0:00:00 > 0:00:00Do join me for a round-up of the day in both Houses of Parliament at 11pm
0:00:00 > 0:00:04tonight. But first we have a question from Secretary of State for
0:00:04 > 0:00:12Scotland David Mundell.Order order. Questions to the Secretary of State
0:00:12 > 0:00:21for Scotland.Mr Speaker, the government has intensified its
0:00:21 > 0:00:25discussions with the Scottish and Welsh governments on both the
0:00:25 > 0:00:28significance of increasing powers we expect to see for the Scottish and
0:00:28 > 0:00:34Welsh assemblies and common UK frameworks following UK EU exit.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38We're making good progress in these discussions and we will be meeting
0:00:38 > 0:00:43again tomorrow for the next GMC and where I hope further progress can be
0:00:43 > 0:00:50made.The Secretary of State and fellow Scottish Conservatives say
0:00:50 > 0:00:54clause 11 is deficient. He undertook to this House he would bring forward
0:00:54 > 0:00:58amendments which he failed to do. He has now said he will deliver
0:00:58 > 0:01:02amendments in the other place which he still hasn't done. Can the
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Secretary of State set out what happens if he runs out of time to
0:01:05 > 0:01:10deliver his much promised amendments?I am confident we will
0:01:10 > 0:01:16be able to bring forward such amendments. We are in significant
0:01:16 > 0:01:20discussions with the Welsh Assembly government and the Scottish
0:01:20 > 0:01:25Government. They both acknowledge that we had tabled to them a
0:01:25 > 0:01:29significant proposals for changing the bill and I hope to a detailed
0:01:29 > 0:01:38response to tomorrow.Will he confirmed that the government's wish
0:01:38 > 0:01:43as powers returned from Brussels to the UK that they will be devolved,
0:01:43 > 0:01:48not only to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?Yes, indeed, Mr
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Speaker, that is the wish of the government. Whilst it is
0:01:52 > 0:01:58acknowledging in order to make our Common Market within the UK function
0:01:58 > 0:02:01effectively, some powers and responsibilities will have to be
0:02:01 > 0:02:07conducted at a UK wide level.Could the secretary of state set out to
0:02:07 > 0:02:11the House what mechanism he will use to amend clause 11 of the bill
0:02:11 > 0:02:14should there be no agreement in place by the time the bill completes
0:02:14 > 0:02:21his passage in the other place?I do not share the honourable gentleman's
0:02:21 > 0:02:25pessimism that there will not be agreement before the bill completes
0:02:25 > 0:02:31its passage in the other place. I remain very positive about being
0:02:31 > 0:02:35able to reach agreement with both the Welsh government and the
0:02:35 > 0:02:48Scottish Government. I believe they are sincere in their expressed view
0:02:48 > 0:02:51that they wish to reach such an agreement and we will take every
0:02:51 > 0:02:53step in ensuring that we negotiate to a position where we can reach
0:02:53 > 0:02:55that agreement.Leaving the EU means taking back control of our water.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59There is a huge opportunity for us cottage fishermen. Does my
0:02:59 > 0:03:02honourable friend agree with me that the Scottish Government's EU
0:03:02 > 0:03:05continuity bill and stated position of remaining in the single market
0:03:05 > 0:03:11and Customs union would simply sell out Scotland's fishermen by handing
0:03:11 > 0:03:18all those new powers back to Brussels?Mr Speaker, it is
0:03:18 > 0:03:23incredible that it is indeed the position of the SNP and Scottish
0:03:23 > 0:03:28Government, while at one point come into this House and talking about a
0:03:28 > 0:03:32power grab of being willing and wanting to hand back powers over
0:03:32 > 0:03:37fishing right away to the EU and to go back into the Common fisheries
0:03:37 > 0:03:45policy.Mr Speaker, if the secretary of state believes that Brexit is
0:03:45 > 0:03:49going to have a profound effect on the devolution settlement, can he
0:03:49 > 0:03:54explain to the House why he was excluded from the recent meeting of
0:03:54 > 0:03:59Cabinet colleagues at Chequers which formulated the UK's Brexit strategy?
