:00:00. > :00:00.the recent budget to the European Union. Do not forget to join Alessio
:00:00. > :00:00.McCarthy for a round-up at 11 o'clock tonight. First it is
:00:00. > :00:10.questions to the Scottish Secretary, David Mundell.
:00:11. > :00:16.The question is that the bill Rigby now considered. I think that the
:00:17. > :00:26.Ayes have it, the Ayes have it. Questions to the Secretary of State
:00:27. > :00:30.for Scotland. Antoinette Sandbach. Secretary of State for Scotland,
:00:31. > :00:34.Secretary David Mundell. As the Prime Minister has said, at
:00:35. > :00:38.the heart of the United Kingdom is the unity of our people, unity of
:00:39. > :00:42.interests, Outlook and principles. This transcends politics and
:00:43. > :00:48.institutions, the Constitution and the economy, it is about the values
:00:49. > :00:52.that we share, our solidarity. I will never stop making the
:00:53. > :00:56.passionate and positive case for our United Kingdom and look forward to
:00:57. > :01:02.having the opportunity to do so during the forthcoming general
:01:03. > :01:06.election. Antoinette Sandbach. While the Defence Secretary confirmed that
:01:07. > :01:11.a ?1.7 billion investment in Scottish military bases, does my
:01:12. > :01:14.right honourable friend agree that Scotland plays a crucial role in
:01:15. > :01:19.defending my constituents in Eddisbury, the whole of the UK, from
:01:20. > :01:23.growing threats at sea, in the air and Atlanta and that divisive
:01:24. > :01:31.policies of the nationals threaten that crucial role?
:01:32. > :01:34.I absolutely agree with my honourable friend, Scotland is on
:01:35. > :01:42.the front line of defending the UK from these growing threats at sea,
:01:43. > :01:48.in the air and online. It is the essential capabilities that we have
:01:49. > :01:50.that help to do this and we have increased investment with better
:01:51. > :01:57.infrastructure for our Armed Forces to help them keep the whole of the
:01:58. > :02:03.UK say. Iain Murray. Given in the last quarter that this got this
:02:04. > :02:08.economy contracted by zero point 2%, is it not time that we got of the
:02:09. > :02:11.independents merry-go-round and the general election and got the Prime
:02:12. > :02:14.Minister and the First Minister to both concentrate on what is
:02:15. > :02:19.important and that is the economy of Scotland? Mr Speaker, I would give
:02:20. > :02:24.the honourable gentleman more credibility with that statement and
:02:25. > :02:28.he was not standing on the ticket of a leader who has said that he has no
:02:29. > :02:32.problem with another independence referendum and clearly would do a
:02:33. > :02:39.deal with the SNP to get the keys of Number Ten.
:02:40. > :02:42.Will the Secretary of State confirm that Scotland's membership of the
:02:43. > :02:45.single market of the UK is more important to Scotland than
:02:46. > :02:54.membership of the single market of the European Union? Mr Speaker, my
:02:55. > :02:58.honourable friend is correct and absolutely right to highlight that
:02:59. > :03:02.the market for Scottish goods and services in the rest of the UK is
:03:03. > :03:08.four times greater than the market in the EU, it is the vital union for
:03:09. > :03:17.Scotland. Mr Speaker, in the last few years,
:03:18. > :03:27.Ireland has leapfrogged the UK in terms of GDP growth. The oil fund is
:03:28. > :03:32.920 billion. The equivalent figures for the UK are zero, zero and zero.
