:00:31. > :00:31.Hello and welcome to a rather festive Westminster for the December
:00:32. > :00:37.edition of Scottish Questions. We are in a week away from Christmas
:00:38. > :00:41.Day and as you can see MPs have the Christmas tree decorated. How much
:00:42. > :00:44.festive cheer was there in the chamber itself. This question is? I
:00:45. > :00:51.will let you be the judge of that. A mixed bag of questions. We started
:00:52. > :00:57.with employment in the whiskey industry.
:00:58. > :01:06.Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland. Mrs Anne McGuire.
:01:07. > :01:11.Number one. I can assure the honourable lady the whiskey industry
:01:12. > :01:24.in Scotland and its employees are the key priority. We have contact
:01:25. > :01:29.with the Scott whiskey association. Since Scotch whisky is exported to
:01:30. > :01:32.around 200 countries and employs 10,000 people in Scotland the recent
:01:33. > :01:36.Scottish government White Paper references there will be around 90
:01:37. > :01:40.embassies if they have their way after independence. There's the
:01:41. > :01:46.Secretary of State agree that trade agreement brokered by a strong and
:01:47. > :01:50.extensive UK diplomatic and international trade infrastructure
:01:51. > :02:00.and integral to the success of Scott -- Scotch whisky exporter. Order. We
:02:01. > :02:05.are grateful. The honourable lady is absolutely right. 90% of the product
:02:06. > :02:10.of the Scotch whisky industry is for the export market. It is important
:02:11. > :02:15.that Scotland has the best possible access to that market through the
:02:16. > :02:24.network of 270 embassies across the world with the UK, we have that
:02:25. > :02:31.facility. That is why the Scotch whisky industry makes such good use
:02:32. > :02:37.of it. Mr Alan Reid. The Scotch whisky industry provides many jobs
:02:38. > :02:44.in my constituency. But it is unfair that it is taxed higher compared
:02:45. > :02:50.with the air and wines. -- beer and wines. I don't think, I might be
:02:51. > :02:59.wrong, but I don't think my honourable friend is right about
:03:00. > :03:08.that. In any event, I would suggest to him that the information I have
:03:09. > :03:15.is beer duty is 37%, 42% for whiskey. In any event the position
:03:16. > :03:23.remains that it is wrong to play one part of Scotland's highly successful
:03:24. > :03:26.industry against the other. I am sure the Chancellor will listen to
:03:27. > :03:33.representations from the Scotch whisky industry. I declare an
:03:34. > :03:40.interest as being the secretary of the Scottish whiskey party group in
:03:41. > :03:44.the house. As a consequence we have representations every week about the
:03:45. > :03:46.whole question of the escalator and the unfairness bill is against the
:03:47. > :03:54.spirit industry with the beer industry. The Chancellor gave so
:03:55. > :04:00.much last time. What representations have you made to the Chancellor has
:04:01. > :04:02.overcome that problem? I shall continue to make representations for
:04:03. > :04:06.the whole food and drink industry in Scotland first top he performs a
:04:07. > :04:11.very important part in that. I have been with him on many occasions as
:04:12. > :04:18.part of these delegations and they will continue to give him such
:04:19. > :04:26.support as I can. 80% of the price of a bottle of Scotch whiskey is
:04:27. > :04:31.duty -- Scotch whisky is duty. This is widening the price between whisky
:04:32. > :04:36.and other beverage categories. How does that help the industry and the
:04:37. > :04:42.employees? The point the honourable gentleman will have two answer is
:04:43. > :04:52.the Scott Wing -- Scotch whisky industry does very well as part of
:04:53. > :05:01.the United Kingdom. His policy of independence would put that at risk.
:05:02. > :05:03.Mr Angus Robertson. The honourable gentleman and I and others lobbied
:05:04. > :05:08.the Treasury to end duty discrimination. In fact, the
:05:09. > :05:13.honourable gentleman himself tabled an amendment in this house to end
:05:14. > :05:19.tax discrimination supported by Liberal Democrat MPs and the SNP.
