:00:23. > :00:26.Hello come and a very warm welcome to Westminster for February's
:00:26. > :00:30.Scottish Questions. A mixed bag with questions on the
:00:30. > :00:35.so-called bedroom tax and what is likely to be in the Budget next
:00:35. > :00:39.month, the issue of the Scottish independence referendum is also
:00:39. > :00:43.continuing to weigh on the minds of Scottish MPs. But proceedings began
:00:43. > :00:51.with an inquiry about the importance of nuclear power to the
:00:51. > :00:55.Scottish economy. Question number one, Mr Speaker.
:00:55. > :01:02.There is currently just over two gigawatts of installed and
:01:02. > :01:07.operational nuclear capacity in Scotland, split between two sites.
:01:07. > :01:14.33% of electricity generated in Scotland in 2011 came from these
:01:14. > :01:18.two stations. I am grateful for his response. Is he aware that in
:01:18. > :01:22.Anglesey we are about to benefit from a massive investment in new
:01:22. > :01:26.nuclear power station? Does he share my disappointment in the
:01:26. > :01:31.attitude shown by the Scottish government to reject any new
:01:31. > :01:35.nuclear investment? Can I say to my honourable friend that clearly
:01:35. > :01:39.there is a significant contribution to our current energy mix from
:01:39. > :01:44.nuclear? He will be aware that planning is devolved on these
:01:44. > :01:48.matters to Scotland, it is a matter, rightly, for the Scottish
:01:48. > :01:51.parliament to determine. For my part I am delighted we are seeing
:01:51. > :01:59.an increase in the proportion of renewables in the energy mix as
:01:59. > :02:03.part of a sustainable, affordable energy supply in the UK.
:02:03. > :02:08.Nuclear power stations including the one in my constituency produced
:02:08. > :02:12.their highest output for seven years in 2012. Does he agree with
:02:12. > :02:17.me that there is a continuing long- term role for nuclear in keeping
:02:17. > :02:22.the lights on in Scotland? I don't think anybody can ignore the
:02:22. > :02:26.significant contribution that nuclear makes. Like her I have many
:02:26. > :02:31.constituents employed there, and I think it is an important role they
:02:31. > :02:36.play in our local economies. But I want to see a sustainable mix
:02:36. > :02:41.across the energy supplies and generation sector, and I think with
:02:41. > :02:44.renewables and others in the mix, that is a good thing.
:02:44. > :02:48.Why is it this Government is determined to throw money at an
:02:48. > :02:52.industry which has never be economically viable while refusing
:02:52. > :02:57.to set a decarbonisation target to boost the renewables then it --
:02:57. > :03:00.industry which is already creating thousands of new jobs in Scotland?
:03:00. > :03:07.Through energy market reform we are underpinning a renewables sector
:03:07. > :03:10.for a very long time. Although I don't -- what I don't understand is
:03:10. > :03:15.how the SNP can propose independence, where Scottish
:03:15. > :03:22.renewables would end up losing the biggest source of consumers who
:03:22. > :03:27.underpinned the economics of that sector. Question number two.
:03:27. > :03:30.In its impact assessments published on the 28th June 1920 12, the
:03:30. > :03:34.Department for Work and Pensions estimates that 80,000 claimants of
:03:34. > :03:38.housing benefit in the social rental sector in Scotland will be
:03:39. > :03:42.affected by the under occupation measure. The Minister knows as well
:03:42. > :03:47.as I do that thousands of people in low-income households in Scotland
:03:47. > :03:51.will lose out because of the bedroom tax, with no realistic
:03:51. > :03:54.prospect of moving to a smaller house. According to that assessment,
:03:54. > :03:59.claimants in Scotland will be disproportionately hit because of
:03:59. > :04:02.the mismatch between available housing stock and the needs of
:04:02. > :04:05.tenants will stop well he distance himself from the shameful attempt
:04:05. > :04:10.by this Government to stigmatise and penalise people living in how's
:04:10. > :04:13.-- council houses who need help with their rent? What is shameful
:04:13. > :04:20.is how the Scottish National Party play party politics with other boar
:04:20. > :04:24.people, pretending they can be no wealthier changes -- pretending
:04:24. > :04:30.there can be no welfare changes but not indicating how welfare would be
:04:30. > :04:32.paid for in an independent Scotland? The bedroom tax and other
:04:32. > :04:36.changes to housing benefit means that millions of pounds will be
:04:36. > :04:42.removed from the Scottish economy and hundreds of jobs lost across
:04:42. > :04:45.the country, according to one institute. Can the Secretary of
:04:46. > :04:49.State tell the House what discussions he has had with the
:04:49. > :04:54.Chancellor about how to mitigate these losses to the Scottish
:04:54. > :04:57.economy? What the honourable member and his colleagues fail to ever
:04:57. > :05:02.mention is the discretionary housing payment funds which will
:05:02. > :05:06.come in place to support people in difficult situations. He and his
:05:06. > :05:11.colleagues should be urging councils in Scotland to make use of
:05:11. > :05:18.that money. Scotland will get a very good share of the �155 million
:05:18. > :05:22.being provided. Does the Minister not recognise, in fact, that there
:05:22. > :05:25.are people crying as a result of being given notices right now that
:05:25. > :05:31.tell them they are in a position where they have to get out their
:05:31. > :05:37.house or lose housing benefit from the 1st April? That is the reality.
