►
Description
Ministerial Statement: Internal Market Update
A
B
B
B
Last
month,
this
parliament
considered
the
original
proposal
set
out
in
the
uk
government
white
paper
on
the
internal
market
and
voted
by
92
votes
to
31
to
reject
them.
Now
we
know
precisely
what
these
proposals
are
in
legislative
terms,
what
they
actually
mean
for
businesses,
for
jobs,
for
the
lives
of
the
ordinary
citizens
of
scotland
and
for
their
parliament,
but
this
bill
also
had
something
added
to
it,
which
was
not
in
the
consultation
brief
as
that
was
on
monday.
B
It
was
merely
a
press
rumor,
but
now
we
know
that
the
uk
ministers
intend
to
unilaterally
alter
and
override
solomon
binding
commitments
in
an
international
treaty
agreed
by
the
house
of
commons
only
in
january
this
year,
and
on
tuesday
we
witnessed
something.
I
don't
think
anyone
in
this
chamber
would
have
thought
possible.
B
B
For
the
uk
government
has
not
only
signaled
its
intention
to
break
international
law.
It
is
also
signaling
its
intention
to
break
domestic
law
to
break
the
devolution
settlement,
which
was
once
described
as
the
settled
will
of
the
scottish
people,
presiding
officer.
Let
me
now
turn
to
the
detail
of
the
bill.
There
is
much
in
it
that
repays
study,
if
only
to
reveal
how
contemptuous
the
tories
are
of
this
place
and
of
the
people
we
represent
at
clauses.
Two
to
nine.
B
There
are
sweeping
powers
to
compel
scotland
to
accept
lower
standards,
state
elsewhere
in
the
uk,
on
animal
welfare,
food
safety,
environmental
protections
and
a
host
of
other
areas.
These
powers
would
radically
undermine
the
ability
of
this
parliament
to
serve
the
people
who
elected
it
at
clause.
46
powers
are
given
to
uk
government
ministers
to
design
and
impose
replacements
for
eu
spending
programs
in
devolved
areas
such
as
infrastructure,
economic
development,
culture
and
sport,
education
and
training,
or
possibly,
more
general
public
spending
in
those
areas,
bypassing
democratically
elected
msps
and
ministers
in
scotland.
B
48
reserves,
state
aid,
which
is
indisputably
and
without
any
pretense
to
the
country,
a
blatant
power
grab,
as
we
also
know
as
a
result
of
the
decision
sneaked
out
yesterday.
In
the
midst
of
this
bill,
chaos,
the
state
aid
provisions
will
merely
mirror
those
of
the
wto,
making
a
deal
with
the
eu
even
more
difficult
and
provide
little
or
no
scrutiny
or
rigour,
presiding
officer,
the
uk
government
says
the
bill
will
guarantee
companies
can
trade
unhindered
in
every
part
of
the
uk.
B
That
is
not
what
this
is
about.
There
is
no
threat
to
such
trade
and
never
has
been.
This
government
endorses
the
need
for
such
trade
and
will
always
do
so.
What
they
want
is
something
different
in
order
to
deliver
bad
trade
deals,
which
is
all
they
can
expect
from
their
weakened
state.
They
want
private
health
companies
to
have
a
guaranteed
right
to
trade
unhindered
in
scotland,
weakening
and
undermining
the
scottish
nhs.
B
We
do
with
just
a
floodish
of
a
uk
minister's
pen,
because,
although
the
bill
says
that
there
may
be
exclusions
in
the
principles
of
non-discrimination,
the
explanatory
notes
to
the
bill
say
that
the
bill
will
provide
the
base
secretary
of
state
with
the
power
to
alter
these
exclusions,
to
retain
flexibility
for
the
internal
market
system
in
response
to
changes
in
market
conditions,
in
other
words,
presiding
officer.
The
uk
government
can
alter
whatever
we
do
whenever
it
likes,
regardless
of
the
views
of
the
people
of
scotland.
