TORY Scottish Secretary David Mundell was yesterday accused of making “bizarre and unhelpful” comments as he argued against Scotland having a say in UK immigration policy.
Mundell admitted Scotland has “specific issues that need to be dealt with” – but at the same time said it should be treated the same as other parts of the UK.
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The comments came at a meeting at which UK Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes rejected a call from Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee chairman and SNP MP Pete Wishart for the Scottish Government to be given a seat on an independent expert committee which advises on immigration. Nokes likened this to “any county council” in England having a role.
Mundell argued that while Scotland had a range of demographic and population issues, different parts of the UK had similar problems.
He said: “Scotland has specific issues which need to be dealt with. But these issues apply in other parts of the United Kingdom. There are more seasonal workers in Lincolnshire than there are in Scotland.”
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Wishart asked: “Do you not accept Scotland has a range of demographic and population issues that are different from the UK as a whole?”
Mundell said: “We do take a different approach, because I don’t want to see Scotland in a separatist manner, that everything in Scotland has to be separate and different if that isn’t the best way to deal with it.”
The SNP MP responded: “I find that language bizarre and really not useful and helpful at all. What we’re trying to achieve here is an evidence-based inquiry to see what we can do to improve the immigration situation of Scotland. To use language like that isn’t helpful.”
Nokes said while the Home Office is represented on the committee, there would be a difficulty in giving the Scottish Government a similar role. She said: “I do not think there is any greater case to put a Scottish Government official on it than one from the Welsh Assembly or indeed any county council who wanted to come forward pointing out there was a specific shortage in their area.”
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