:05:37. > :05:45.Can he not waken up to that fact? am surprised that the honourable
:05:45. > :05:47.member and not others -- that the honourable members and others are
:05:47. > :05:51.not working to draw people's attention to the discretionary
:05:51. > :05:56.payment funds and show them that they will be able to support the
:05:56. > :05:59.most vulnerable. As well as the bedroom tax, this Government is
:05:59. > :06:03.preparing to further tighten the worst squeeze in decades on
:06:03. > :06:08.ordinary people's living standards by cutting most benefits and tax
:06:08. > :06:13.credits by 4% in real terms over the next three years in plans
:06:13. > :06:18.hurting the poorest 40% in Scotland 3.5 times harder than the
:06:18. > :06:22.wealthiest. Does he not accept that with 800,000 working-age couples
:06:22. > :06:27.and single people in Scotland losing up to �5 a week, these cuts
:06:27. > :06:35.are not just socially brutal but also disastrous for the Scottish
:06:35. > :06:38.economy? Mr Speaker, what I accept is the party opposite but this
:06:38. > :06:42.country into a financial circumstances that we found at the
:06:42. > :06:45.2010 election. The party opposite said they wanted to reform welfare,
:06:45. > :06:50.they are happy to criticise individual measures but they come
:06:50. > :06:58.up with no proposals at all to fund those measures or to put forward
:06:58. > :07:02.any alternative proposals. Number three.
:07:02. > :07:05.I welcome the recent announcement by Mike honourable friend the
:07:05. > :07:09.Secretary of State for Transport on the planned extension of HS2 to
:07:09. > :07:14.Manchester and Leeds. Journey times between Scotland and London will
:07:14. > :07:17.become -- significantly reduced as a result. Does he agree with me
:07:17. > :07:21.that there is a strange irony in the fact that HS2 will bring our
:07:21. > :07:26.two nations closer together, yet the Scottish government is intent
:07:26. > :07:31.on driving a wedge between them? think the honourable lady is quite
:07:31. > :07:35.right to point out the irony. Most policies pursued by the Scottish
:07:35. > :07:41.National Party are about breaking up Britain, but on this issue they
:07:41. > :07:44.appear to want to bring Britain closer together. The Minister's
:07:44. > :07:49.answers simply won't do. If he was serious about improving transport
:07:49. > :07:53.between Scotland and England, HS2, a massive investment, would not
:07:53. > :07:57.start in London and grind to a halt halfway through England in
:07:57. > :08:02.Manchester or Leeds. It would carry on to Glasgow and Edinburgh on the
:08:02. > :08:05.west and east coast of Scotland. Can I ask the Minister to go one
:08:05. > :08:08.better than the Department of Transport and tell us if this
:08:08. > :08:16.Government even have a timescale for the development of a plan for
:08:16. > :08:19.the completion of HS2 to Scotland? What this Government is doing his
:08:19. > :08:26.engaging with the Scottish governments in a discussion. At
:08:26. > :08:29.this moment we are waiting to hear from them. Does my honourable
:08:29. > :08:33.friend recognise the importance to transport links of during the A1,
:08:33. > :08:40.will he continue to press the case both to Scottish ministers and with
:08:40. > :08:44.colleagues in the UK government? welcome the announcement by the
:08:44. > :08:49.Chancellor that the A1 would become a motorway to Newcastle, and I
:08:49. > :08:52.think in response to the very same honourable member, the Chancellor
:08:52. > :08:59.made it clear that the Department of Transport would look at the
:08:59. > :09:01.possibility of making it a dual- carriageway to the Scottish border.