B
That
is
the
open
door
to
the
kind
of
creeping
privatization
and
rampant
deregulation
that
we
have
already
seen
south
of
the
border,
yet
all
the
while
they
behave
as
if
our
heads
button
up
the
back
insulting
our
intelligence,
with
the
claim
that
this
is
in
fact,
a
power
surge.
That
is
only
true
in
the
sense
that
power
surges
destroy
everything
they
touch.
B
They
are
seen
widely
and
correctly
as
incompatible
with
devolution,
bad
for
businesses
and
the
consumers,
dangerous
for
the
environment
and
an
impediment
to
necessary
and
effective,
devolved
public
health
measures
and
they
to
undermine
the
good
progress
made
on
common
frameworks.
The
preferred,
proportionate
and
agreed
means
of
managing
policy
difference
across
the
uk
when
eu
rules
no
longer
apply
presiding
officers
late
in
the
day
for
sense
to
prevail
in
the
johnson
government,
but
there's
still
just
time
if
they
commit
now
to
that
agreed
process.
B
For
my
part,
I
repeat
the
undertaking
I
made
in
the
parliament
on
the
18th
of
august
that
we
will
not
diverge
in
any
frameworks
area
existing
or
new,
whilst
these
are
finalized
and
urged
the
uk
government
to
do
the
same.
This
bill
is
actually
a
shabby
blueprint
for
a
much
weakened
constitutional
settlement
that
would
leave
scotland
defenseless.
B
It
is,
as
the
first
minister
said
yesterday,
an
assault
on
devolution,
the
like
of
which
we
have
not
experienced,
and
the
scottish
parliament
was
established.
We
cannot
and
we
will
not
allow
that
to
happen.
The
uk
government
have
now
asked
this
parliament
for
legislative
consent
for
this
bill,
but
in
addition
to
the
damage
it
will
do
reason
enough
to
refuse
consent.
It
surely
cannot
be
right
that
we
are
expected
to
agree
to
something
that
is
in
the
admission
of
the
proposers
themselves
against
international
law.
B
The
scottish
government
will
therefore
bring
to
this
chamber
a
motion
to
refuse
consent.
We
will
also
publish
a
full
rebuttal
of
the
bill
which
we
will
distribute
nationally
and
internationally,
and
we
will
take
whatever
other
steps
are
necessary
to
defend
what
we
have
and
what
we
need
to
retain
in
order
to
build
for
the
future
presiding
officer.
B
B
That
is
why,
before
the
end
of
this
parliament,
we
will
set
out
the
terms
of
a
future
referendum
clearly
and
unambiguously
to
the
people
of
scotland
in
a
draft
bill,
but
even
if
you
don't
believe,
even
after
all
this,
that
our
interest
as
a
nation
would
be
better
served
as
a
full,
normal
eu
member
state.
No
member
of
this
parliament
of
any
constitutional
or
political
persuasion
will,
I
hope,
consent
to
a
bill
that
offends
international
law
whilst
also
breaking
and
discarding
the
established
constitutional
settlement.
B
If
any
member
does
vote
for
that,
then
what
they
are
voting
for
is
not
just
tory
illegality.
It
is,
in
fact,
the
end
of
devolution.
That
is
what
is
at
stake
here.
That
is
what
we
must
all
defend
with
every
skill
we
have
with
every
ounce
of
determination
we
can
summon
and
with
a
steely
resolve,
never
never
to
be
defeated.
A
Thank
you
very
much.
The
cabinet
secretary
will
now
take
questions
on
the
issues
raised
in
this
statement.
I
intend
to
allow
around
20
minutes
for
questions,
after
which
we
will
move
on
to
the
next
item
of
business.
It
would
be
helpful
if
members
who
wish
to
ask
a
question
were
to
press
the
request
to
speak
buttons
now,
and
I
call
dean
lockhart.
C
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
I
simply
don't
have
enough
time
to
address
the
political
bluster
that
was
the
cabinet
secretary's
statement
in
the
middle
of
the
current
health
and
economic
crisis.
The
absolute
priority
of
the
scottish
government
must
be
to
protect
jobs
and
livelihoods.
The
cabinet
secretary
is
well
aware,
but
he
won't
acknowledge
that
more
than
half
a
million
jobs
in
scotland
and
more
than
60
percent
of
our
trade
depend
on
free
access
to
the
uk.
