I welcome the hon. Member to her place and congratulate her on her recent by-election victory.

This Government’s focus is to make the existing devolution settlement work effectively. For too long, we have watched centralisation of decision making taking place at Holyrood, pulling powers away from local communities across Scotland, and it is time that changed. I remind the SNP-led Scottish Government that there is actually a nation outside of and beyond Holyrood: it is called Scotland.

I welcome the hon. Member to her place and congratulate her on her recent by-election victory.

This Government’s focus is to make the existing devolution settlement work effectively. For too long, we have watched centralisation of decision making taking place at Holyrood, pulling powers away from local communities across Scotland, and it is time that changed. I remind the SNP-led Scottish Government that there is actually a nation outside of and beyond Holyrood: it is called Scotland.

Devolution appears to be all the rage at the moment, and the Secretary of State will know fine well that the Scottish Parliament recently voted to devolve energy powers back to Scotland. So in this new spirit of renewed co-operation and trust that we are apparently about to start to see, can I ask the Secretary of State when the UK Government will respect the vote of the Scottish Parliament and devolve energy powers back to Scotland?

Devolution appears to be all the rage at the moment, and the Secretary of State will know fine well that the Scottish Parliament recently voted to devolve energy powers back to Scotland. So in this new spirit of renewed co-operation and trust that we are apparently about to start to see, can I ask the Secretary of State when the UK Government will respect the vote of the Scottish Parliament and devolve energy powers back to Scotland?

The SNP seems to respect every vote, apart from the constitutional referendum, in which 84% of the Scottish people exercised their democratic choice. The hon. Member she says that devolution is all the rage. With respect, some of us were early adopters. I campaigned for, voted for and supported the Scotland Act 1998 in this House, arguing for a two-Parliament solution to Scotland’s effective governance. Energy policy is one of the areas of policy that is held here at Westminster, albeit that there are important planning considerations in Westminster, but on the substantive point that the centralisation of powers in Holyrood needs to be reversed, I certainly do agree. The hon. Lady seems to have no comment on that. She is obviously replicating the pattern of behaviour of a certain former First Minister.

The SNP seems to respect every vote, apart from the constitutional referendum, in which 84% of the Scottish people exercised their democratic choice. The hon. Member she says that devolution is all the rage. With respect, some of us were early adopters. I campaigned for, voted for and supported the Scotland Act 1998 in this House, arguing for a two-Parliament solution to Scotland’s effective governance. Energy policy is one of the areas of policy that is held here at Westminster, albeit that there are important planning considerations in Westminster, but on the substantive point that the centralisation of powers in Holyrood needs to be reversed, I certainly do agree. The hon. Lady seems to have no comment on that. She is obviously replicating the pattern of behaviour of a certain former First Minister.

For 23 years, I proudly served in Scotland’s NHS, working alongside dedicated hard-working brilliant nurses. Under the SNP Government, those very nurses are paying higher income tax than colleagues anywhere else in the UK. Does the Secretary of State agree that instead of demanding more power, the SNP Government should use the powers they already have to concentrate on delivering better public services and better value for Scotland’s taxpayers?

For 23 years, I proudly served in Scotland’s NHS, working alongside dedicated hard-working brilliant nurses. Under the SNP Government, those very nurses are paying higher income tax than colleagues anywhere else in the UK. Does the Secretary of State agree that instead of demanding more power, the SNP Government should use the powers they already have to concentrate on delivering better public services and better value for Scotland’s taxpayers?

I could not agree more. My own mother worked for many years in the NHS in Ayrshire, at Crosshouse hospital. The Scottish Government are, alas, letting those dedicated NHS workers down. After 19 years in power, they must account for their record on public services, from NHS waiting lists to declining school standards. We used to have an education system that was the envy of the world. The priority should be on delivery, not division.

I could not agree more. My own mother worked for many years in the NHS in Ayrshire, at Crosshouse hospital. The Scottish Government are, alas, letting those dedicated NHS workers down. After 19 years in power, they must account for their record on public services, from NHS waiting lists to declining school standards. We used to have an education system that was the envy of the world. The priority should be on delivery, not division.

Famously, we have not heard very much from the right hon. Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham) on his plans for government, although we do know that he seems to be a fan of devolution and its job-creating opportunities—for him. Well, I can tell colleagues from experience: devolution ain’t everything it’s cracked up to be. In Scotland, we have had 20 years of SNP mismanagement, and a pervasive and deeply damaging devolve-and-forget mentality in London. Will the Secretary of State confirm that Labour will not be devolving any more power to Edinburgh?

Famously, we have not heard very much from the right hon. Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham) on his plans for government, although we do know that he seems to be a fan of devolution and its job-creating opportunities—for him. Well, I can tell colleagues from experience: devolution ain’t everything it’s cracked up to be. In Scotland, we have had 20 years of SNP mismanagement, and a pervasive and deeply damaging devolve-and-forget mentality in London. Will the Secretary of State confirm that Labour will not be devolving any more power to Edinburgh?

I hardly think that the SNP mismanagement the hon. Gentleman rightly describes should damn devolution in the eyes of everyone in this Chamber. It is perfectly possible to drive a Ferrari into a ditch, which is pretty much what we have seen over the last 19 years.

