in Scotland will be disproportionately hit because of

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the mismatch between available housing stock and the needs of

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tenants will stop well he distance himself from the shameful attempt

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by this Government to stigmatise and penalise people living in how's

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-- council houses who need help with their rent? What is shameful

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is how the Scottish National Party play party politics with other boar

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people, pretending they can be no wealthier changes -- pretending

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there can be no welfare changes but not indicating how welfare would be

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paid for in an independent Scotland? The bedroom tax and other

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changes to housing benefit means that millions of pounds will be

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removed from the Scottish economy and hundreds of jobs lost across

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the country, according to one institute. Can the Secretary of

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State tell the House what discussions he has had with the

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Chancellor about how to mitigate these losses to the Scottish

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economy? What the honourable member and his colleagues fail to ever

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mention is the discretionary housing payment funds which will

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come in place to support people in difficult situations. He and his

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colleagues should be urging councils in Scotland to make use of

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that money. Scotland will get a very good share of the �155 million

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being provided. Does the Minister not recognise, in fact, that there

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are people crying as a result of being given notices right now that

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tell them they are in a position where they have to get out their

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house or lose housing benefit from the 1st April? That is the reality.

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Can he not waken up to that fact? am surprised that the honourable

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member and not others -- that the honourable members and others are

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not working to draw people's attention to the discretionary

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payment funds and show them that they will be able to support the

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most vulnerable. As well as the bedroom tax, this Government is

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preparing to further tighten the worst squeeze in decades on

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ordinary people's living standards by cutting most benefits and tax

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credits by 4% in real terms over the next three years in plans

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hurting the poorest 40% in Scotland 3.5 times harder than the

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wealthiest. Does he not accept that with 800,000 working-age couples

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and single people in Scotland losing up to �5 a week, these cuts

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are not just socially brutal but also disastrous for the Scottish

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economy? Mr Speaker, what I accept is the party opposite but this

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country into a financial circumstances that we found at the

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2010 election. The party opposite said they wanted to reform welfare,

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they are happy to criticise individual measures but they come

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up with no proposals at all to fund those measures or to put forward

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any alternative proposals. Number three.

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I welcome the recent announcement by Mike honourable friend the

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Secretary of State for Transport on the planned extension of HS2 to

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Manchester and Leeds. Journey times between Scotland and London will

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become -- significantly reduced as a result. Does he agree with me

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that there is a strange irony in the fact that HS2 will bring our

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two nations closer together, yet the Scottish government is intent

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on driving a wedge between them? think the honourable lady is quite

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right to point out the irony. Most policies pursued by the Scottish

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National Party are about breaking up Britain, but on this issue they

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appear to want to bring Britain closer together. The Minister's

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answers simply won't do. If he was serious about improving transport

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between Scotland and England, HS2, a massive investment, would not

:07:49.:07:53.

start in London and grind to a halt halfway through England in

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Manchester or Leeds. It would carry on to Glasgow and Edinburgh on the

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west and east coast of Scotland. Can I ask the Minister to go one

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better than the Department of Transport and tell us if this

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Government even have a timescale for the development of a plan for

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the completion of HS2 to Scotland? What this Government is doing his

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engaging with the Scottish governments in a discussion. At

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this moment we are waiting to hear from them. Does my honourable

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friend recognise the importance to transport links of during the A1,

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will he continue to press the case both to Scottish ministers and with

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colleagues in the UK government? welcome the announcement by the

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Chancellor that the A1 would become a motorway to Newcastle, and I

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think in response to the very same honourable member, the Chancellor

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made it clear that the Department of Transport would look at the

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possibility of making it a dual- carriageway to the Scottish border.

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As chair of the all-party West Coast Main Line group, I rode to a

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Scottish government minister -- and a rota to a Scottish government

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minister asking about what they would do in terms of investment in

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that route starting from the north? Is it irresponsible that they will

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not answer this question, but Edinburgh and Glasgow City

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Council's will discuss it? I am very disappointed that the

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honourable member, particularly in his capacity as chairman of that

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group, has that had a response from the Scottish government. As I

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indicated earlier, the UK government are waiting for a

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response from the Scottish government. We have made it

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absolutely clear we want to work with them to ensure the people of

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Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom benefit from HS2.

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Can I agree with earlier questionnaires and the minister

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that HS2, if it is to go ahead, is exceedingly important for the North

:09:57.:10:01.

of England embers transport links between Scotland and England. Can I

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have his assurance that he and his right honourable friend the

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Secretary of State will argue formidably for this in Cabinet and

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encourage the Government to start HS2, if it goes ahead, in the

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North? I appreciate the right honourable lady's question. As

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always she has taken a very keen interest in the Scotland. But she

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knows as well as I do that the Government position is that HS2

:10:32.:10:42.
:10:42.:10:42.