Internal
market,
jobs
and
livelihoods
must
be
the
absolute
priority,
not
another
constitutional
standoff
contrived
by
the
s
p.
C
The
cabinet
secretary
claims
that
the
internal
market
proposals
undermined
evolution,
but
the
reality
is
that
over
100
new
powers
are
coming
to
this
parliament,
making
it
more
powerful
than
ever.
I
have
three
questions
for
the
cabinet
secretary
first.
Is
it
s
p
policy
to
hand
back
to
the
eu
every
single
one
of
those
additional
powers?
C
Second,
is
it
s
p
policy
to
blindly
keep
pace
with
future
eu
law
without
having
any
influence
whatsoever
on
those
provisions,
bypassing
this
parliament
and
turning
it
into
a
passive
rule?
Taker?
Third?
Is
it
snp
policy?
Third?
Is
it
snp
policy
to
return
scotland's
fisheries
to
the
common
fisheries
policy,
and
was
this
the
reason
the
scottish
government
interfered
in
the
brexit
negotiations,
thereby
undermining
the
best
outcome
for
our
fishing
communities,
presiding
officer?
These
questions
are
more
important
than
ever,
because
it
is
now
clear.
C
The
s
p
wants
to
take
a
wrecking
ball
to
the
uk
internal
market,
regardless
of
how
many
jobs
will
be
lost.
It
is,
after
all,
a
market
they
want
to
separate
from
they
want
to
hand
back
powers
to
brussels
and
in
doing
so,
damage
scotland's
farming
and
fishing
communities
and
any
prospect
of
a
full
economic
recovery.
B
Presiding
officer
for
a
story
this
week
of
any
week
to
talk
about
constitutional
abstraction
is
frankly
ludicrous.
The
three
questions
he
poses.
Let
me
answer
all
of
them
very
simply
answer
the
first.
One
is
no
answer.
The
second
one
is
no,
that's
the
third
one
is.
We
have
never
supported
an
unreformed
common
fisheries
policy,
unlike
the
conservatives
who
not
only
supported
it,
they
actually
implemented
that
policy.
But
now,
but
now
let
me
let
me
now
addressed.
Let
me
now
address
the
points
that
the
member
would
not
make
and
I'll
make
three
of
them.
B
B
First
of
all,
as
a
member
of
this
parliament,
is
he
going
to
vote
for
the
destruction
of
this
parliament,
because
if
he
is,
let
the
tory
voters
note
that,
but
the
second
one-
and
this
is
much
more
much
more
direct
as
a
lawyer-
is
he
prepared
to
recommend
to
this
parliament
supporting
a
breach
of
law,
a
flagrant
breach
of
law,
because
if
he
is
because,
if
he
is,
he
stands
with
a
number
of
other
tory
lawyers.
But
he
stands
in
contradiction
both
to
his
profession
and
his
oath.
D
President
officer,
I
have
had
regular
contact
with
the
cabinet
secretary
over
this
covert
period
and
have
privately
thought
to
myself
that
he
is
putting
in
a
hard
shaft.
It's
rather
ironic,
therefore,
that
what
brings
us
to
the
chamber
today
is
boris,
johnson's,
less
hard-working
approach,
which
now
sees
him
playing
fast
and
loose
with
the
uk
union.
D
It's
difficult
to
believe
that
the
scottish
tories
in
this
parliament
are
willing
to
put
johnson
and
the
interests
of
johnson
before
the
interest
of
the
people
of
scotland.
My
view
is
that,
by
working
together,
the
devolved
government
must
now
show
that
boris
johnson
and
his
tory
cabal
cannot
bypass
the
agreed
devolution
settlements.
D
What
representations
has
the
government
made
with
the
other
devolved
administrations
of
the
uk
on
the
internal
market
bill,
and
is
the
scottish
government
willing
to
hold
further
discussions
with
the
devolved
administrations
to
show
a
united
front
against
this
bill
and
build
a
united
campaign
against
this
unacceptable
behavior?