0:03:59 > 0:04:08I know that the honourable gentleman does not recognise the result of the
0:04:08 > 0:04:122014 referendum and therefore that the UK Government Cabinet is a
0:04:12 > 0:04:18Cabinet for the whole of the United Kingdom. As is all of its
0:04:18 > 0:04:23subcommittees. The decisions in relation to the Prime Minister's
0:04:23 > 0:04:33approach to the EU negotiations were agreed by the whole Cabinet.Mr
0:04:33 > 0:04:44Speaker,...Was a honourable gentleman coming again? You've had
0:04:44 > 0:04:48one question. There was no Indic patient at the honourable gentleman
0:04:48 > 0:04:54was seeking to. In an hour-long session yes but not otherwise. I do
0:04:54 > 0:04:58not know why the honourable gentleman's brough his forehead. He
0:04:58 > 0:05:08has got what he was entitled to.Mr Speaker, the secretary of state
0:05:08 > 0:05:12stood at the dispatch box and promised this place that the
0:05:12 > 0:05:17devolution settlement would be protected. Three months on, we are
0:05:17 > 0:05:23facing a cheap constitutional crisis. What exactly is the
0:05:23 > 0:05:29secretary of state -- we are facing a constitutional crisis.I am not
0:05:29 > 0:05:38going to take any lessons from the lady opposite from a party... For a
0:05:38 > 0:05:42party that were quite prepared in the Scottish Parliament to play the
0:05:42 > 0:05:48SNP game and vote for a piece of legislation which quite clearly was
0:05:48 > 0:05:51ruled by the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament is not
0:05:51 > 0:06:00competent.My office was notified of the intention of the honourable
0:06:00 > 0:06:05gentleman to ask a question. If you want is to ask a second so be it but
0:06:05 > 0:06:08he shouldn't be flailing and gesticulating as though he is being
0:06:08 > 0:06:14the subject of some adverse treatment. But if he wants to blurt
0:06:14 > 0:06:21out a second question, he is welcome to do so.Thank you, Mr Speaker. I
0:06:21 > 0:06:26did want to ask a second question. He has previously said that the most
0:06:26 > 0:06:29important thing about changes to the withdrawal bill is that they should
0:06:29 > 0:06:33command the support of all sides. Can I ask is that still his policy
0:06:33 > 0:06:37and does he believe that any framework arrangement should require
0:06:37 > 0:06:40the consent of the Scottish Parliament if they change its
0:06:40 > 0:06:49operations?Mr Speaker, I have set out clearly that I want to see the
0:06:49 > 0:06:54process of leaving the EU ensure that the Scottish Parliament has
0:06:54 > 0:07:00more powers and responsibilities than it does today. I also want to
0:07:00 > 0:07:07ensure that we have an arrangement in place to allow us to agree
0:07:07 > 0:07:11frameworks as we move forward and that frameworks as I have previously
0:07:11 > 0:07:21said should not be imposed. Yellow short questions, Shaw answers. I
0:07:21 > 0:07:25want my progress.My party as the party of devolution and we will
0:07:25 > 0:07:31continue to protect that. We are 20 months on from the EU referendum.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36We're one year away from leaving the EU yet Scotland's invisible man in
0:07:36 > 0:07:41the Cabinet cannot even like himself an invite to the awayday at Chequers
0:07:41 > 0:07:46to discuss Brexit. Do you have a plan to fix this mess or is he going
0:07:46 > 0:07:51to continue to front up a government that is trampling all over the
0:07:51 > 0:07:58devolution settlement for Scotland? The Scottish Labour Party will be
0:07:58 > 0:08:01judged on its actions and I do not see it standing up for the
0:08:01 > 0:08:07devolution settlement in the Scottish Parliament. Instead I see
0:08:07 > 0:08:12it cower to the SNP. And in relation to devolution and commitment to the
0:08:12 > 0:08:16United Kingdom, she above all people should know that we have United
0:08:16 > 0:08:21Kingdom Cabinet. We have a United Kingdom Chancellor and Prime
0:08:21 > 0:08:26Minister and again she should not kowtow to SNP arguments about
0:08:26 > 0:08:39separatism.Mr Speaker, I met senior RBS management in Scotland to
0:08:39 > 0:08:44discuss their decision. I made clear that plans were disappointment for
0:08:44 > 0:08:48customers and clients across Scotland I urge them to mitigate
0:08:48 > 0:08:55closures as much as possible.Small businesses have already reported in
0:08:55 > 0:09:01Wales and across the United Kingdom that they have been refused the pain
0:09:01 > 0:09:08of large sums of cash as it represents a security risk and post
0:09:08 > 0:09:11office staff do not have the time to count such large sums of money.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15What's he going to do to ensure there is no disruption to small
0:09:15 > 0:09:20businesses or the public as a result of these ill thought out closures?I
0:09:20 > 0:09:25share the honourable ladies view that their ill thought out closures.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30I am happy to take the point forward and I'm sure that colleagues will
0:09:30 > 0:09:34also be prepared to put those to the chief executive of the Royal Bank
0:09:34 > 0:09:40who I am pleased has finally agreed to appear before the committee.The
0:09:40 > 0:09:47big issue for many rural communities like that of my own constituency is
0:09:47 > 0:09:52cash to -- is the access to cash. I wonder if the government can do more
0:09:52 > 0:09:57to ensure that rural communities are getting access to the cash to
0:09:57 > 0:10:01support the local economies?My honourable friend raises a very good
0:10:01 > 0:10:07point, I will be happy to meet with him to discuss the further.Mr
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Speaker, the decline in our Scottish towns is there to be seen. The
0:10:11 > 0:10:16closure of them Royal Bank will be a further never make coughing. What
0:10:16 > 0:10:20proposals does he have to try and arrest the decline of our towns in
0:10:20 > 0:10:25Scotland.