:03:33. > :03:37.Does the Secretary of State not agree that Iceland and Ireland could
:03:38. > :03:42.be matched by Scotland, what is he scared of? Mr Speaker, I well
:03:43. > :03:48.remember when the SNP advocated the art of prosperity with Ireland,
:03:49. > :03:53.Scotland and Iceland and I very, very much doubt that the people of
:03:54. > :03:57.Scotland would want to endure the pain that the people of both Iceland
:03:58. > :04:06.and Ireland have endured to ensure their economy is back on a stable
:04:07. > :04:10.footing. Angus Robertson. At least all of us on this House can
:04:11. > :04:13.agree that the greatest contribution from Scotland is to show that there
:04:14. > :04:19.is actually an alternative and constructive policies to this UK
:04:20. > :04:24.Tory government. It is worth remembering that in Scotland we have
:04:25. > :04:28.free prescriptions, free eye tests and childcare, the university
:04:29. > :04:32.tuition. We have scrapped bridge tolls, we opened railways, invested
:04:33. > :04:37.in infrastructure, we are building more council houses than any UK
:04:38. > :04:41.nation. That is what the SNP has delivered in government in Scotland.
:04:42. > :04:46.Does he not agree that this stands in marked contrast to the Tory's
:04:47. > :04:52.mismanagement and can -- disruption of public services south of the
:04:53. > :04:57.border? Mr Speaker, what I see in my constituency is falling educational
:04:58. > :05:00.standards, Scotland's once proud education system having the lowest
:05:01. > :05:04.international ratings ever, what IT my constituents having increasing
:05:05. > :05:11.waiting times for the health service and what I see them doing is dealing
:05:12. > :05:16.with inadequate infrastructure. I do not believe that the SNP Government
:05:17. > :05:24.in Scotland is focusing on the day job, they are focusing on their
:05:25. > :05:30.independence obsession. Talking about doing the day job when you are
:05:31. > :05:35.calling an early general election! Let us rest on a neutral observer,
:05:36. > :05:38.not the research Officer of the Tory Party but the director of the
:05:39. > :05:43.Institute of health and society and I quote his words, "Scotland is any
:05:44. > :05:48.much stronger position than England with respect to both health social
:05:49. > :05:52.care, the problem at the moment is that the English government is not
:05:53. > :05:57.committed to a National Health Service." If this is not another
:05:58. > :06:02.example that the real alternative to the Tory UK Government is the
:06:03. > :06:09.Progressive policies of the SNP? Absolutely not, Mr Speaker, and I
:06:10. > :06:14.look forward to debating these subjects over the next six weeks. I
:06:15. > :06:17.think the Right honourable gentleman was very, very careful not to
:06:18. > :06:22.mention education standards in Scotland. The latest international
:06:23. > :06:27.figures demonstrate that education standards in Scotland are at their
:06:28. > :06:31.lowest ever on record. I do not think that that is a proud record of
:06:32. > :06:41.the Scottish Government and I look forward to holding it to account
:06:42. > :06:44.over the next six weeks. Mr Speaker in our negotiations with
:06:45. > :06:48.the EU we will seek the best deal for all parts of the UK.
:06:49. > :06:52.The joint ministerial committee on EU negotiations was established to
:06:53. > :06:55.facilitate engagement between the UK Government and devolved
:06:56. > :06:58.administrations and has had regular substantive and constructive
:06:59. > :07:04.discussions. I thank you for that answer. If he
:07:05. > :07:08.is so keen and supportive of the JMC, why did they vote against the
:07:09. > :07:12.statutory footing for the Brexit negotiations during the article for
:07:13. > :07:16.the bill? Secondly, when was the last time a positive idea, I am sure
:07:17. > :07:19.there are many from the devolved administrations, was taken on board
:07:20. > :07:25.to form part of the Brexit negotiations to improve the exit
:07:26. > :07:31.from the EU of the devolved nations? Mr Speaker, we have been very clear
:07:32. > :07:33.that Scotland's place in Europe, a contribution of the Scottish
:07:34. > :07:38.Government to the discussions, as has been constructive and its --
:07:39. > :07:44.discussions from the Welsh Government and indeed from the
:07:45. > :07:48.Northern Irish executive. We have set out many things that have formed
:07:49. > :07:52.part of the White Paper, part of the Prime minister's speech and will be