(INAUDIBLE). Can the Minister explain why despite ongoing

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complications with the UK and Scottish governments, Scots are

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still in the dark about having NHS to line in Scotland? Scots, I don't

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expect, are in the Darkin be cut -- in relation to a new line to

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Scotland. -- are in the dark in relation to wayTo Scotland. We want

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to work with the Scottish government and look forward to them

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coming forward with their specific proposals. Number four. I will

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answer questions four and five together, with permission. I'm in

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close contact with the Scottish business community and Treasury

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colleagues and I have discussed a number of measures to support

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economic growth and fairness. Secretary of State is well

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respected across this house, but surely as a Liberal Democrat he can

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see the unfairness in giving millionaires a massive tax cuts in

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April while introducing the bedroom tax? Can he make urgent

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representations to the Chancellor to reverse these policies before

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the draconian bedroom tax not only does damage to the borough boar and

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disabled but also to councils? -- does damage to the vulnerable and

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disabled. As the result of measures we have already taken, which as a

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Liberal Democrat I am happy to champion, 183,000 Scots will be

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taken out of tax altogether from April, 2 million people in low and

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middle-income families will be paying less tax and people on the

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minimum wage are paying half the tax than under the last government.

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On the issue of taxes, a 45 pence rate in April will be higher than

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the rate that prevailed under Labour for 12 years and 11 months.

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:12:41.:12:52.

New build affordable starts in Scotland have fallen in the last

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two years from 7,900 to 3,400 because of cuts by the Scottish

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government. Will the Secretary of State not go to his government in

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advance of this budget and argue for a U-turn? His government saved

:13:10.:13:20.
:13:20.:13:20.

the trees, and --, why not save the people? I say politely, she, like

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many of her colleagues, it routinely forget that terrible

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financial backdrop against which we have to make terrible and this

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isn't -- difficult decisions. We continued to emphasise and develop

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the fairness agenda we have made through cuts in tax to get a

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stronger and better welfare system. Having the lowest corporation tax

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in all of the G7 countries make Scotland and incredibly attractive

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place to invest and that would be endangered in the unlikely event

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that got learned becomes independent. Would he agree?

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agree it is essential we have a competitive business environment

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and the corporation tax goes to the heart of that. We want to rebalance

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the economy and take us away from the terrible Cliff we had come to.

:14:19.:14:23.

A 1-thank the Secretary for organising the fuel summit in

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Glasgow. It was revealed that the duty discount could go up to 7p per

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litre was still in the Treasury buzz it -- budget. Will the

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honourable gentleman lobby the Chancellor so that the full budget

:14:38.:14:43.

is spent to the benefit of motorists? It was important to have

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the summit to discuss the key issues and emphasise the importance

:14:48.:14:52.

the fuel discount has provided for Scotland's remote communities. He

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has made a strong case about the Budget which I'm sure the chance

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there will have heard. Has the Secretary of State raised the

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unfairness of the bedroom tax with the Chancellor of the Exchequer?

:15:05.:15:09.

Will he not tell him it is one of the most rancid pieces of

:15:09.:15:13.

legislation to have been rammed through since the poll tax. Will

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you remind us how many Scottish MPs voted for it in this House? Can I

:15:18.:15:24.

say that for in his -- as long as his party comes forward with lots

:15:24.:15:27.

of promises but no way of paying for them we will not listen to

:15:27.:15:34.

carefully to what he has to say. was not prepared to confirm that

:15:34.:15:38.

82% of the Scottish members in this House they did against the bedroom

:15:38.:15:44.

tax. Just like with the poll tax, an unpopular regressive measure is

:15:44.:15:49.

being imposed on people in Scotland when the overwhelming majority of

:15:49.:15:53.

their public representatives are totally opposed to it. Could he

:15:53.:15:58.

explain how, in a modern democracy, it is possible to impose something

:15:58.:16:05.

like the poll tax in Scotland? want to have a sustainable welfare

:16:05.:16:09.

system that protects of the most vulnerable and supports people into

:16:09.:16:13.

work and makes that pay, which the reforms and the Universal Credit

:16:13.:16:17.

will help to ensure backed up by are fed tax delivery which has

:16:17.:16:24.

meant that over 180,000 Scots are out of tax altogether and 2 million

:16:24.:16:27.