What
threatens
not
just
undermines
but
threatens
devolution
cabinet.
B
Can
I
thank
alec
rally
for
those
points.
Of
course,
I'm
willing
to
make
common
cause
with
anybody
who's
opposed
this
bill.
He
I
I
think
he
knows
that
I
keep
in
close
touch
with
the
labour
administration
in
wales
and
indeed
have
been
in
touch
with
jeremy
miles.
My
opposite
number
in
wales
today
and
we'll
speak
to
him
again
tomorrow
morning.
I
note
mark
drakeford's
comments
on
this
and
mark
drakeford
was
jeremy
miles
predecessor
and
we
worked
very
closely
together
on
these
issues,
but
he
he
does
make
a
remember.
B
E
E
B
Michael
russell,
there
can
be
no
other
conclusion
if
you
read
the
bill.
That
is
entirely
what
they
intend
to
do,
and
I
don't
claim
to
be
greatly
prescient
in
politics,
but
over
a
year
ago,
when
we
withdrew
from
the
discussions
on
the
so-called
single
market
at
that
stage
they
were
calling
at
the
united
kingdom.
We
knew
that
this
was
an
inevitability.
This
is
where
they
were
going
and
we
needed
to
mark
that
by
saying
we
are
not
going
with
you
on
this
matter
now.
B
It
can
only
either
be
monumental
stupidity
or
a
monumental
dislike
bordering
on
hatred
for
the
existence
of
devolution,
and
if
you
are
a
brexiteer
who
regards
the
westminster's
sovereign
in
that
medieval
concept,
which
is
still
clung
to
by
the
tories,
amongst
others.
If
you
regard,
if
you
regard
westminster
sovereign,
you
thoroughly
dislike
the
devolved
administrations
and
the
devolved
parliaments,
and
you
would
like
to
get
rid
of
them,
that
is
the
agenda
I
have
to
say
and
that
agenda
will
be
resisted.
I
hope
by
every
member
of
this
parliament
who
is
thinking
of
their
constituents.
F
B
B
Demurred
from
that
word,
not
a
single
member
of
the
party
to
emerge
from
that
word.
So
I
will
take
new
lessons
from
the
conservatives
in
the
language
you
use.
The
lessons
I
will
take
is
for
myself
and
my
own
conscience,
and
when
I
don't
do
things
as
well
as
I
might
do,
I
say
that
I
wish
the
tories
would.
A
Thank
you
very
much.
I
remind
all
members
of
the
need
for
the
debate
to
be
heard
by
the
official
report
unrecorded
and
therefore,
while
it's
inevitable
on
such
an
issue
that
tempers
will
rise,
please
do
that
within
the
bounds
of
parliamentary
rules.
I
call
ruth
mcguire
to
be
followed
by
pauline
mcneil.
G
Presiding
officer,
scottish
environmental
link
has
warned
uk
government
plans
could
force
scotland
to
follow
lowest
common
denominator,
especially
where
countries
negotiating
trade
deals
with
the
uk
demand
lower
standards.
Does
the
cabinet
secretary
share
their
concern
that
this
could
undermine
efforts
to
combat
climate
change
and
biodiversity
decline?.
B
B
There
are
many
organizations
in
scotland
like
environment
link,
who
are
very
glad
that
there
is
a
government
which
is
prepared
to
look
at
the
high
standards
of
environmental
regulation
else
in
the
european
union
and
determine
to
be
part
of
them,
because,
unfortunately,
we
know
precisely
what
will
happen
with
the
tory
commitment
to
high
standards,
it
will
evaporate.
It
will
evaporate
the
moment
they
have
the
power
to
move
on
without
restriction,
and,
as
I
said
in
my
speech,
these
desperados
will
do
it
and
therefore
we
need
to
stand
up.
We
are
in
a
climate
emergency.
B
We
need
to
stand
up
for
the
type
of
regulation,
we
need
an
even
stronger
regulation
and
we
need
to
reject
those
who
are
against
it.
I
have
to
say
I
do
not
trust
a
word.
The
toys
say
well
actually
on
anything,
but
mostly
on
the
environment.