:07:53. > :07:57.part of the future discussions as we continue our negotiations over the
:07:58. > :08:00.exit from the EU. This is not a really important issue about the
:08:01. > :08:03.role played by machinery of government and helping hold together
:08:04. > :08:07.the UK? Does my right honourable friend agree that a priority for the
:08:08. > :08:11.new government should be to take a long, hard look at developing new
:08:12. > :08:15.ways of working between ministers and civil servants across the
:08:16. > :08:20.devolved administrations to strengthen our United Kingdom? Mr
:08:21. > :08:23.Speaker, I absolutely agree with my right honourable friend. He has
:08:24. > :08:29.considerable experience because despite what we here at these
:08:30. > :08:32.questions, despite what we see in the media, actually, the UK
:08:33. > :08:36.Government and devolved administrations are able on a range
:08:37. > :08:42.of issues to work very closely and constructively together and that is
:08:43. > :08:46.the element that we should be supporting and promoting. Pete
:08:47. > :08:51.Wishart. Now is not the time is what the Prime Minister said to the
:08:52. > :08:56.Scottish Parliament when Scotland wants to decide its own future with
:08:57. > :09:00.Europe. But now is it time for the screeching U-turn in this
:09:01. > :09:08.opportunistic general election. Do you also believe it is time for the
:09:09. > :09:15.Scottish Government to reject this desire to drive Scotland over the
:09:16. > :09:18.cliff edge for this hard Brexit? Mr Speaker, I acknowledge that the
:09:19. > :09:24.honourable gentleman is an expert on screeching but what I would say to
:09:25. > :09:29.him is that the proposal by the Prime Minister to have a general
:09:30. > :09:32.election in six weeks' time to ensure certainty, clarity and
:09:33. > :09:36.security for the period of the Brexit negotiations is quite
:09:37. > :09:40.different from the proposal to have a disruptive referendum campaign
:09:41. > :09:46.during the period of those negotiations.
:09:47. > :09:50.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Common commercial policy is for the UK to
:09:51. > :09:56.pursue as we leave the EU, for example, an animal health and food
:09:57. > :10:00.safety, are as essential to Scotland as they are the Somerset. How can
:10:01. > :10:05.the JMC help ensure that they will be adopted?
:10:06. > :10:10.Mr Speaker, I would certainly hope that the JMC will be involved in the
:10:11. > :10:17.discussion of the repatriation of important powers from the EU to the
:10:18. > :10:20.Scottish Parliament and the other devolved administrations, I
:10:21. > :10:25.recognise more than anyone how important it is to have common
:10:26. > :10:29.animal welfare arrangements. The main livestock market for my
:10:30. > :10:34.constituency is one mile south of the Scottish border in England.
:10:35. > :10:37.Scotland voted to remain in the EU and the single market but the
:10:38. > :10:41.Scottish Government's paper that would have kept Scotland in the
:10:42. > :10:45.single market and the UK was roundly ignored by the Tory UK Government
:10:46. > :10:48.intent on pursuing a reckless hard Brexit. Can the Secretary of State
:10:49. > :10:52.for Scotland tell us what personal action he took to convince the Prime
:10:53. > :10:56.Minister to take account of the views of the people of Scotland and
:10:57. > :11:00.can you provide an explanation for why he failed? Mr Speaker, I have
:11:01. > :11:06.been quite clear that the place of Scotland and Europe did play an
:11:07. > :11:10.important part in the government's thinking and just so the heckler
:11:11. > :11:14.opposite are clear, the government has formally responded to the
:11:15. > :11:18.Scottish Government in relation to the place of Scotland and
:11:19. > :11:24.surprisingly the Scottish Government asked us not to publish our
:11:25. > :11:27.response. In his assessment of the effectiveness of the Joint
:11:28. > :11:31.Ministerial Council, did he show my conclusion that actually it could be
:11:32. > :11:36.more effective of all parties were focusing on building a strong UK
:11:37. > :11:47.after Brexit, not pursuing separatist agendas? Absolutely, Mr
:11:48. > :11:52.Speaker. As we head into what will be unprecedented peacetime
:11:53. > :11:56.negotiations with the EU, it is vital that all parts of the United
:11:57. > :12:01.Kingdom pulled together to take a Team UK approach and by doing so we
:12:02. > :12:08.will get the best possible deal for Scotland and the whole of the UK.