:05:20. > :05:25.Since becoming Secretary of State Scotland he has taken the Tory
:05:26. > :05:33.shine, letting the industry down. When will he stand up and be
:05:34. > :05:39.Scotland's man in the Cabinet? We must move on. I hope it did sound
:05:40. > :05:46.better when he rehearsed it in the mirror this morning. There is no
:05:47. > :05:50.escaping the fundamental truth that he has got a policy which should be
:05:51. > :05:57.the determination of the Scotch whisky industry for no good reason.
:05:58. > :06:04.This is a question about low pay in Scotland. Can I with the operation
:06:05. > :06:08.draw the house attention to the fact that Saturday the 21st of December
:06:09. > :06:14.will be the 25th anniversary of the Lockerbie bombing. It remains the
:06:15. > :06:19.single largest loss of life ever in the United Kingdom when 270 people
:06:20. > :06:25.perished that fateful evening. I am sure the thoughts and prayers of the
:06:26. > :06:30.whole house will be with the community and those who lost friends
:06:31. > :06:35.and family that evening. Much focus over the last 25 years has been on
:06:36. > :06:40.the perpetrators. The victims, their friends, their families and the
:06:41. > :06:43.community of Lockerbie deserve our respect and admiration for the
:06:44. > :06:49.formidable way in which they have coped with 25 years of an president
:06:50. > :06:52.it global attention. Mr Speaker, the national minimum
:06:53. > :06:58.wage is one of the government 's key policies to support the low paid and
:06:59. > :07:05.is UK wide. On the 1st of October, the minimum wage increase to ?6.31
:07:06. > :07:16.an hour. We have increased income tax to ?10,000 taking many Scots out
:07:17. > :07:20.of income tax altogether. I am sure the whole house will commend and
:07:21. > :07:25.agree with the Minister of State remarks to relation to Lockerbie. In
:07:26. > :07:30.his other part of the answer he omitted to say that prices have
:07:31. > :07:35.risen more quickly than wages in 41 of the 42 months he has sat in this
:07:36. > :07:39.house as a minister. Low pay is on the rise in Scotland but the Valley
:07:40. > :07:44.of the national minimum wage has declined in real terms in the this
:07:45. > :07:52.government. -- but the value. When you going to do something concrete
:07:53. > :08:01.to deal with this? Mr Speaker, the honourable gentleman is simply
:08:02. > :08:06.wrong. The October adult rate on the minimum wage will be around 27%
:08:07. > :08:20.higher in real terms concerns -- to the consumer price of theirs. Does
:08:21. > :08:23.the Minister agree the best way to tackle low paid in Scotland is to
:08:24. > :08:37.get the economy growing and create jobs. Mark Menzies as the Tory MP
:08:38. > :08:40.for Lanarkshire. They will welcome the announcement that employment is
:08:41. > :08:47.up and unemployment is down in Scotland. We are not complacent but
:08:48. > :08:52.on the right track. Pay is affecting thousands of families. How can we
:08:53. > :09:00.help those families? They giving them a decent wage or giving them a
:09:01. > :09:05.tax cut for millionaires? The government supports the concept of
:09:06. > :09:08.the living wage. It is where employers can afford it. It is at
:09:09. > :09:14.the cost of jobs. It is something to be encouraged. The UK government's
:09:15. > :09:21.attitudes towards the living wage is espoused by the honourable lady of
:09:22. > :09:25.East Dunbartonshire. There was a definition of a living wage and the
:09:26. > :09:28.government has made the assessment as to its consequences. Is it not
:09:29. > :09:34.the case that this government should move quickly to introduce a living
:09:35. > :09:40.wage for its employees wherever they may be based in the UK and stop
:09:41. > :09:45.hiding behind vacuous arguments that it is too difficult to calculate
:09:46. > :09:53.given we know it is ?7 60 in Scotland next year and ?8 in London
:09:54. > :09:57.next year. It is never very surprised to hear the SNP mention
:09:58. > :10:04.London in the same breath as Scotland. As I have said to the
:10:05. > :10:07.honourable gentleman from Motherwell, we're sure the
:10:08. > :10:11.government believes the living wage is a concept that should be