:09:01. > :09:07.As chair of the all-party West Coast Main Line group, I rode to a
:09:07. > :09:11.Scottish government minister -- and a rota to a Scottish government
:09:11. > :09:16.minister asking about what they would do in terms of investment in
:09:16. > :09:20.that route starting from the north? Is it irresponsible that they will
:09:20. > :09:26.not answer this question, but Edinburgh and Glasgow City
:09:26. > :09:29.Council's will discuss it? I am very disappointed that the
:09:29. > :09:33.honourable member, particularly in his capacity as chairman of that
:09:33. > :09:36.group, has that had a response from the Scottish government. As I
:09:36. > :09:39.indicated earlier, the UK government are waiting for a
:09:39. > :09:43.response from the Scottish government. We have made it
:09:43. > :09:49.absolutely clear we want to work with them to ensure the people of
:09:49. > :09:52.Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom benefit from HS2.
:09:52. > :09:57.Can I agree with earlier questionnaires and the minister
:09:57. > :10:01.that HS2, if it is to go ahead, is exceedingly important for the North
:10:01. > :10:05.of England embers transport links between Scotland and England. Can I
:10:05. > :10:09.have his assurance that he and his right honourable friend the
:10:09. > :10:14.Secretary of State will argue formidably for this in Cabinet and
:10:14. > :10:20.encourage the Government to start HS2, if it goes ahead, in the
:10:20. > :10:26.North? I appreciate the right honourable lady's question. As
:10:26. > :10:32.always she has taken a very keen interest in the Scotland. But she
:10:32. > :10:42.knows as well as I do that the Government position is that HS2
:10:42. > :10:42.
:10:42. > :10:46.(INAUDIBLE). Can the Minister explain why despite ongoing
:10:46. > :10:52.complications with the UK and Scottish governments, Scots are
:10:52. > :10:57.still in the dark about having NHS to line in Scotland? Scots, I don't
:10:57. > :11:05.expect, are in the Darkin be cut -- in relation to a new line to
:11:05. > :11:11.Scotland. -- are in the dark in relation to wayTo Scotland. We want
:11:11. > :11:17.to work with the Scottish government and look forward to them
:11:17. > :11:21.coming forward with their specific proposals. Number four. I will
:11:21. > :11:25.answer questions four and five together, with permission. I'm in
:11:25. > :11:28.close contact with the Scottish business community and Treasury
:11:28. > :11:34.colleagues and I have discussed a number of measures to support
:11:34. > :11:38.economic growth and fairness. Secretary of State is well
:11:38. > :11:41.respected across this house, but surely as a Liberal Democrat he can
:11:41. > :11:45.see the unfairness in giving millionaires a massive tax cuts in
:11:45. > :11:49.April while introducing the bedroom tax? Can he make urgent
:11:49. > :11:53.representations to the Chancellor to reverse these policies before
:11:53. > :12:00.the draconian bedroom tax not only does damage to the borough boar and
:12:00. > :12:05.disabled but also to councils? -- does damage to the vulnerable and
:12:05. > :12:10.disabled. As the result of measures we have already taken, which as a
:12:10. > :12:14.Liberal Democrat I am happy to champion, 183,000 Scots will be
:12:14. > :12:17.taken out of tax altogether from April, 2 million people in low and
:12:17. > :12:21.middle-income families will be paying less tax and people on the
:12:21. > :12:27.minimum wage are paying half the tax than under the last government.
:12:27. > :12:31.On the issue of taxes, a 45 pence rate in April will be higher than
:12:31. > :12:41.the rate that prevailed under Labour for 12 years and 11 months.
:12:41. > :12:52.