0:10:25 > 0:10:32He raises a very important point in relation to rural communities. These
0:10:32 > 0:10:37proposed closures have related to rural communities. We have to focus
0:10:37 > 0:10:44on making sure people can continue to receive services. The issue of
0:10:44 > 0:10:47cash but also broadband, which as he knows, we won the Scottish
0:10:47 > 0:10:54Government to roll out quickly.It has been the custom since 2015 that
0:10:54 > 0:11:00the SNP lead spokesman gets to questions. The Scottish secretary is
0:11:00 > 0:11:05aware that the Scottish affair committee on going enquiry into RBS
0:11:05 > 0:11:10closures. This is all has agreed to appear before the committee. People
0:11:10 > 0:11:15who will not come in front of the committee Art UK Government treasury
0:11:15 > 0:11:22Ministers, although they have a 70% of sheer in the bank.Can he join
0:11:22 > 0:11:27me...? Let me say to the honourable gentleman. I need no advice from him
0:11:27 > 0:11:33or any of his colleagues on procedure. I work on the basis of
0:11:33 > 0:11:37the office has been notified. One question and that is why I have
0:11:37 > 0:11:42granted it. I know what I am doing. I do require effective
0:11:42 > 0:11:47communication. It was lacking in this case. It is not OK for the
0:11:47 > 0:11:52honourable gentleman to try and score a procedural point, which he
0:11:52 > 0:11:55has failed to do.My Treasury colleagues will have heard the
0:11:55 > 0:12:02honourable gentleman's comments.Mr Speaker, on the 6th of February, RBS
0:12:02 > 0:12:06announced they would give ten branches in Scotland is stay of
0:12:06 > 0:12:10execution on the basis that the eye the last bank in town. One branch
0:12:10 > 0:12:18was given a reprieve what not the last branch in town. Why should the
0:12:18 > 0:12:23Secretary of State's constituents be given special treatment where other
0:12:23 > 0:12:27banks in rural constituencies are closed down?I know this is a
0:12:27 > 0:12:31hostage to fortune but I would like the honourable gentleman to name
0:12:31 > 0:12:34that branch because of the three branches and my constituency which
0:12:34 > 0:12:39were to be the subject of this so-called reprieve, I agree with him
0:12:39 > 0:12:44it is a stay of execution, are all the last bank in town. I think you
0:12:44 > 0:12:52should do his research in little better.Question three, Mr Speaker.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57Scotland held a referendum on Scottish independence in 2014. A
0:12:57 > 0:13:02once in a generation event, we were told. The result was decisive. Now
0:13:02 > 0:13:07is not the time for a second independence referendum. Our focus
0:13:07 > 0:13:14should be in pulling together during negotiations with the European Union
0:13:14 > 0:13:19making sure we get the best deal for the whole of the UK.If by some
0:13:19 > 0:13:23chance the Scottish Government have another referendum on leaving the
0:13:23 > 0:13:27single market and Customs union, which they share with the United
0:13:27 > 0:13:32Kingdom, will my right honourable friend show more respect to be 70.6
0:13:32 > 0:13:39million people across the UK who voted for Brexit.Not surprisingly I
0:13:39 > 0:13:45agree with my honourable friend and he will be particularly aware that 1
0:13:45 > 0:13:50million people in Scotland, most of them SNP voters, who voted to leave
0:13:50 > 0:13:57the youths had been airbrushed out of history. They do not exist. --
0:13:57 > 0:14:04leave the European Union. Most people in Scotland voted to leave
0:14:04 > 0:14:10the EU, if you listen to what the first-Minister says.Mr Speaker,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14once we have clarity on what Brexit will mean for Scotland, does he not
0:14:14 > 0:14:19think it is right for them to decide their future? It is not for
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Westminster politicians to stop people making a decision's Mr
0:14:22 > 0:14:29Speaker, we had and independence referendum in 2014.The outcome was
0:14:29 > 0:14:35decisive. We were told the head of that referendum that it was to be a
0:14:35 > 0:14:39once in a generation, once any lifetime, event and that is what it
0:14:39 > 0:14:48should be.Number four, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, with permission I will
0:14:48 > 0:14:52take questions for and seven together. The UK Government business
0:14:52 > 0:14:56or shooting or implementing a city region deal for all of Scotland's