:10:12. > :10:21.supported well employers can afford it. Margaret Curran. Can I associate
:10:22. > :10:26.myself with the Minister 's remarks concerning the terrible tragedy of
:10:27. > :10:31.Lockerbie. Mr Speaker, more that low pay is one of the reasons people
:10:32. > :10:35.using food banks in Scotland today. I wish nothing personal towards the
:10:36. > :10:38.minister but I am disappointed the Secretary of State himself is not
:10:39. > :10:42.answering this question. We know the Secretary of State has begun to
:10:43. > :10:50.struggle with some of the details in his brief. Let me see the Minister
:10:51. > :10:53.can actually do any better. What has been the percentage increase in the
:10:54. > :10:59.number of people using food banks in Scotland in the past year? Given its
:11:00. > :11:19.Christmas I will offer the minister a hand. Is it, 100%. B, 200%? Aussi,
:11:20. > :11:26.over 400%? -- or C. The increase in people using food banks doing her
:11:27. > :11:33.government was 1000%. This government is concerned about the
:11:34. > :11:37.need for people to use food banks in the moments of crisis in their lives
:11:38. > :11:40.and we support the development of food banks and those people who
:11:41. > :11:47.operate them. I was proud to open the food bank in my own
:11:48. > :11:49.constituency. But to pretend these crises are something of this
:11:50. > :11:53.government is making and not something that has been going on for
:11:54. > :12:01.a continuing period of time is to mislead the house. The Minister
:12:02. > :12:08.should know the actual increase has been 435%. That is over 34,000
:12:09. > :12:12.people, including 10,000 children may using food banks in Scotland.
:12:13. > :12:15.Those are shameful figures that all members of this house should pay
:12:16. > :12:21.attention to. The Minister has refused to be told on why this is
:12:22. > :12:29.happening. The citizens advice bureau, a trust and Child poverty
:12:30. > :12:32.action group and all saying this government policy and driving people
:12:33. > :12:42.in Scotland to use food banks. Minister, and they all wrong? Of
:12:43. > :12:46.course the honourable lady does not acknowledge these thousand percent
:12:47. > :12:52.rise in the use of food banks and the last Labour government. We want
:12:53. > :12:58.to look and understand why there has been an increase in the use of food
:12:59. > :13:03.banks. That is why DEFRA have committed to a very extensive study
:13:04. > :13:06.into the use of food aid across the United Kingdom. The honourable lady
:13:07. > :13:17.will be able to read that when it is published. This is a question about
:13:18. > :13:26.the legal -- legal immigration. -- illegal immigration. The government
:13:27. > :13:29.doesn't really know how many illegal immigrant there might be in
:13:30. > :13:32.Scotland. Given the attraction of the whole of the United Kingdom to
:13:33. > :13:37.people from other countries I suspect the problem might be rather
:13:38. > :13:41.greater than the Secretary of State imagines particularly in cities like
:13:42. > :13:44.Glasgow and Edinburgh. Will the Secretary of State assure the house
:13:45. > :13:49.he will work closely with the UK Borders agency to ensure Scotland
:13:50. > :13:56.isn't an easy route into the UK for illegal immigrant. Certainly, Mister
:13:57. > :14:00.Speaker, that should be no easy routes for anyone in the
:14:01. > :14:02.circumstances. I would caution the honourable gentleman against
:14:03. > :14:07.devoting too much Government resource and releasing -- in
:14:08. > :14:15.relation to the compilation of figures that do not help us tackle
:14:16. > :14:19.the problem. Can I have what discussion -- Canada squad
:14:20. > :14:21.discussion has the UK Government had with their Scottish Government about
:14:22. > :14:29.the operation of border controls in an independent Scotland? I have had
:14:30. > :14:32.no such discussions so far, the truth of the matter is that either
:14:33. > :14:40.you can have an open area with no border control or closely aligned
:14:41. > :14:47.immigration policies. Unlike the position of the SNP, you cannot have
:14:48. > :14:56.both. For years, immigrants have been vital to the economy. In my
:14:57. > :15:01.economy, there has been a problem with immigration, not immigration.
