No Show!

The UK Government has declined to give evidence to the Scottish Parliament on its UK Internal Market Bill. 

The UK Government says it regrets that Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP (above) will not be able to appear before Holyrood’s Finance and Constitution Committee on account of the “tight legislative timeline” for the Bill that is currently going through Westminster.

Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP says he is ‘dismayed’ by the declined invitation. 

The UK Government acknowledges “all aspects” of the Internal Market Bill will require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament.

Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP said: “The UK Internal Market Bill will affect many people’s lives and livelihoods in Scotland.  It will also have a profound impact on the devolution settlement and on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

“The UK Government already recognises and accepts that all aspects of this Bill require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament.
 
“I am genuinely dismayed, therefore, that the Secretary of State for Business will not make time to give evidence to our committee, as we consider whether or not to recommend that consent be given to this UK Bill.

“Our report to the Scottish Parliament will not have the benefit of direct evidence from the UK Government and that is a matter of regret, as is the discourtesy that colleagues will infer from the UK Government’s response.”

Mr Crawford added: “Under my convenership, this committee has always set out to engage constructively with the UK Government.  Indeed, we will hear from Mr Hands on the Trade Bill next week. 

“It is implausible why a UK Minister is available for the relatively limited impact on devolution of that Bill, while not being available for the Internal Market Bill which has a potentially huge impact on the people of Scotland.”

The text of the email from Mr Sharma’s office is below.

The declined request cites the Bill’s “tight legislative timeline”, which was set by the UK Government.

Full text of email dated 15 September 2020:

Hi (Name of Clerk to Committee),

Apologies for the delay and thank you for your invitation for the SoS to give evidence to the committee. Given the tight legislative timeline for the Bill, it is with regret that the SoS will be unable to attend this committee session. We look forward to the findings of the Committee’s engagement on the UK internal market Bill.

Thanks,
(Name of Private Secretary)
Office of Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP

More on the Committee’s scrutiny of the Internal Market Bill can be found here.

Finance Ministers’ “deep concern” over UK Internal Market Bill

Spending proposals would “reverse devolution”.

Finance Ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have met to discuss a range of fiscal matters and voiced their collective concerns about the financial implications the UK Internal Market Bill will have on devolved governments.

Kate Forbes, Rebecca Evans and Conor Murphy expressed their joint concerns on the spending powers set out in the Bill which override the existing devolution settlement.

The powers enable the UK Government to undertake spending in devolved areas, including for replacement of EU funding, without any engagement with the devolved nations.

Finance Ministers also voiced concerns about what this could mean for future consequential funding arrangements.

Scotland’s Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes said: “It is entirely unacceptable  that – with no prior notice – the UK Government has written provisions into the Bill that presume Whitehall control over the delivery of replacements for the EU funding programme in Scotland – a programme that Scottish Ministers have delivered successfully for decades. 

“This Bill would also allow the UK Government to dictate how  money is spent in devolved areas  without the consent  of Scottish Ministers. It puts at risk funding for a whole host of capital programmes – schools, hospitals and infrastructure. It reverses the devolution process and we will oppose any attempt to bypass the Scottish Parliament and Government, which are elected by the people of Scotland.

“Not only is it in contravention of the devolution settlement, but it has the potential to create confusion, duplication and unnecessary additional bureaucracy at a time when economic recovery is paramount.”

Welsh Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said: “I am deeply concerned that the Bill gives UK Ministers, for the first time since devolution, powers to fund activity in areas which are clearly devolved to Wales.

“In Wales funding decisions are taken in partnership with local communities, to ensure that they reflect the needs of the people in Wales. The powers set out in the Bill completely undermine devolution and will see decisions currently taken in Wales, clawed back by the UK Government.”

Finance Minister for Northern Ireland, Conor Murphy said: “The Internal Market Bill will give the British Government wide ranging powers to make funding decisions in devolved areas.

“This is greatly concerning and could have huge implications for the Good Friday Agreement. The British Government should not interfere in funding matters which are currently the responsibility of the Devolved Administrations.

“It is also imperative that they provide details on the scope of the Shared Prosperity Fund. This will be a vital source of replacement funding for devolved areas and the lack of meaningful engagement to date is extremely disappointing.”