0:14:56 > 0:15:01seven great cities and the regions around them. So far we have
0:15:01 > 0:15:05committed £1 billion to this programme and there is more to come.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10We are negotiating with local partners for the sterling and
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Clackmannanshire and to city deals and we hope to agree in the next
0:15:15 > 0:15:21coming months.A number of the projects associated with the Glasgow
0:15:21 > 0:15:25city deal, to taking place in East Renfrewshire are over budget. Is it
0:15:25 > 0:15:30not vital we get to work so that the local communities can benefit as
0:15:30 > 0:15:36soon as possible?I do agree with my right honourable friend in terms of
0:15:36 > 0:15:41raising those issues in relation to the Glasgow city deal. It is not
0:15:41 > 0:15:46enough to sign these deals and to promote these deals, what we need is
0:15:46 > 0:15:50delivery and I will look at the issues he has raised.Thank you, Mr
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Speaker. Will my right honourable friend helped bring the deadlock
0:15:54 > 0:15:59with the devolved administration and commit the amount of money
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Westminster is willing to put forward so Clackmannanshire can
0:16:03 > 0:16:08realise its true ambition's my honourable friend has been a strong
0:16:08 > 0:16:13advocate for Clackmannanshire in this process.I certainly hope to
0:16:13 > 0:16:17meet with the Scottish Government to discuss the steel and the Tate city
0:16:17 > 0:16:21deal in the hope the Scottish Government and UK Government can go
0:16:21 > 0:16:28forward with local partners in a Colorado civil way. -- collaborating
0:16:28 > 0:16:34with.Does he share the frustration in the deal and does he agree it is
0:16:34 > 0:16:39time to get on and kick-start this deal for the people of Ayrshire?
0:16:39 > 0:16:47Yes, I do.Thank you, Mr Speaker. With the give us a timeline when
0:16:47 > 0:16:54they are going to reach the growth deal?The honourable gentleman's
0:16:54 > 0:16:57constant flow of negativity is in marked contrast to the degree local
0:16:57 > 0:17:04authorities who I met recently in Ayrshire who are keen to work with
0:17:04 > 0:17:08the Scottish and UK Government to make sure the Escher growth deal is
0:17:08 > 0:17:17a reality.Question number five, Mr Speaker.-- Ayrshire. I will answer
0:17:17 > 0:17:23questions five and ten together. I have regular discussions with the
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Prime Minister and Cabinet regarding UK Government policy and how it
0:17:27 > 0:17:31affects Scotland. The UK Government is committed to securing a deal that
0:17:31 > 0:17:35works for all parts of the UK, including Scotland.Has the
0:17:35 > 0:17:43Secretary of State given up in any changes to its powers are the
0:17:43 > 0:17:47devolved settlement this Tory Government plans to make or is he so
0:17:47 > 0:17:50out of the loop and no longer gets invited to Cabinet meetings and has
0:17:50 > 0:17:57become irrelevant?I do not know who reads the honourable lady but the
0:17:57 > 0:18:04joint ministerial Council for EU negotiations is meeting tomorrow. We
0:18:04 > 0:18:09are meeting and we are hoping to take forward solid progress that we
0:18:09 > 0:18:14have achieved over the course of these meetings.Thank you, Mr
0:18:14 > 0:18:18Speaker. One area where the Scottish and UK governments appear to agree
0:18:18 > 0:18:24that plans to take us out of the single market will be devastating
0:18:24 > 0:18:28for the GDP of Scotland. What plans to see how to protect public
0:18:28 > 0:18:36services in Scotland for that?Mr Speaker, the honourable gentleman
0:18:36 > 0:18:41usually takes his brief with great seriousness and I am sure he will
0:18:41 > 0:18:46have read the Prime Minister's speech, if not watched it last week,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49which set out how the UK Government is going to approach the
0:18:49 > 0:18:57negotiations.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will he go back on his words about
0:18:57 > 0:19:02the single market and have his authority undermined by not being
0:19:02 > 0:19:05invited to the Brexit meeting and now we are waiting for his
0:19:05 > 0:19:10amendments to the withdrawal bill. The deadline is next Thursday, will
0:19:10 > 0:19:13this be another catalogue of failures for the Secretary of State?