:15:02. > :15:04.Well Secretary of State might have failed to get his colleagues to vote
:15:05. > :15:09.for war in Syria, what Mike do this Christmas to help refugees come from
:15:10. > :15:14.Syria, especially given Germany has taken 80% of the total and the UK
:15:15. > :15:21.has taken zero? Amnesty International says it should cause
:15:22. > :15:25.heads to hang in shame. This country has a long and proud record of
:15:26. > :15:29.offering asylum to those who seek it and those who deserve and need it.
:15:30. > :15:40.That will continue to be the case, Mr Speaker. This is a question about
:15:41. > :15:43.the Barnett formula. There are no plans to review the Barnett formula
:15:44. > :15:51.in this Parliament. That is not quite what he said a few weeks ago.
:15:52. > :15:59.What about the Barnett formula? Will that change post-2014? Alistair
:16:00. > :16:02.Carmichael, because it was he, he said, they will be no action taken
:16:03. > :16:08.on the Barnett formula until the economy has stabilised. Why isn't he
:16:09. > :16:16.just straight with the Scottish people? We all know that the bosses
:16:17. > :16:19.and paymasters of the no campaign, his Tory friends, want the Barnett
:16:20. > :16:26.formula scrapped. Isn't this the real cost to the people of Scotland?
:16:27. > :16:33.?4 billion? It is a classic of the genre, Mr Speaker. Synthetic outrage
:16:34. > :16:36.at its very best. He knows the Barnett formula is one of the
:16:37. > :16:41.reasons why the people of Scotland reject independence. And that is why
:16:42. > :16:47.he is operating his own little project smear to pretend it is
:16:48. > :16:50.somehow at risk. The position has been put beyond any doubt today by
:16:51. > :16:56.the Prime Minister in a letter to the First Minister. The honourable
:16:57. > :16:58.Jenna Coleman -- the honourable gentleman should explain that and
:16:59. > :17:01.explain to the people of Scotland that the best way to get rid of the
:17:02. > :17:09.Barnett formula is to vote for independence. Does my right
:17:10. > :17:13.honourable friend agree with me that last year's Scotland act transferred
:17:14. > :17:15.substantial tax raising powers to Holyrood and that these complex
:17:16. > :17:22.changes should be allowed to bed in before we start making any further
:17:23. > :17:31.radical changes? Ian Stewart is the Conservative MP for milk and he is.
:17:32. > :17:35.-- Milton Key. The energies of the Scottish Government would be much
:17:36. > :17:40.more better served if they dealt with these tax changes due to come
:17:41. > :17:46.on stream in 2016 rather than running around setting up scare
:17:47. > :18:03.stories. Is the Minister aware that today, what we have seen is the
:18:04. > :18:13.launch of separatists for Barnet? I couldn't put it better or more
:18:14. > :18:19.graphically myself, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mister Speaker. The
:18:20. > :18:24.Barnett formula has served Scotland, and on the side of the
:18:25. > :18:27.House, we believe it is at the heart of the distribution across the
:18:28. > :18:32.entire UK. That is why we support it. I agree with the Secretary of
:18:33. > :18:35.State that the only threat to the Barnett formula is a vote for
:18:36. > :18:41.independence. Canny actually sheer with a housewife he believes the SNP
:18:42. > :18:49.Scottish Government do not understand the Abbey only threat to
:18:50. > :18:54.the Barnett formula? -- can he actually sheer Dimmock share. They
:18:55. > :18:59.know the Barnett formula is something people value in the United
:19:00. > :19:03.Kingdom so they try to pretend it is some truth to it. This is part of
:19:04. > :19:08.the strategy. All along, they identify things like the pound, the
:19:09. > :19:11.Bank of England, the ability to build complex warships on the
:19:12. > :19:15.Clyde, the things people of Scotland value from being part of the UK, and
:19:16. > :19:20.then pretend you can hold on to them while becoming independent. It is
:19:21. > :19:27.just not credible and that is why they are losing the accurate. --
:19:28. > :19:35.adamant. This is a question about the fisheries policy. I have regular
:19:36. > :19:40.meetings with officials in Scottish Government on the fisheries policy.