At
this
stage,
and
in
those
circumstances,
I
believe
that
scottish
environment
link
are
right
and
we
will
work
with
them
to
make
sure
that
we
can
keep
pace.
H
Does
the
cabinet
secretary
agree
that
not
only
does
this
bill
breach
international
law
allowing
for
the
contravention
of
their
own
withdrawal
agreement
in
article
4,
but
it
lays
the
ground
for
more
extensive
breaches
of
international
law
and
also
tries
to
insulate
their
own
ministers
from
judicial
scrutiny?
Does
the
cabinet
say,
could
you
agree
with
me
that
this
isolationist
and
embarrassing
bill
is
embarrassing
for
the
uk
internationally
and
would
the
cabinet
secretary
finally
accept
from
me
as
scottish
labour?
We
are
not
nationalists,
you
know
that.
B
I
I
I
accept
that
paulie
mcneil
is
not
a
nationalist.
I've
had
that
point
brought
home
to
me
on
many
occasions
by
pauline
mcneill,
since
we
both
entered
this
parliament
in
1999,
but
I
do
know
that
she
is
committed
to
devolution
and
I
know
she's
been
committed
to
devolution
before
this
parliament
even
existed.
So
we
will
work
with
pauline
mcneill
with
the
labour
party
and
with
any
other
party
or
individual.
That
wishes
to
defend
evolution.
B
I
The
uk
internal
market
bill
is
not
statecraft,
it's
state-sponsored
vandalism,
but
in
rejecting
this
race
to
the
bottom
in
standards,
while
strengthening
the
case
for
independence,
the
scottish
government
must
be
consistent.
The
race
to
establish
free
ports
in
dundee
and
recycle
being
championed
by
snp
councils
and
mps
is
part
of
the
very
same
deregulatory
agenda
to
cut
rights
and
standards
for
workers
in
the
environment.
In
this
bill,
will
the
scottish
government
rule
out
free
ports
and
rule
in
regional,
green
new
deals
that
can
deliver
the
right
opportunities
for
trade
and
investment
covenant.
B
Exist
across
the
eu
and
that's
the
point
I
would
make
there's
nothing
as
far
as
I
can
see
it
that
the
uk
government
is
offering
that
is
not
already
available
in
the
eu
and
that
it
should
be
regulated.
I
can
certainly
support
the
member
by
making
the
point
that
I
want
to
see
any
developments
take
place
in
scotland
on
the
basis
of
absolute
commitment
to
green,
to
the
principles
of
ensuring
a
sustainable
environmental
future
both
for
those
and
for
the
country.
J
Thank
you
very
much
deputy
presiding
officer.
The
scandal
of
the
northern
ireland
situation
has
already
been
condemned
by
two
of
the
past
four
conservative
prime
ministers.
The
bill
risks
food
safety
across
the
uk.
It
is
financially
wasteful
in
the
way
that
it
allows
contradictory
government
investment
in
infrastructure.
J
It
even
risks
harming
the
ability
to
have
warmer
homes
in
scotland
by
removing
separate
building
regulations.
I
want
to
see
changes
that
involve
the
four
governments
of
the
uk
working
together.
Scottish
ministers
have
been
reluctant
up
to
now
to
sign
up
to
ideas
that
are
federal
in
nature.
That's
because
they
are
as
reluctant
to
share
decision
making
as
the
uk
is
so.
Can
I
ask
the
cabinet
secretary:
would
he
join
a
revised
process
with
all
four
administrations
to
oversee
the
internal
market
government.
K
B
Each
administration
has
the
right
to
pass
legislation
of
its
own.
That
is
the
right.
That's
why
about
suggested,
mystical
hamilton
he's
in
this
parliament,
because
he
has
the
right
to
do
that
now.
I
am
happy
to
work
with
the
other
administrations
on
the
basis
of
equality.
He
might
think
that
federalism
is
that.
I
think
that
independence
is
that,
but
I
am
prepared
to
commit
myself
to
the
equality
of
the
four
parliaments
and,
unfortunately,
the
one
party
in
this
chamber.
I
believe,
because
I
don't
think
the
liberals
are
in
this
position.