:12:09. > :12:11.Thank you, Mr Speaker. The JMC is supposed to be the platform for the
:12:12. > :12:16.devolved administrations to have their voices not just heard what
:12:17. > :12:20.responded to. The Secretary of State paint a rosy picture but the
:12:21. > :12:27.Northern Ireland voice is not hurt, the Scottish boys is clearly being
:12:28. > :12:32.ignored and the Welsh fuel at best less than impressed. When will this
:12:33. > :12:37.government give this boy did it either needs, put in a statutory
:12:38. > :12:42.footing to allow it to do its job properly -- Bourdy. The purpose of
:12:43. > :12:47.the JMC is to bring together the UK Government and the devolved
:12:48. > :12:51.administrations and to work together and vomiting our position as we go
:12:52. > :12:55.forward in these negotiations. I very much regret the fact that the
:12:56. > :13:01.Northern Ireland executive has not been able to be politically present
:13:02. > :13:05.in recent times and that is something that we all want to see
:13:06. > :13:08.brought to a conclusion, but these meetings have been robust and I
:13:09. > :13:11.believe, certainly in terms of the actions that have flowed from them,
:13:12. > :13:21.they have been constructive. An and you. With initial viral and
:13:22. > :13:26.the questions for an age to get there. The UK and Scottish
:13:27. > :13:29.Government continue to engage closely on the devolution of new tax
:13:30. > :13:33.powers. The Scottish Government is now responsible was setting the
:13:34. > :13:38.rates and threshold of income tax and it is incumbent of them to use
:13:39. > :13:47.their powers to make Scotland an attractive place to live and work.
:13:48. > :13:49.Thank you. Now that the Scottish Government is dot-mac has
:13:50. > :13:55.unprecedented ballad to shake the economy of Scotland, will the call
:13:56. > :14:02.on the SNP to solve economic growth rather than focusing on an
:14:03. > :14:09.independence referendum? Mr Speaker, the shouts from the opposition
:14:10. > :14:14.benches just highlight the complacency of the SNP in relation
:14:15. > :14:20.to the Scottish economy. It is contracted by 2% in the fourth
:14:21. > :14:26.quarter of 2016 compare to the UK economy which and grew by 7%. Now
:14:27. > :14:32.the Scots can be proud of that comparison. Does my right old friend
:14:33. > :14:36.agree that it is terrible that middle earners in Scotland are being
:14:37. > :14:43.penalised by the Scottish Government, ?400 this year and up to
:14:44. > :14:48.?1400 by 2021 compares to an England where we have higher tax threshold
:14:49. > :14:55.to help hard-working families? By honourable friend is right to
:14:56. > :15:00.highlight that point alone, while I might not like the plans to make
:15:01. > :15:03.school on the highest taxed part of the UK, I do acknowledge it is a
:15:04. > :15:06.matter for the Scottish Government. They will have to account for
:15:07. > :15:11.themselves in relation to the taxation policies in the forthcoming
:15:12. > :15:19.general election, that will highlight those issues. The average
:15:20. > :15:24.band D council built in Scotland is almost ?400 although there than it
:15:25. > :15:30.is in England. Will these discussions include how local
:15:31. > :15:33.authorities in England provide local and national services while
:15:34. > :15:40.maintaining the lowest council tax rates in the UK? -- will learn from
:15:41. > :15:46.Scotland. The honourable lady may have spoken GPS NP press office, but
:15:47. > :15:53.she certainly hasn't spoken to councils up and down Scotland who
:15:54. > :15:56.are absolutely uniform in their negativity of the Scottish
:15:57. > :16:06.Government's approach to the funding of local governments. Thank you very
:16:07. > :16:10.much, Mr Speaker. As a last act of kindness and while he still has his
:16:11. > :16:16.seat and his position, will he addressed the issue of closure of