:19:41. > :19:43.Defra also works closely with the Scottish Government to make sure the
:19:44. > :19:49.interests of Scottish fishermen are fully recognised in the UK position
:19:50. > :19:53.in EU fisheries negotiations. I congratulate the Government on
:19:54. > :19:58.achieving reform, introducing an element of regional control. What
:19:59. > :20:02.assessment has my right honourable friend made of the implications for
:20:03. > :20:09.Scottish fishermen and will be benefit greatly from it? I have long
:20:10. > :20:11.been an enthusiast for the regionalisation of the common
:20:12. > :20:14.fisheries policy and I am delighted that now for the second-round of
:20:15. > :20:20.reform, we have seen that at the heart of it, there is still more
:20:21. > :20:23.that can be done, but anything that rings fishermen, scientists and
:20:24. > :20:30.other stakeholders together in order to manage fisheries away from
:20:31. > :20:38.Brussels has got to be good. As surprised as I was to CSN P Minister
:20:39. > :20:45.Richard Lochhead -- SNP minister Richard Lochhead claiming he has
:20:46. > :20:49.secured a quarter deal for Scottish fishermen and then saying he has no
:20:50. > :20:52.voice, isn't the fact that Scottish fishing is best represented in the
:20:53. > :20:59.EU with a strong voice as part of the UK? No, Mr Speaker, I was not at
:21:00. > :21:03.all surprised, because that is exactly the sort of double standard
:21:04. > :21:07.we have seen from the SNP over the years on this issue and just about
:21:08. > :21:11.every other. The fact of the matter is that my honourable friend the
:21:12. > :21:15.Fisheries Minister led the delegation this year to the December
:21:16. > :21:21.fisheries Council with the exceptional skill. He developed for
:21:22. > :21:26.the Scottish fleet of things that really matter, in particular
:21:27. > :21:30.ensuring there was no further cut in effort and has not inflexibility on
:21:31. > :21:35.monkfish quarters. He should be commended for that. There's far too
:21:36. > :21:40.much noise in the chamber. Let's have some quiet. We would like to
:21:41. > :21:50.hear Scottish night, Sir Menzies Campbell. No pressure then, Mr
:21:51. > :21:57.Speaker. Will my honourable friend give proper consideration to the
:21:58. > :22:02.Scottish fisheries? Will he paid particular attention to the village
:22:03. > :22:10.-based fishing industry, particularly in places like my own
:22:11. > :22:13.constituency and sounding ports? It is vital that the interests of
:22:14. > :22:17.village -based fisheries is not subjected to the overbearing
:22:18. > :22:24.influence sometimes of those who go further out to sea. I know from my
:22:25. > :22:31.own constituency experience, Mr Speaker, that the small inshore
:22:32. > :22:34.fleet is updated Porton 's -- great importance to the committee see
:22:35. > :22:38.their presents. The point he makes is very well made. It is important
:22:39. > :22:47.we do we can't sustain the fleet in these small ports. -- that we do
:22:48. > :22:50.what we can to sustain. The negotiations with Norway being
:22:51. > :22:53.postponed means that the fishing fleet faces an uncertain New Year.
:22:54. > :22:59.Only support the Scottish Government's call for an increase in
:23:00. > :23:05.North Sea cod quote next year in line with scientific advice? That is
:23:06. > :23:11.a subjective be determined in January. These are being held over.