:12:52. > :12:58.New build affordable starts in Scotland have fallen in the last
:12:58. > :13:04.two years from 7,900 to 3,400 because of cuts by the Scottish
:13:04. > :13:10.government. Will the Secretary of State not go to his government in
:13:10. > :13:20.advance of this budget and argue for a U-turn? His government saved
:13:20. > :13:20.
:13:20. > :13:24.the trees, and --, why not save the people? I say politely, she, like
:13:24. > :13:28.many of her colleagues, it routinely forget that terrible
:13:28. > :13:33.financial backdrop against which we have to make terrible and this
:13:33. > :13:41.isn't -- difficult decisions. We continued to emphasise and develop
:13:41. > :13:46.the fairness agenda we have made through cuts in tax to get a
:13:46. > :13:51.stronger and better welfare system. Having the lowest corporation tax
:13:51. > :13:57.in all of the G7 countries make Scotland and incredibly attractive
:13:57. > :14:02.place to invest and that would be endangered in the unlikely event
:14:02. > :14:07.that got learned becomes independent. Would he agree?
:14:07. > :14:14.agree it is essential we have a competitive business environment
:14:14. > :14:19.and the corporation tax goes to the heart of that. We want to rebalance
:14:19. > :14:23.the economy and take us away from the terrible Cliff we had come to.
:14:23. > :14:29.A 1-thank the Secretary for organising the fuel summit in
:14:29. > :14:33.Glasgow. It was revealed that the duty discount could go up to 7p per
:14:33. > :14:38.litre was still in the Treasury buzz it -- budget. Will the
:14:38. > :14:43.honourable gentleman lobby the Chancellor so that the full budget
:14:43. > :14:48.is spent to the benefit of motorists? It was important to have
:14:48. > :14:52.the summit to discuss the key issues and emphasise the importance
:14:52. > :14:56.the fuel discount has provided for Scotland's remote communities. He
:14:57. > :15:01.has made a strong case about the Budget which I'm sure the chance
:15:01. > :15:05.there will have heard. Has the Secretary of State raised the
:15:05. > :15:09.unfairness of the bedroom tax with the Chancellor of the Exchequer?
:15:09. > :15:13.Will he not tell him it is one of the most rancid pieces of
:15:13. > :15:18.legislation to have been rammed through since the poll tax. Will
:15:18. > :15:24.you remind us how many Scottish MPs voted for it in this House? Can I
:15:24. > :15:27.say that for in his -- as long as his party comes forward with lots
:15:27. > :15:34.of promises but no way of paying for them we will not listen to
:15:34. > :15:38.carefully to what he has to say. was not prepared to confirm that
:15:38. > :15:44.82% of the Scottish members in this House they did against the bedroom
:15:44. > :15:49.tax. Just like with the poll tax, an unpopular regressive measure is
:15:49. > :15:53.being imposed on people in Scotland when the overwhelming majority of
:15:53. > :15:58.their public representatives are totally opposed to it. Could he
:15:58. > :16:05.explain how, in a modern democracy, it is possible to impose something
:16:05. > :16:09.like the poll tax in Scotland? want to have a sustainable welfare
:16:09. > :16:13.system that protects of the most vulnerable and supports people into
:16:13. > :16:17.work and makes that pay, which the reforms and the Universal Credit
:16:17. > :16:24.will help to ensure backed up by are fed tax delivery which has
:16:24. > :16:27.meant that over 180,000 Scots are out of tax altogether and 2 million
:16:27. > :16:34.Scottish families on low and middle incomes are paying less tax as a
:16:34. > :16:40.result. Could the Secretary of State making representations on
:16:40. > :16:44.behalf of my constituent, Mrs France's corner, and treatment for
:16:44. > :16:48.her cancer has left her with no feeling in her feet and hands and
:16:48. > :16:53.her any help is from her son who states without two nights a week.
:16:53. > :17:00.The betting tax me she cannot afford the room has sun stays in.
:17:00. > :17:06.It is making it impossible for a son to care for his mother. Can I
:17:06. > :17:10.express my deepest sympathy to her constituent and her family and
:17:10. > :17:14.recognise the challenging personal circumstances under which they live.
