Scotland’s Constitutional Future

Scotland – in the House of Commons at on 28 April 2021.

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Photo of Neale Hanvey Neale Hanvey Alba, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath

What recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on Scotland’s constitutional future.

Photo of Iain Stewart Iain Stewart The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland

The UK Government work with the Scottish Government on a daily basis on a range of constitutional matters, including delivering on our devolution commitments through the Scotland Act order programme. I would have thought that a more interesting question would have been to ask what discussions his new party has had with the First Minister on an unnecessary and divisive further referendum on separation.

Photo of Neale Hanvey Neale Hanvey Alba, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath

When Scotland opens negotiations for independence following the election of a supermajority on 6 May, will those talks be led by the Secretary of State or the Minister for the Union—should, of course, he still be in post by that time?

Photo of Iain Stewart Iain Stewart The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland

The hon. Gentleman is being rather presumptuous about the outcome of the elections next week, so let us wait and see what the people of Scotland decide. I would have thought they would be more interested in keeping the protections of the pandemic in place, helping businesses to recover and helping children to catch up on the education that they have missed over the past year.