I hardly think that the SNP mismanagement the hon. Gentleman rightly describes should damn devolution in the eyes of everyone in this Chamber. It is perfectly possible to drive a Ferrari into a ditch, which is pretty much what we have seen over the last 19 years.

We have demonstrated that we are unafraid to step in and act when decisions taken by the Scottish Government are to the detriment of Scots and Scotland—for example, in the case of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill a few years ago. Will the Secretary of State commit today to urging the new Prime Minister to think long and hard about how devolution in the hands of the SNP is failing Scotland and Scotland’s economy, and examine how, on this Government’s watch, SNP Ministers have been able to jet around the world on taxpayer jollies, allow British civil servants to draw up plans to tear Britain apart, and spend countless hundreds of thousands pursuing a narrow, divisive agenda that is focused on pulling Scotland apart rather than growing it together?

We have demonstrated that we are unafraid to step in and act when decisions taken by the Scottish Government are to the detriment of Scots and Scotland—for example, in the case of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill a few years ago. Will the Secretary of State commit today to urging the new Prime Minister to think long and hard about how devolution in the hands of the SNP is failing Scotland and Scotland’s economy, and examine how, on this Government’s watch, SNP Ministers have been able to jet around the world on taxpayer jollies, allow British civil servants to draw up plans to tear Britain apart, and spend countless hundreds of thousands pursuing a narrow, divisive agenda that is focused on pulling Scotland apart rather than growing it together?

An awareness of all those issues is not simply for the incoming Prime Minister, but for anybody who reads a newspaper in Scotland. What we have witnessed is a travesty of the potential of devolution. It is not simply the distraction of focusing on issues that are not devolved, but the SNP’s abject failure in policy area after policy area that is devolved: ferries, hospitals, schools—the list goes on.

An awareness of all those issues is not simply for the incoming Prime Minister, but for anybody who reads a newspaper in Scotland. What we have witnessed is a travesty of the potential of devolution. It is not simply the distraction of focusing on issues that are not devolved, but the SNP’s abject failure in policy area after policy area that is devolved: ferries, hospitals, schools—the list goes on.

Whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the devolution of further powers to Scotland.

Whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the devolution of further powers to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Government in the last 12 months on coordinating resilience planning for risks that span reserved and devolved responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Government in the last 12 months on coordinating resilience planning for risks that span reserved and devolved responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the devolving of power to local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the devolving of power to local authorities.

Motion that this House has considered Government support for the Glasgow city region. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered Government support for the Glasgow city region. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for the Glasgow city region economy.

It is a pleasure to serve with you chairing, Ms Jardine. The Glasgow city region is at the heart of the Scottish economy and is a fundamental pillar of the larger UK economy. Home to...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for the Glasgow city region economy.

It is a pleasure to serve with you chairing, Ms Jardine. The Glasgow city region is at the heart of the Scottish economy and is a fundamental pillar of the larger UK economy. Home to...

I commend the hon. Member for bringing this forward. I spoke to him beforehand about city region deals recognising the situation in Glasgow and my constituency, yet this work has only just begun. Does he agree that sustained funding has to be available to local councils to build on those...

I commend the hon. Member for bringing this forward. I spoke to him beforehand about city region deals recognising the situation in Glasgow and my constituency, yet this work has only just begun. Does he agree that sustained funding has to be available to local councils to build on those...

I thank the hon. Member for that intervention. I agree and will go on in my speech to talk about how the work of the city deals needs to be developed further. Those structures and activities need to be built on to ensure we get the most from that initial...

I thank the hon. Member for that intervention. I agree and will go on in my speech to talk about how the work of the city deals needs to be developed further. Those structures and activities need to be built on to ensure we get the most from that initial...

My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech and an important contribution. We have seen in other UK cities the difference that city region mayors can make, whether in Manchester or in Liverpool and whether on bus franchising or attracting investment. Does he agree that one of the things Glasgow...

My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech and an important contribution. We have seen in other UK cities the difference that city region mayors can make, whether in Manchester or in Liverpool and whether on bus franchising or attracting investment. Does he agree that one of the things Glasgow...

Yes, I agree that we need devolution of power from Holyrood. One of the ironies of the devolution period in Scotland is that although powers have been devolved from the UK to Scotland, power has been hoarded in the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government and not devolved to local government...

Yes, I agree that we need devolution of power from Holyrood. One of the ironies of the devolution period in Scotland is that although powers have been devolved from the UK to Scotland, power has been hoarded in the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government and not devolved to local government...

One in eight local authorities in the Glasgow city region is in my constituency. The Clyde is more than just Glasgow; it is the towns and areas up and down both sides of the Clyde. Does my hon. Friend agree that UK Government funding, not least the £60 million local...

One in eight local authorities in the Glasgow city region is in my constituency. The Clyde is more than just Glasgow; it is the towns and areas up and down both sides of the Clyde. Does my hon. Friend agree that UK Government funding, not least the £60 million local...

I thank my hon. Friend for his customarily well versed arguments for his constituency and the skills, developments and opportunities there. It is true that when we talk about the city region we are talking about not just the city itself but all parts of the city and the surrounding...

I thank my hon. Friend for his customarily well versed arguments for his constituency and the skills, developments and opportunities there. It is true that when we talk about the city region we are talking about not just the city itself but all parts of the city and the surrounding...