:17:14. > :17:17.We look to support some of the most vulnerable in these circumstances
:17:17. > :17:22.with transitional arrangements and there would be happy to discuss
:17:22. > :17:27.that with her. Perhaps in that discussion we could talk about the
:17:27. > :17:32.thousands of others hit by risk edge in attack as well because
:17:32. > :17:36.protections do not helped those people. I wonder if the Secretary
:17:36. > :17:42.of State ever imagined he would be signing of such policies with the
:17:42. > :17:46.Tories. Last year the Secretary of State said, just as high arm other.
:17:46. > :17:52.He is making a salmon unable to care for his mother and making it
:17:52. > :17:57.an affordable what he had in mind? May I just remind her of the scale
:17:57. > :18:02.of the financial challenge that faced this government when it came
:18:02. > :18:06.into office and they need to tackle those serious problems. Also, to
:18:07. > :18:13.remember we have introduced other measures to help families across
:18:13. > :18:17.Scotland. I have to say, as I said earlier, we are not here incredible
:18:17. > :18:24.solutions coming forward from Han and her colleagues. Until such time
:18:24. > :18:28.as we do, we will not take any licence on fairness from her.
:18:28. > :18:31.The United Kingdom government welcomes the reports from the
:18:31. > :18:36.Electoral Commission and we agree with the advice on the question of
:18:36. > :18:40.funding levels for the referendum and on the clarity of the process.
:18:40. > :18:46.When in opposition, the Secretary of State wanted to extend his
:18:46. > :18:53.office and now he is publishing papers that talks about
:18:53. > :18:56.extinguishing Scotland. As an act of repentance, will he ensure this
:18:56. > :19:03.government plays fed with the Electoral Commission and enters
:19:03. > :19:07.into dialogue as the commissioner has asked on Scotland's future?
:19:07. > :19:13.sure he welcomes the publication of this a major contribution to the
:19:13. > :19:20.debate by the UK government and earlier this week. We are re --
:19:20. > :19:26.agree with the Electoral Commission's recommendations. Of
:19:26. > :19:30.course, over time as the issues are discussed further, we will need
:19:30. > :19:35.with the Scottish government as appropriate. I'm delighted that was
:19:35. > :19:39.good news for the honourable gentleman. We all want a referendum
:19:39. > :19:43.campaign to be fair. Does the Secretary of State agree that it is
:19:43. > :19:48.essential that all parties taking part in the referendum campaign
:19:48. > :19:58.must at here-what the Electoral Commission has said about spending
:19:58. > :20:05.
:20:05. > :20:10.limits? My honourable friend is Can the Secretary of State say what
:20:10. > :20:16.information he will put towards the public debate and the implications
:20:17. > :20:19.of separation for things like pensions, at the welfare system and
:20:19. > :20:25.the economy week of Scotland because people need to know before
:20:25. > :20:30.they passed judgment. honourable lady is entirely right
:20:30. > :20:35.to focus on the need to focus on the issues of substance to families
:20:35. > :20:39.across Scotland. I'm delighted they yesterday in the Privy Council a
:20:39. > :20:46.section 30 order was approved say now we will have a legal, fair and
:20:46. > :20:50.decisive referendum. We need to discuss the issues. There are big
:20:50. > :20:55.questions here than need to be debated and so far no answers from
:20:55. > :21:00.the Scottish National Party. Does my right honourable friend accept
:21:00. > :21:03.that, if the outcome of the referendum campaign is to engage
:21:04. > :21:08.the confidence of the Scottish people, the campaign must be
:21:08. > :21:13.conducted with candour and transparency? This week the
:21:13. > :21:17.government published its view of the legal consequences of
:21:17. > :21:24.independence. Isn't it time that those who argue for independence
:21:24. > :21:27.did exactly the same? It has been a curious week, but might right
:21:27. > :21:31.honourable friend is right to highlight that, at times, the
:21:31. > :21:36.Scottish National Party hasn't been clear whether to embrace the
:21:37. > :21:42.opinions of our legal experts or two lamb past them. The merit of
:21:42. > :21:46.this document is that we have laid out all the key arguments, backed
:21:46. > :21:51.up by their most impressive legal opinions and nothing has come
:21:51. > :21:53.forward from the Scottish government.