Scottish families on low and middle incomes are paying less tax as a

:16:27.:16:34.

result. Could the Secretary of State making representations on

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behalf of my constituent, Mrs France's corner, and treatment for

:16:40.:16:44.

her cancer has left her with no feeling in her feet and hands and

:16:44.:16:48.

her any help is from her son who states without two nights a week.

:16:48.:16:53.

The betting tax me she cannot afford the room has sun stays in.

:16:53.:17:00.

It is making it impossible for a son to care for his mother. Can I

:17:00.:17:06.

express my deepest sympathy to her constituent and her family and

:17:06.:17:10.

recognise the challenging personal circumstances under which they live.

:17:10.:17:14.

We look to support some of the most vulnerable in these circumstances

:17:14.:17:17.

with transitional arrangements and there would be happy to discuss

:17:17.:17:22.

that with her. Perhaps in that discussion we could talk about the

:17:22.:17:27.

thousands of others hit by risk edge in attack as well because

:17:27.:17:32.

protections do not helped those people. I wonder if the Secretary

:17:32.:17:36.

of State ever imagined he would be signing of such policies with the

:17:36.:17:42.

Tories. Last year the Secretary of State said, just as high arm other.

:17:42.:17:46.

He is making a salmon unable to care for his mother and making it

:17:46.:17:52.

an affordable what he had in mind? May I just remind her of the scale

:17:52.:17:57.

of the financial challenge that faced this government when it came

:17:57.:18:02.

into office and they need to tackle those serious problems. Also, to

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remember we have introduced other measures to help families across

:18:07.:18:13.

Scotland. I have to say, as I said earlier, we are not here incredible

:18:13.:18:17.

solutions coming forward from Han and her colleagues. Until such time

:18:17.:18:24.

as we do, we will not take any licence on fairness from her.

:18:24.:18:28.

The United Kingdom government welcomes the reports from the

:18:28.:18:31.

Electoral Commission and we agree with the advice on the question of

:18:31.:18:36.

funding levels for the referendum and on the clarity of the process.

:18:36.:18:40.

When in opposition, the Secretary of State wanted to extend his

:18:40.:18:46.

office and now he is publishing papers that talks about

:18:46.:18:53.

extinguishing Scotland. As an act of repentance, will he ensure this

:18:53.:18:56.

government plays fed with the Electoral Commission and enters

:18:56.:19:03.

into dialogue as the commissioner has asked on Scotland's future?

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sure he welcomes the publication of this a major contribution to the

:19:07.:19:13.

debate by the UK government and earlier this week. We are re --

:19:13.:19:20.

agree with the Electoral Commission's recommendations. Of

:19:20.:19:26.

course, over time as the issues are discussed further, we will need

:19:26.:19:30.

with the Scottish government as appropriate. I'm delighted that was

:19:30.:19:35.

good news for the honourable gentleman. We all want a referendum

:19:35.:19:39.

campaign to be fair. Does the Secretary of State agree that it is

:19:39.:19:43.

essential that all parties taking part in the referendum campaign

:19:43.:19:48.

must at here-what the Electoral Commission has said about spending

:19:48.:19:58.
:19:58.:20:05.

limits? My honourable friend is Can the Secretary of State say what

:20:05.:20:10.

information he will put towards the public debate and the implications

:20:10.:20:16.

of separation for things like pensions, at the welfare system and

:20:17.:20:19.

the economy week of Scotland because people need to know before

:20:19.:20:25.

they passed judgment. honourable lady is entirely right

:20:25.:20:30.

to focus on the need to focus on the issues of substance to families

:20:30.:20:35.

across Scotland. I'm delighted they yesterday in the Privy Council a

:20:35.:20:39.

section 30 order was approved say now we will have a legal, fair and

:20:39.:20:46.

decisive referendum. We need to discuss the issues. There are big

:20:46.:20:50.

questions here than need to be debated and so far no answers from

:20:50.:20:55.

the Scottish National Party. Does my right honourable friend accept

:20:55.:21:00.

that, if the outcome of the referendum campaign is to engage

:21:00.:21:03.

the confidence of the Scottish people, the campaign must be

:21:04.:21:08.

conducted with candour and transparency? This week the

:21:08.:21:13.

government published its view of the legal consequences of

:21:13.:21:17.

independence. Isn't it time that those who argue for independence

:21:17.:21:24.

did exactly the same? It has been a curious week, but might right

:21:24.:21:27.

honourable friend is right to highlight that, at times, the

:21:27.:21:31.