0:19:13 > 0:19:19I would be very pleased if after tomorrow's meeting we are able to
0:19:19 > 0:19:23bring forward and agreed amendment that can be launched in the House of
0:19:23 > 0:19:31lords. That is the aspiration of the UK Government.Thank you, Mr
0:19:31 > 0:19:36Speaker. Last week the Prime Minister met with me and colleagues
0:19:36 > 0:19:38from around the UK constituencies. Does my right honourable friend
0:19:38 > 0:19:43agree with me this meeting highlighted how this Government is
0:19:43 > 0:19:47dubious about realising the opportunity from Brexit and only
0:19:47 > 0:19:52this Government budget is out of the common fisheries policy?Yes, since
0:19:52 > 0:19:57his election to this place last year my honourable friend has been a very
0:19:57 > 0:20:01powerful advocate for the fishing industry and the wish of the fishing
0:20:01 > 0:20:07industry to leave the common fisheries policy, and that is what
0:20:07 > 0:20:11this Government will deliver for the fishing industry in Scotland.Mr
0:20:11 > 0:20:15Speaker, my right honourable friend is in no doubt aware of the benefits
0:20:15 > 0:20:22Brexit provides as part of one United Kingdom for Scotland. Does he
0:20:22 > 0:20:28agree with Scott in my constituency that the talk of an unwanted
0:20:28 > 0:20:33Scottish referendum far outweighs any risk Brexit may present?I agree
0:20:33 > 0:20:38with him that talk of a second independence referendum is unwelcome
0:20:38 > 0:20:42and unnecessary. We have reached the point in the negotiations where we
0:20:42 > 0:20:46all need to come together, work with the Prime Minister to get the best
0:20:46 > 0:20:51possible deal for Scotland and the whole of the United Kingdom.What
0:20:51 > 0:20:55progress is being made in ensuring that Scotland's food producers will
0:20:55 > 0:20:59still have the protection that the need for important geographic brands
0:20:59 > 0:21:04such as Orkney beef or Shetland lamb after we have left the European
0:21:04 > 0:21:10Union?I can assure the right honourable gentleman that despite
0:21:10 > 0:21:15scare stories to the contrary, which have appeared in some parts of the
0:21:15 > 0:21:19media, there will be no change to the protection of these brands or
0:21:19 > 0:21:24the allowing in of false brands purporting to be them.I am
0:21:24 > 0:21:31grateful. Non-UK nationals are essential to the agricultural
0:21:31 > 0:21:34industry in East Lothian. Can he guarantee we will have the same
0:21:34 > 0:21:40access after we leave Europe?I very much welcome the debate and this
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Parliament led by my right honourable friend for Angus, who has
0:21:44 > 0:21:50been a strong advocate of the need for seasonal workers within
0:21:50 > 0:21:54Scotland, particularly in the soft fruit industry. The points raised in
0:21:54 > 0:21:58that debate, the points raised in the meetings of the select committee
0:21:58 > 0:22:02have all been recognised by the Government and will be looked at as
0:22:02 > 0:22:11we move forward.Number six, Mr Speaker.My colleague met with
0:22:11 > 0:22:17partners at the Forth Valley College and I met with the Cabinet secretary
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Keith Brown to discuss the Scottish contribution to the deal and I'm
0:22:21 > 0:22:27hoping to meet with Mr Brown again shortly.It does sometimes feel to
0:22:27 > 0:22:35me that the sterling city deal is taking longer to deliver than a baby
0:22:35 > 0:22:41elephant at the Blair Drummond Safari Park. Where does the
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Secretary of State decide to sign an agreement and what discussions has
0:22:44 > 0:22:50he had with the Secretary of State of defence of the future use of the
0:22:50 > 0:22:59MOD site in the city deal?I want to hear the deal.Secretary of State.