:16:17. > :16:19.the HM RC of this in my Livingston constituency threatening 1000 jobs
:16:20. > :16:24.being moved to Edinburgh, cross-party politicians have written
:16:25. > :16:28.to him, including his own party. He has ignored this. In his swansong,
:16:29. > :16:35.will he come to Livingston and save those jobs? As the honourable lady
:16:36. > :16:38.knows, I have set out clearly in correspondence with all of those who
:16:39. > :16:45.have been in touch with me, the rationales for the move and the
:16:46. > :16:49.change in the arrangements for HM RC. Many of which have been caused
:16:50. > :16:56.by cross this house in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of HMRC
:16:57. > :16:58.working. Nobody wants to see significant change in employment
:16:59. > :17:08.patterns in their constituency. I commend your honourable lady for the
:17:09. > :17:12.way she has pursued the issue. Mr Speaker, with your permission, I
:17:13. > :17:15.will answer questions five and seven together. The UK governments's plan
:17:16. > :17:21.for Britain seeks to help businesses across the UK to trade beyond Europe
:17:22. > :17:27.and make Britain a leading advocate for free trade across the world.
:17:28. > :17:30.Ministers have had meetings with several businesses across Scotland
:17:31. > :17:35.since last summer's referendum and only last month, my honourable
:17:36. > :17:37.friend, the Secretary of State for International Development was in
:17:38. > :17:43.Glasgow to meet innovative Scottish businesses trading with the world. I
:17:44. > :17:47.thank my honourable friend for that response. What steps is he taking to
:17:48. > :17:52.support international trade and development in devolved nations? I
:17:53. > :17:55.thank my honourable friend for that question. The Department for
:17:56. > :17:59.International Trade is quite clear. We are a Department for the whole of
:18:00. > :18:05.the United Kingdom. All of our services are accessible to companies
:18:06. > :18:14.in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including the
:18:15. > :18:18.great campaign, including our cause, gov.uk and we have had more of
:18:19. > :18:22.investments coming into more parts of the United Kingdom are reviewed
:18:23. > :18:29.recent months. Thank you. Good my honourable friend tell you how is
:18:30. > :18:36.his view on the damage to Scottish business if Scotland left the United
:18:37. > :18:40.Kingdom. -- Could. Well, my honourable friend has hit the nail
:18:41. > :18:44.on the head. If Scotland were to leave the UK, the potential damage
:18:45. > :18:49.to Scottish business and Scottish trade would be huge. The Scottish
:18:50. > :18:55.Government's and figures showed that 64% of goods and services leaving
:18:56. > :19:07.Scotland get into the UK, can purge to only 15% going to the rest of the
:19:08. > :19:10.EU. 49.8 billion versus ?23 billion. Mr Speaker, Can the Minister tell us
:19:11. > :19:17.what assessment he has made to the conservation of Scotland to the EU's
:19:18. > :19:23.single market? I think the honourable gentleman is missing the
:19:24. > :19:28.point. The point is surely the centrality and importance of the UK
:19:29. > :19:33.single market. As we go forward from here. I will give him the figures
:19:34. > :19:38.again. It is 49.8 billion going to the rest of the UK, only 12.3
:19:39. > :19:48.billion going to the EU. It is clear that it is the union matters knows
:19:49. > :19:50.the man that is the United Kingdom. The Secretary of State has
:19:51. > :19:56.previously said he supports the European single market. They have
:19:57. > :20:02.been part of that and it was clearly the best possible deal for Scotland.
:20:03. > :20:04.I wonder if the Secretary of State determines constituents, will he now
:20:05. > :20:11.stand on a manifesto to take Scotland out of that single market?