B
The
one
party
in
this
parliament
is
not
prepared
to
commit
itself
to
the
equality
of
those
parliaments
is
the
conservative
party.
If,
then,
all
the
other
parties
can
commit
themselves
and
commit
themselves
strongly
and
publicly
to
that
principle
of
equality,
that
principle
of
equity
then
will
be
able
to
work
together
to
defeat
these
proposals.
L
Thank
you,
president
officer.
I
did
take
a
bit
of
a
breath
when
I
heard
that
dean
lockhart
used
the
word
wrecking
ball,
because
yesterday
the
guardian
editorial
described
the
internal
market
bill
as
a
wrecking
ball
swinging
wildly
into
eu
negotiations.
Our
international
reputation
and
the
union
and
the
appearance
of
this
bill
has
also
prompted
many
to
warn
that
it
will
encourage
a
race
to
the
bottom
in
terms
of
environmental
protections,
food
standards
and
animal
welfare.
A
B
Thank
you.
I
think
it
is
significant
that
the
national
farmers
union
for
scotland
indicated
in
their
submission,
under
the
consultation
on
the
internal
market
very
very
clearly
so
clearly
that
peter
chapman
could
not
stomach
it
and
was
denouncing
it.
You
know
that
they
indicated
very
very
clearly.
The
one
that
they
wanted
to
see
was
the
frameworks
to
succeed
in
devolution
to
succeed,
and
neither
of
those
things
have
been
respected
by
the
uk
government
in
this
bill.
So
I
think
scottish
farmers
are
right
to
be
very,
very
concerned.
B
M
Thank
you,
presiding
officer,
unlike
mike
russell,
I
will
leave
it
up
to
my
voters
to
decide
whether
or
not
I'm
coming
back.
Does
he
agree
that
it's
a
bit
ironic
to
stand
up
in
this
parliament
and
say
that
he's
not
a
devolutionist
this
very
afternoon
and
at
the
same
time
tell
us
with
a
straight
face
that
a
bill
which
is
designed
to
protect
our
united
kingdom
represents
the
biggest
threat
to
devolution,
and
has
he
forgotten
that
his
party
attempted
to
end
devolution
forever
in
2014.
M
B
Mr
mundell's
father
and
I
were
founding
members
of
this
parliament.
I
think
probably
we
had
the
same
view,
though
not
many
things.
We
had
the
same
view
on
one
thing,
which
was
that
this
parliament
was
an
important
next
step
for
the
people
of
scotland.
Now
some
people
believe
that
was
the
final
step.
Actually
not
even
the
founders
of
devolution
believed
it
was
a
final
step,
donald
duer
at
the
very
opening
described
it
as
a
process,
not
an
event.
B
Maybe
the
tories
regarded
it
as
the
final
step,
but
that
was
the
agreement
that
was,
that
was
the
agreement.
That
was
the
agreement
that
allowed
scotland
to
come
together
and
to
vote
for
the
establishment
of
this
party,
and
mr
mendel
wants
to
go
on
asking
the
question.
Even
when
he's
getting
the
answer,
I
think
that's
somewhat
perverse.
I
have
to
say
the
reality
of
the
situation
is
that
I
believe
that
devolution
can
be
built
on
and
developed
so
that
when
the
scottish
people
choose
to
do
so,
they
will
choose
independence.
B
What
I
do
not
believe
is
that
this
parliament
should
be
damaged
and
destroyed
at
the
whim
of
a
government
and
a
party
it
did
not
elect.
Mr
mandel
represents
a
part
of
the
south
of
scotland.
I
think
he
should
endeavor
to
emulate
the
good
folk
of
dumfries
who,
in
1706,
decided
that
they
didn't
want
the
union
to
take
place
anyway
and
they
burnt
the
articles.
I
don't,
I
know
mr
smith
knows
this,
because
I
can
see
him
acknowledging
it.
B
N
Thank
you,
presiding
officer,
a
I
wonder.
