I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Opposition Front Bench and the Chairman of the Justice Committee for their extremely kind comments. I welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court. The Court was very clear—it was a

unanimous decision—that a Bill legislating for a referendum on Scottish independence is not within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

The UK Supreme Court was very clear that an independence referendum was related to reserved matters, and the Government welcome the Court’s confirmation of this point. What the people of Scotland want is to see the Government working with them to solve the issues that matter to them.

The eighth edition of the Statement of Funding Policy was published alongside Spending Review 2020 and can be found here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/943689/Statement_of_Funding_Policy_2020.pdf

The eighth edition of the Statement of Funding Policy will be published alongside the Comprehensive Spending Review, which will conclude in the Autumn.

The devolved nations, institutions and their respective devolution settlements are all different, reflecting their circumstances and history, and are considered as individual entities.

The Smith Commission did not recommend any change to the reserved status of employment and industrial relations policy in Scotland.

The devolved nations, institutions and their respective devolution settlements are all different and are considered as individual organisations. The devolution settlements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland enable different powers to each of the respective devolved legislatures and to the Ministers of the devolved administrations.

State Pension across the UK is funded from National Insurance contributions, with there being one National Insurance Fund which serves Great Britain and a separate fund serving Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Fund is administered in line with the principle of parity with Great Britain.

The Northern Ireland Act 1998 sets out reserved and excepted matters, and anything not specifically mentioned in these lists is deemed to be transferred to the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly. This includes all pensions-related legislation. However, in general, social security and pensions in Northern Ireland operate in parity with Great Britain, and there are mechanisms in place to provide for liaison between the National Insurance Funds in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Recommendations on which areas of social security should be devolved to Scotland, agreed by the five main parties represented in the Scottish Parliament, were contained in the Smith Commission report published on 27 November 2014. These recommendations were taken forward and formed the basis of the Scotland Act 2016.

This is a joint review between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations, and it is incumbent on all Administrations to make progress. There are ongoing discussions across the review’s work streams, which will be discussed at the next meeting of Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations), which is next week.

At every Scottish Question Time we hear the assertion that this or that will be a boost for Scottish independence—it has got to the stage where if the chicken crosses the road, it will be a boost for Scottish independence. It is for individual candidates in the Conservative leadership elections to answer questions about their own position and background.

Mr Speaker, may I take this opportunity to mark the 20th anniversary of the first elections to the Scottish Parliament? Three current Members of this House were elected to that Parliament back in 1999, including me, but, far more importantly, it is a good time to reflect on devolution and the potential of the Holyrood Parliament to improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

The UK Government, including my Department, continue to engage in frequent and extensive discussions with the Scottish Government in a number of forums to discuss all aspects related to EU exit. Leaving the EU will of course result in substantially increased powers for the Scottish Parliament.

Of course I agree with that principle, but I would point the hon. Gentleman to the recent opinion poll showing that only one in five people in Scotland want another independence referendum before 2021.

The Government have no plans to devolve functions of the Department for International Development to the devolved Administrations, but we are giving people in all parts of the UK more control over how aid money is spent.

In line with the answer that the Minister of State, Department for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member for West Worcestershire (Harriett Baldwin), gave some moments ago, the Government’s position on UNESCO has not changed, nor has mine. We continue to monitor the quality of the multilaterals that we work with. I have funded new projects with UNESCO, looking particularly at data on education, and we will continue to do that.

The devolution settlements for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are each unique and areas that are devolved in one part of the UK may not be devolved in another. This reflects the history and development of the different devolution settlements across the UK. The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales and I work closely together to ensure that these settlements work for the people of the various parts of the UK.

In 2014, the Smith Commission considered in great depth what new powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and the report was agreed by all five of Scotland’s main political parties. The Scotland Act 2016 delivers on the Smith Commission Agreement in full, and we are committed to implementing the Act. The Scottish devolution settlement strikes the right balance for Scotland and now is not the time to reopen this issue.

The devolution settlements for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are each unique and areas that are devolved in one part of the UK may not be devolved in another. This reflects the history and development of the different devolution settlements across the UK. The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales and I work closely together to ensure that these settlements work for the people of the various parts of the UK.

In 2014, the Smith Commission considered in great depth what new powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and the report was agreed by all five of Scotland’s main political parties. The Scotland Act 2016 delivers on the Smith Commission Agreement in full, and we are committed to implementing the Act. The Scottish devolution settlement strikes the right balance for Scotland and now is not the time to reopen this issue.

The devolution settlements for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are each unique and areas that are devolved in one part of the UK may not be devolved in another. This reflects the history and development of the different devolution settlements across the UK. The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales and I work closely together to ensure that these settlements work for the people of the various parts of the UK.

In 2014, the Smith Commission considered in great depth what new powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and the report was agreed by all five of Scotland’s main political parties. The Scotland Act 2016 delivers on the Smith Commission Agreement in full, and we are committed to implementing the Act. The Scottish devolution settlement strikes the right balance for Scotland and now is not the time to reopen this issue.

The devolution settlements for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are each unique and areas that are devolved in one part of the UK may not be devolved in another. This reflects the history and development of the different devolution settlements across the UK. The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales and I work closely together to ensure that these settlements work for the people of the various parts of the UK.

In 2014, the Smith Commission considered in great depth what new powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and the report was agreed by all five of Scotland’s main political parties. The Scotland Act 2016 delivers on the Smith Commission Agreement in full, and we are committed to implementing the Act. The Scottish devolution settlement strikes the right balance for Scotland and now is not the time to reopen this issue.

The devolution settlements for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are each unique and areas that are devolved in one part of the UK may not be devolved in another. This reflects the history and development of the different devolution settlements across the UK. The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales and I work closely together to ensure that these settlements work for the people of the various parts of the UK.

In 2014, the Smith Commission considered in great depth what new powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and the report was agreed by all five of Scotland’s main political parties. The Scotland Act 2016 delivers on the Smith Commission Agreement in full, and we are committed to implementing the Act. The Scottish devolution settlement strikes the right balance for Scotland and now is not the time to reopen this issue.

The devolution settlements for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are each unique and areas that are devolved in one part of the UK may not be devolved in another. This reflects the history and development of the different devolution settlements across the UK. The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales and I work closely together to ensure that these settlements work for the people of the various parts of the UK.

In 2014, the Smith Commission considered in great depth what new powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and the report was agreed by all five of Scotland’s main political parties. The Scotland Act 2016 delivers on the Smith Commission Agreement in full, and we are committed to implementing the Act. The Scottish devolution settlement strikes the right balance for Scotland and now is not the time to reopen this issue.

The devolution settlements for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are each unique and areas that are devolved in one part of the UK may not be devolved in another. This reflects the history and development of the different devolution settlements across the UK. The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales and I work closely together to ensure that these settlements work for the people of the various parts of the UK.

In 2014, the Smith Commission considered in great depth what new powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and the report was agreed by all five of Scotland’s main political parties. The Scotland Act 2016 delivers on the Smith Commission Agreement in full, and we are committed to implementing the Act. The Scottish devolution settlement strikes the right balance for Scotland and now is not the time to reopen this issue.