:20:12. > :20:15.Well, the Prime Minister and the whole Government is absolutely clear
:20:16. > :20:22.on this. Our objective is to secure a comprehensive free trade agreement
:20:23. > :20:26.with the European Union as we leave the European Union. That will be any
:20:27. > :20:34.better interests of all part of the UK, including Scotland. What
:20:35. > :20:36.assessment has my honourable friend made of the opportunities for
:20:37. > :20:40.increasing the export of whiskey across the world as part of a
:20:41. > :20:47.free-trade agreement once we leave the European Union? The honourable
:20:48. > :20:58.gentleman was acting at whiskey exports. That care the Minister. My
:20:59. > :21:03.honourable friend raises a good point. Exports of whiskey reached
:21:04. > :21:08.3.9 9,000,000,020 16. A big increase. Actually, Mr Speaker,
:21:09. > :21:14.whiskey has been a part of quite a view of our trade missions, notably
:21:15. > :21:17.the Secretary of State international trade and myself were in India, lead
:21:18. > :21:27.to the Scotch Whisky Association and we have seen increased exports to
:21:28. > :21:31.India. Mr Speaker, the former Prime Minister David Cameron promised he
:21:32. > :21:35.would not resign if he lost the EU referendum. They renege on a promise
:21:36. > :21:45.within Hallows. The current Prime Minister on seven occasions said she
:21:46. > :21:49.would not call a general election. She renege on yesterday. Will you
:21:50. > :21:55.renew a commitment given to ours on at least three occasions that,
:21:56. > :22:00.whatever support is in place, businesses like Nissan, will be put
:22:01. > :22:03.in place for Scotland? Mr Speaker, we have been absolutely clear that
:22:04. > :22:08.our support for Nissan and indeed the rest of the automotive sector of
:22:09. > :22:12.will be in during. That is the most important point and I'm sure it'll
:22:13. > :22:16.be an important point of the general election campaign as they go forward
:22:17. > :22:20.from there. I'm looking forward to the Conservatives being competitive
:22:21. > :22:23.in the north-east in this coming general election and we look forward
:22:24. > :22:29.to taking the fight to the official opposition there. The question was
:22:30. > :22:35.whether he would we knew the promise given to Scotland to have the same
:22:36. > :22:39.deal and, if you will, will you tell the people in the oil and gas supply
:22:40. > :22:43.chain that the reports from the Robert Gordon University last week
:22:44. > :22:47.that said Brexit would cost them ?200 million, that money will be
:22:48. > :22:55.sorted, they will be looked after in the same way and this is prepared to
:22:56. > :22:58.be, or will he make another promise? Mr Speaker, I'm glad he has raised
:22:59. > :23:06.the question of oil and gas in Scotland.
:23:07. > :23:11.CHEERING What I can say to him, Mr Speaker is
:23:12. > :23:15.that I know he and I would agree that the one being that would be
:23:16. > :23:19.most disastrous for the Scottish economy, including the oil and gas
:23:20. > :23:24.sector, would be seeing Scottish separation leading to an overnight
:23:25. > :23:34.budget deficit of around 9% of GDP. That would be a disaster. Mr
:23:35. > :23:37.Speaker, with commission, I would -- permission, I will answer questions
:23:38. > :23:41.nine, ten and 11 together. Cells from Scotland's US and UK with
:23:42. > :23:48.nearly ?50 billion, a figure increased by a loss by 2002 and
:23:49. > :23:51.values the export of Scotland to the EU. There is no doubt that the
:23:52. > :23:58.United Kingdom is the vital union for Scotland. But my honourable
:23:59. > :24:01.friend agree that the best deal for Scotland is to stay part of the
:24:02. > :24:05.United Kingdom and to work with the UK governments to do all it can to
:24:06. > :24:14.support a new free-trade agreement for the EU? Mr Speaker, I absolutely
:24:15. > :24:19.agree with my honourable friend. Mr Speaker, the IMF predicted dire
:24:20. > :24:23.consequences for the UK economy if we voted Brexit. They have raided
:24:24. > :24:30.the growth yesterday for the second time in three months to 2%. Much of
:24:31. > :24:33.the confident about the growth in UK economy is deserved by Alan
:24:34. > :24:38.leadership of our Prime Minister. That they agree with me that when
:24:39. > :24:52.people to buy British and the British as a quality mark... -- our.