If
the
cabinet
secretary
can
explain
to
me
something
which
I'm
a
little
puzzled
about,
which
is
that
I
thought
we
were
working
on
common
frameworks
and
that
there
was
negotiation
and
a
possibly
compromise
between
the
four
governments.
Can
you
update
us
on
what
has
happened
to
that
and
why
this
bill
is
necessary?.
B
B
They
work
completed
on
seven
frameworks,
six
of
which
apply
to
scotland,
but
we
could
finish
the
rest
of
the
work
very
quickly,
and
I
I've
also
said
in
my
speech
that
we
should
be
ready
to
commit
ourselves
to
those
frameworks
even
without
completing
that
work
and,
as
has
been
claimed
recently
by
the
self
saying,
michael
gove,
the
framework
program
which
he
thought
was
the
bee's
knees.
But
now
apparently,
as
things
missing,
if
there
are
things
missing,
tell
us
what's
missing.
B
I
will
make
sure
those
frameworks
go
into
place,
and
it
is
one
of
the
great
tragedies
of
this
that
all
that
work
having
been
done
and
I'm
not
in
favor
of
brexit.
But
we
were
willing
to
work
with
others
to
make
sure
that
there
were
the
frameworks
in
place
that
could
provide
the
scaffolding
to
allow
the
countries
to
continue
to
work
together.
B
We
working
to
see
that
happen
has
been
thrown
away,
has
been
thrown
away
by
michael
gove,
and
that
is
a
tragedy,
and
I
would
have
hoped
that
the
members
of
this
parliament
from
the
tory
party
would
say.
Surely
surely
at
this
late
stage,
we
can
get
back
to
discussing
and
putting
in
place
for
frameworks
and
abandon
what
is
force
major
against?
Not
just
this
parliament
but
against
the
people
of
scotland.
O
B
Well,
if,
if
the
uk
government
would
come
along
and
say
here's
some
extra
money,
we'd
would
like
to
spend
it,
how
shall
we
spend
it?
We
sat
down
with
him
and
we
said
to
him.
Well,
there's
this
priority
in
that
priority.
Do
you
know
that
would
be
the
mature,
sensible
thing
to
do,
but
for
some
reason,
alistair
jack
once
alistair
jack,
who
is
the
secretary
of
state
for
scotland?
In
case
people
didn't
know,
alastair
alastair
jack
wants
to
wants
to
spend
money
in
scotland
without
consulting
anybody
else.
Now,
there's
a
number
of
problems
with
that.
B
The
first
problem
is
policy.
Confusion
say,
for
the
sake
of
argument
that
the
tories
wish
to
privatize
the
national
health
service.
Well,
they
do
but
say
for
the
sake
of
argument,
that's
what
they
wanted
to
do.
They
could
spend
money.
They
could,
under
this
bill,
spend
money
on
the
privatization
of
the
health
service,
no
matter
what
the
scottish
government
said,
but
there's
another
problem
with
this
too,
I
noticed
last
night
there
was.
There
was
quite
a
lot
of
tweeting
being
done
by
douglas
ross
who,
by
the
way,
is
the
leader
of
scottish
conservatives.
B
In
case
people
didn't
know
by
douglas
ross
and
by
the
selfsame
alistair
jack,
and
quite
a
lot
of
it
was
about
quite
a
lot
of
it
was
about
the
a75
and
replacing
it
now
they're
members
in
this
chamber,
I
know
who
want
to
see
the
a75
renewed.
I
know
emma
harper
is
one
of
them,
but
but
but
of
course,
but
but
of
course,
but
of
course
the
a75
runs
through
and
solely
through
presiding
officer,
I
won't
be
shouted
down.
They.
I
have
a
loud
enough
voice,
not
to
be
shouted
down.
B
That's
a
lesson
for
the
tories,
the
a75,
the
a75,
runs
through
entirely
tory
constituencies.
So
what's
this
about
this
is
about
this
is
about
spending
money
on
their
own
constituencies
and
trying
to
bypass
the
elected
representatives
of
the
scottish
people.
That
will
not
happen.
That
will
not
happen.
P
What
an
interesting
afternoon
deputy
president
officer,
I
can
recall
the
cabinet
secretary,
just
mentioned
that
he
was
talking
about
burning
documents
and
books.