0:22:59 > 0:23:05We hope to sign that deal soon. The Ministry of Defence and tend to
0:23:05 > 0:23:11dispose of the site by 2020 under the better defence strategy. We are
0:23:11 > 0:23:15working with the MoD to find out how the site can be part of a city deal.
0:23:15 > 0:23:24I will give the gentleman the benefit of the doubt.You must not
0:23:24 > 0:23:28shoehorn his own constituency into the matter.The city region deal
0:23:28 > 0:23:35does indeed include the transfer of MOD land and the decontamination of
0:23:35 > 0:23:40that land to Stirling Council. I understand that is no longer going
0:23:40 > 0:23:43to happen. Can the Secretary of State tell us, well it happened,
0:23:43 > 0:23:52when will it happen or is it another broken Tory promise?Mr Speaker, how
0:23:52 > 0:23:57disappointing to allow that negative note into proceedings on city deals.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02They have worked because they have been a positive collaboration
0:24:02 > 0:24:06between the UK Government, Scottish Government, local authorities and
0:24:06 > 0:24:11partners. It is that kind of negativity that undermines the whole
0:24:11 > 0:24:16reserves and stop it may be negative but at least it was orderly.
0:24:16 > 0:24:26Question number eight. The latest official figures show the Scottish
0:24:26 > 0:24:30economy is growing but at a slower pace than we would like and lagging
0:24:30 > 0:24:34behind the UK.The UK Government is delivering for Scotland, with our UK
0:24:34 > 0:24:41wide strategy and £2 billion extra spending. The Scottish Government
0:24:41 > 0:24:45hold many of the levers and they should be using those to make sure
0:24:45 > 0:24:50Scotland becomes a competitive place to do business.Order. I understand
0:24:50 > 0:24:53the sense of anticipation in the House but we are discussing the
0:24:53 > 0:24:58strength of the Scottish economy in which colleagues should take a
0:24:58 > 0:25:04polite and respectful interest. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Secretary
0:25:04 > 0:25:09of State will be aware of the closure of the plant in my
0:25:09 > 0:25:14constituency with 450 jobs at risk. We'll be Secretary of State join me
0:25:14 > 0:25:18and calling the Scottish Government to set up a task force and will he
0:25:18 > 0:25:23meet with me to set out any help the UK Government may be able to offer?
0:25:23 > 0:25:28I thank the honourable gentleman for that. Yes, the Secretary of State
0:25:28 > 0:25:32and myself are talking about this and he is happy to meet with the
0:25:32 > 0:25:35honourable gentleman and we will raise the issue with the Scottish
0:25:35 > 0:25:41Government on his behalf.The success of the economy of the south
0:25:41 > 0:25:44of Scotland is clearly linked to the economy of the north of England and
0:25:44 > 0:25:50in particular my constituency of Carlisle. Would the Minister agree
0:25:50 > 0:25:53that the border land initiative is an exciting opportunity for both
0:25:53 > 0:25:58sides of the border for economic growth?I agree with my honourable
0:25:58 > 0:26:02friend. We are bringing about growth deals all about the country and we
0:26:02 > 0:26:06need to look at those areas where we can have them cross border. We
0:26:06 > 0:26:17welcome the project.From Cumbernauld...Will be Secretary of
0:26:17 > 0:26:23State agree with me to meet the consequences if the proposed closure
0:26:23 > 0:26:31of the tax office there is allowed to proceed?Yes.Finally.Number
0:26:31 > 0:26:41nine. Number nine, Mr Speaker. Giving we know your interest in
0:26:41 > 0:26:47tennis and the success of Andy Murray and Gordon Reed in the
0:26:47 > 0:26:50wheelchair, it has increased interest in tennis in Scotland and
0:26:50 > 0:26:54we support measures to encourage more people to engage in tennis and
0:26:54 > 0:27:04any sport in Scotland.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Maybe Glasgow City Council could work together to make a tennis to an
0:27:15 > 0:27:22amount at ATP level.Scotland has been a great level for tennis. It is
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Scottish Government that leads on this and it would be welcome to hear
0:27:25 > 0:27:26anything from