:21:53. > :21:57.My right honourable friend the Secretary of State and die are in
:21:57. > :22:03.regular contact with representatives of universities in
:22:03. > :22:07.Scotland on a range of issues. far it so good. He will know how
:22:07. > :22:11.important to an economy foreign students are and he will know how
:22:11. > :22:15.unhappy our universities are with this government and they have every
:22:15. > :22:22.right to be. His Government's obsession with immigration is
:22:22. > :22:27.starting to really hat as. A 26% reduction from India and 25% from
:22:27. > :22:33.Pakistan. Surely he can agree that we can obviously do this much
:22:33. > :22:38.better in Scotland if we had control over these issues? Not for
:22:38. > :22:41.the first time I am confused by the SNP position. Sometimes they say
:22:41. > :22:46.they want to have the same immigration rules as the rest of
:22:46. > :22:51.the UK's there they can be a common travel area. On occasions like this,
:22:51. > :22:58.they say they want uncontrolled mass immigration. Which is it?
:22:59. > :23:03.Scotland is -- Scotland's proud history of innovation, reserves and
:23:03. > :23:09.discovery is bound up with this success of the United Kingdom. Does
:23:09. > :23:14.the Minister agree that the only short, certain and best way to
:23:14. > :23:19.ensure Scotland remains a leader in world class leader is for Scotland
:23:19. > :23:23.to remain in the United Kingdom? absolutely agree with that. Which
:23:23. > :23:30.the honourable member has made and he will be aware that Scottish
:23:30. > :23:38.universities and research institutes give �436 million from a
:23:39. > :23:48.UK councils. There are a lot of noisy private conversations taking
:23:49. > :23:52.
:23:52. > :23:55.place. Let us have a bit of order. My right honourable friend the
:23:55. > :23:59.Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with the
:23:59. > :24:09.Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on a range of
:24:09. > :24:24.
:24:24. > :24:28.issues. On the issue of gambling Order. Order. We will have to
:24:28. > :24:33.extend the session. There is the point about having some courtesy
:24:33. > :24:41.about - might was the member who is asking a question. I am sure
:24:41. > :24:46.members learned that at school. fixed on gambling term us have
:24:46. > :24:52.sacked that millions of pounds in betting shops in Scotland. They are
:24:52. > :24:57.caught the crack cocaine of the gambling industry. Is it not time
:24:57. > :25:07.the Secretary of State lobbied to have the gambolling survey
:25:07. > :25:10.reinstated? I don't agree with the honourable gentleman on the re
:25:10. > :25:14.introduction of the prevalence survey but I commend the Daily
:25:14. > :25:19.Record and the honourable member for highlighting issues with
:25:20. > :25:24.problem gambling. He may be aware that the government is conducting a
:25:24. > :25:29.consultation on the links between problem gambling and these machines
:25:29. > :25:37.and I asked -- edge him and anyone with an interest in this matter to
:25:37. > :25:41.contribute to that consultation. Thank you. My right honourable
:25:41. > :25:48.friend the Secretary of State and I are in regular contact with
:25:48. > :25:52.representatives of local government in Scotland on a range of issues.
:25:52. > :25:58.The Secretary of State has not met pass lower since 12th December last
:25:58. > :26:03.year. The bedroom tax in which you voted for risks making 10,000
:26:03. > :26:11.people in Scotland homeless. The consequences of this will be dealt
:26:11. > :26:19.with by local authorities. What will he do about this?
:26:19. > :26:23.honourable lady should know that the Secretary of State has made
:26:23. > :26:27.cars lap in the last two weeks and is in regular contact with its
:26:27. > :26:31.leader. He will make them aware of the discretionary payments fund
:26:31. > :26:39.which has been increased in Scotland and how local authorities
:26:39. > :26:42.can utilise that. What impact has the Minister made of the bedroom
:26:42. > :26:46.tax on the credit rating of local authorities and other social
:26:46. > :26:50.landlords which is bound to go down with an impact on house building
:26:50. > :26:57.and maintenance? I am afraid the honourable lady's assumption is
:26:57. > :27:02.wrong. At meetings I have had and the Scottish Federation of Housing
:27:02. > :27:05.Associations and my noble friend, Lord Freud, we discussed this
:27:05. > :27:11.unsatisfied the concerns of housing associations and local authorities.
:27:11. > :27:16.That is all we have time for at the moment because of the parliamentary