I
wonder
if
he
would
like
to
burn
copies
of
his
past
ratings
and
grasping
the
thistle
when
he
advocated
the
privatization
of
the
national
health
service
and
the
civil
service
and
advocated
a
new
union,
the
cabinet
secretary.
P
Can
I
ask
the
cabinet
secretary
if
the
lord
advocate
will
be
making
a
statement
on
the
legal
implications
of
this
move
by
boris,
johnson's,
useless
and
competent
and
increasingly
corrupt
government?
Dennis
skinner
once
said
that
boris
johnson
was
educated
beyond
his
intelligence?
Wasn't
he
right
about
that
and
isn't
it
a
shame
that
there's
not
a
single
tory?
Has
the
principle
or
decency
to
stand
up
and
condemn
this
utter
stupidity,
cabinet,
secretary.
B
Well,
I
suppose
it
was
too
much
to
suppose
I
would
have
solidarity
from
comrade
finley.
You
know
at
the
end,
at
the
at
the
at
the
end
of
the
day.
That
was
not
going
to
happen.
I
I
really
should
probably
just
say
to
him
in
those
in
those
words
of
a
previous
generation
of
of
british
generals
there
there
is
the
enemy
not
here.
Well,
he
doesn't
seem
to
know
that,
but
then
but
then,
but
then
then
then
let
us,
let
me
show,
let
me
show
a
generosity
not
shown
by
comrade
finley.
B
The
legal
implications
of
this
bill
are
clear.
We
will
bring
forward.
We
will
bring
forward
those
those
legal
implications
at
the
appropriate
time
and
we
will
certainly
deal
with
them
when
we
deal
with
the
the
legislative
consent
motion.
Can
I
finally
say
just
as
I've
said
to
mr
finley
on
innumerable
occasions
in
this
chamber.
Page
five
of
the
introduction
explains
what
the
book
was
about.
I
am
so
surprised
that
mr
finley
has
read
it
all,
but
he
has
deliberately
ignored
page
five.
He
does
do
things
in
a
very
backward
fashion.
K
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
Does
the
cabinet
secretary
agree
that,
specifically
in
clauses
two
to
nine,
there
is
a
grave
risk
of
the
baseline
being
far
too
low
in
view
of
scotland's
good
environmental
record
and
specifically
in
respect
to
the
four
eu
environmental
principles,
as
well
as
the
agriculture
and
food
standards
that
have
been
highlighted
by
other
members,
that
this
is
totally
unacceptable
and
against
our
interests
in
terms
of
trade,
business
and
indeed
in
terms
of
human
health
as
well.
Thank
you.
B
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
I
know
that
claudia
bemis
takes
a
particularly
strong
interest
in
in
these
matters,
and
she
is
aware.
I
know
that
if,
for
example,
the
tory
hostility
to
the
continuity
bill
goes
through,
those
environmental
principles
would
be
out
the
window
they
would.
The
tories
do
not
wish
the
bill
to
go
through
for
a
variety
of
reasons,
and
one
of
them
is
those
environmental
principles
which
this
government
is
committed
to.
I,
I
would
just
take
gentle
disagreement
with
her.
I
don't
think
the
baseline
is
too
low.
B
There
isn't
a
baseline,
I
mean
what
actually
will
take
place
is
the
moment
this
bill
was
on
the
statute
book.
The
power
which
I
referred
to,
which
is
given
to
the
base
secretary
of
state
to
make
any
decisions
they
want.
Those
decisions
will
be
made,
so
it
doesn't
matter
what's
in
the
bill,
it's
like
the
illegality
of
the
international
part
of
it.
B
A
Thank
you
very
much.
That
concludes
questions
on
the
statement
we
now
move
to
the
next
item
of
business.
The
next
item
of
business
is
indeed
decision
time.
There
is
one
question
to
be
put
as
a
result
of
today's
business.
That
question
is
that
motion
22651
in
the
name
of
bill
kidd
on
the
scottish
parliament,
assistance
for
political
parties
bill
be
agreed.
Are
we
all
agreed?