:23:12. > :23:17.While it would be desirable to see an increase of that sort, what the
:23:18. > :23:23.industry are looking for, but is not within our powers but as an EU
:23:24. > :23:29.negotiation. This is about rural energy prices. Rural consumers face
:23:30. > :23:33.particular challenge on energy bills. My right honourable friend is
:23:34. > :23:39.working with Dell interested parties to obtain more secure and affordable
:23:40. > :23:46.supplies. I'm due to meet your key in the New Year to discuss this
:23:47. > :23:53.matter. -- to meet the OFT. As he is well aware, though consumers are so
:23:54. > :23:59.often forgotten with energy prices. It is supposed to be technologically
:24:00. > :24:01.neutral, but major energy companies will not include LPG and home fuel
:24:02. > :24:09.boilers within the schemes. This is surely discriminatory. Will he
:24:10. > :24:14.presses colleague Stephen skewer -- will he presses colleagues to ensure
:24:15. > :24:23.these schemes are included? I will happily do that. I would suggest to
:24:24. > :24:32.him to hold, as we did on rural feel, event table to discuss this
:24:33. > :24:37.with other MPs. Is my honourable friend aware of the particular
:24:38. > :24:41.difficulties in rural areas where there is no access to means supplies
:24:42. > :24:49.for both gas and oil? Will he commend the contest of heating clubs
:24:50. > :24:58.which are done to -- which have brought down costs. What will the
:24:59. > :25:00.Government do to assist? The Government is very keen to support
:25:01. > :25:06.oil clubs such as the one in Caithness. I'm sure the issues which
:25:07. > :25:10.concern the honourable gentleman's constituents are ones which will be
:25:11. > :25:18.ably discussed at the round table we propose in the Scotland Office with
:25:19. > :25:23.Scottish MPs. Why do the SNP, Tories and Liberal Democrats all agree that
:25:24. > :25:26.the price should draw from the energy Bill to the tax Bill and
:25:27. > :25:33.energy company should be let off scot-free? What we believe is that
:25:34. > :25:37.something should be done about the mess of the actress of the industry
:25:38. > :25:41.that his party left behind. That is why we are seeking to move people on
:25:42. > :25:46.to lower tariffs, that is why we are rolling back green levies, and that
:25:47. > :25:53.is why we encourage competition. What his party offers as a gimmick
:25:54. > :25:55.and a con. This is another energy-related question about oil
:25:56. > :26:01.and gas extraction from the North Sea. That is exactly why we ask them
:26:02. > :26:06.to carry out this review in the first place. After his final report
:26:07. > :26:08.is submitted early next year, Government will look at plans to
:26:09. > :26:16.make the most of all sure oil and gas fields. He will be aware that
:26:17. > :26:20.Sir Ian Wood in his report refers to much of the North Sea as a mature
:26:21. > :26:27.environment and the need for the to maximise the economic recovery for
:26:28. > :26:33.what is a diminishing resource. Does the Secretary of State agree with me
:26:34. > :26:37.that fragmentation of fiscal and readily to the regimes Chris Evert
:26:38. > :26:39.at arrangements in Scotland in the UK will minimise the chance of
:26:40. > :26:47.achieving the output of those reforms? It is very well clear to
:26:48. > :26:51.all those who have an informed view of this industry that its best
:26:52. > :26:56.future lies as part of the UK rather than as a Scotland separated out
:26:57. > :27:01.from the rest of the United Kingdom. It is a mature industry and still
:27:02. > :27:04.has a great deal to offer, but it is telling that the recent white paper
:27:05. > :27:09.gives absolutely no guarantees about the future of field allowances in
:27:10. > :27:19.the industry which is going to be absolutely crucial to the future the
:27:20. > :27:23.element of it. Isn't the most exciting thing about the report that
:27:24. > :27:28.the consensus here is discovered in the industry that with more
:27:29. > :27:32.regulation, is stronger regulator, more resources for the regulator,
:27:33. > :27:39.that is the potential to unlock even greater investment supporting jobs,
:27:40. > :27:42.tax and energy security? I think the real strength of the report, Mr
:27:43. > :27:46.Speaker, at least the interim version of it, is that it has
:27:47. > :27:50.credibility in the industry because it has been informed by the industry
:27:51. > :27:55.and led by one of the most respected figures in it. That is all we have
:27:56. > :28:01.got time for the moment because of the holiday break and the
:28:02. > :28:04.Parliamentary timetable, and the next Scottish questions is not until
:28:05. > :28:09.Wednesday 15th of debris. Use those diaries to make a note of that. --
:28:10. > :28:13.Wednesday 15th of February. We know what an important year it will be in
:28:14. > :28:20.Scottish politics. From Oliver sea, goodbye. -- from all of us here,
:28:21. > :28:21.goodbye. Have a very Merry Christmas and happy