Scottish National Party hasn't been clear whether to embrace the

:21:31.:21:36.

opinions of our legal experts or two lamb past them. The merit of

:21:37.:21:42.

this document is that we have laid out all the key arguments, backed

:21:42.:21:46.

up by their most impressive legal opinions and nothing has come

:21:46.:21:51.

forward from the Scottish government.

:21:51.:21:53.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State and die are in

:21:53.:21:57.

regular contact with representatives of universities in

:21:57.:22:03.

Scotland on a range of issues. far it so good. He will know how

:22:03.:22:07.

important to an economy foreign students are and he will know how

:22:07.:22:11.

unhappy our universities are with this government and they have every

:22:11.:22:15.

right to be. His Government's obsession with immigration is

:22:15.:22:22.

starting to really hat as. A 26% reduction from India and 25% from

:22:22.:22:27.

Pakistan. Surely he can agree that we can obviously do this much

:22:27.:22:33.

better in Scotland if we had control over these issues? Not for

:22:33.:22:38.

the first time I am confused by the SNP position. Sometimes they say

:22:38.:22:41.

they want to have the same immigration rules as the rest of

:22:41.:22:46.

the UK's there they can be a common travel area. On occasions like this,

:22:46.:22:51.

they say they want uncontrolled mass immigration. Which is it?

:22:51.:22:58.

Scotland is -- Scotland's proud history of innovation, reserves and

:22:59.:23:03.

discovery is bound up with this success of the United Kingdom. Does

:23:03.:23:09.

the Minister agree that the only short, certain and best way to

:23:09.:23:14.

ensure Scotland remains a leader in world class leader is for Scotland

:23:14.:23:19.

to remain in the United Kingdom? absolutely agree with that. Which

:23:19.:23:23.

the honourable member has made and he will be aware that Scottish

:23:23.:23:30.

universities and research institutes give �436 million from a

:23:30.:23:38.

UK councils. There are a lot of noisy private conversations taking

:23:39.:23:48.
:23:49.:23:52.

place. Let us have a bit of order. My right honourable friend the

:23:52.:23:55.

Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with the

:23:55.:23:59.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on a range of

:23:59.:24:09.
:24:09.:24:24.

issues. On the issue of gambling Order. Order. We will have to

:24:24.:24:28.

extend the session. There is the point about having some courtesy

:24:28.:24:33.

about - might was the member who is asking a question. I am sure

:24:33.:24:41.

members learned that at school. fixed on gambling term us have

:24:41.:24:46.

sacked that millions of pounds in betting shops in Scotland. They are

:24:46.:24:52.

caught the crack cocaine of the gambling industry. Is it not time

:24:52.:24:57.

the Secretary of State lobbied to have the gambolling survey

:24:57.:25:07.

reinstated? I don't agree with the honourable gentleman on the re

:25:07.:25:10.

introduction of the prevalence survey but I commend the Daily

:25:10.:25:14.

Record and the honourable member for highlighting issues with

:25:14.:25:19.

problem gambling. He may be aware that the government is conducting a

:25:20.:25:24.

consultation on the links between problem gambling and these machines

:25:24.:25:29.

and I asked -- edge him and anyone with an interest in this matter to

:25:29.:25:37.

contribute to that consultation. Thank you. My right honourable

:25:37.:25:41.

friend the Secretary of State and I are in regular contact with

:25:41.:25:48.

representatives of local government in Scotland on a range of issues.

:25:48.:25:52.

The Secretary of State has not met pass lower since 12th December last

:25:52.:25:58.

year. The bedroom tax in which you voted for risks making 10,000

:25:58.:26:03.

people in Scotland homeless. The consequences of this will be dealt

:26:03.:26:11.

with by local authorities. What will he do about this?

:26:11.:26:19.

honourable lady should know that the Secretary of State has made

:26:19.:26:23.

cars lap in the last two weeks and is in regular contact with its

:26:23.:26:27.

leader. He will make them aware of the discretionary payments fund

:26:27.:26:31.

which has been increased in Scotland and how local authorities

:26:31.:26:39.

can utilise that. What impact has the Minister made of the bedroom

:26:39.:26:42.

tax on the credit rating of local authorities and other social

:26:42.:26:46.

landlords which is bound to go down with an impact on house building

:26:46.:26:50.

and maintenance? I am afraid the honourable lady's assumption is

:26:50.:26:57.

wrong. At meetings I have had and the Scottish Federation of Housing

:26:57.:27:02.

Associations and my noble friend, Lord Freud, we discussed this

:27:02.:27:05.

unsatisfied the concerns of housing associations and local authorities.

:27:05.:27:11.

That is all we have time for at the moment because of the parliamentary

:27:11.:27:16.

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