:24:53. > :24:56.Deeply obliged. Yes. Thank you, my constituents have a long and proud
:24:57. > :25:00.to tradition in the textile industry, many of whom trade with
:25:01. > :25:05.all part of the United Kingdom. How will these companies in my
:25:06. > :25:11.constituency be helped by Scotland leaving the hugely successful UK
:25:12. > :25:19.single market? Obviously, they won't. As the honourable gentleman
:25:20. > :25:24.will now, in 2015, Scotland exported 49.8 billion to the rest of the UK.
:25:25. > :25:27.Four times more than that which is exported to the EU and three times
:25:28. > :25:34.greater than sales to the rest of the world. The benefits to Scotland
:25:35. > :25:38.are full access to the UK market are Claire. Does my honourable friend
:25:39. > :25:43.agree that Scottish representation in this Parliament must focus on
:25:44. > :25:50.what benefits the whole of the UK single market. Absolutely. That is
:25:51. > :25:54.why I can confirm to my honourable friend that when Bruce Davis and the
:25:55. > :25:58.Scottish in-service care into the general election, it will be on the
:25:59. > :26:10.bases of keeping Scotland because my United Kingdom. That when Bruce
:26:11. > :26:15.Davidson. -- Ruth Davidson. 40% of exports go to the US where is only
:26:16. > :26:17.63% go to the UK. Canada is a successful independent country. But
:26:18. > :26:23.the Secretary of State agree that the inaction neighbouring countries
:26:24. > :26:32.can have trading relations while maintaining sovereignty? Of course
:26:33. > :26:38.countries can have close... Close trading relationships but what
:26:39. > :26:42.Scotland benefits from being part of the United Kingdom is in their
:26:43. > :26:45.barriers in trade, freedom of movement between Scotland and the
:26:46. > :26:53.rest of the UK, that is good for Scottish business and she should
:26:54. > :27:00.support it. Scottish exports of food and drink doubled in the past ten
:27:01. > :27:03.years. James Withers, the chief executive Scott on food and drink
:27:04. > :27:08.said he was afraid he consequences of leaving the European Union, not
:27:09. > :27:10.having a trade deal and tariffs. Willie Secretary of State guarantee
:27:11. > :27:18.the Scottish food and drink sector will not have to deal with that is
:27:19. > :27:21.your tariffs? -- if you. Their greatest concern is that the SNP
:27:22. > :27:36.would seek to drag Scotland out of the United Kingdom.
:27:37. > :27:41.Will he be honest with their constituents and if you eat time, do
:27:42. > :27:51.they support they in single market are evading with an MP who wants to
:27:52. > :27:55.go with a damaging hard Brexit. What sizes and followed due when I can
:27:56. > :28:00.get my constituency in the next general election is knowing exactly
:28:01. > :28:05.what the position is on the EU. Arlene Foster taking Scotland back
:28:06. > :28:12.into the EU are they not? I hope we will find out in the next six weeks.
:28:13. > :28:17.Finally and briefly, Martin Doherty queues. The Tory strategy worked a
:28:18. > :28:21.treat against the Liberal Democrats, the south-west of England at the
:28:22. > :28:24.last general election. Is it the same strategy that the Secretary of
:28:25. > :28:35.State will be urging his colleagues to export in the coming election to
:28:36. > :28:39.Scotland? Group Davidson has already made it clear that her stands fully
:28:40. > :28:42.to stand up for Scotland's membership of the United Kingdom and
:28:43. > :28:43.against a device of second independence