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801 1 DECEMBER 2010<br />
802<br />
House of Commons<br />
Wednesday 1 December 2010<br />
The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock<br />
PRAYERS<br />
[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]<br />
Oral Answers to Questions<br />
SCOTLAND<br />
The Secretary of State was asked—<br />
Energy<br />
1. John Robertson (Glasgow North West) (Lab):<br />
What (a) recent meetings he has had and (b) meetings<br />
he plans to have with representatives of Scottish Power<br />
to discuss the energy industry in Scotland. [26707]<br />
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Michael Moore):<br />
I have regular meetings with the energy industry, including<br />
with Scottish Power, and will continue to do so, given<br />
the sector’s importance to the Scottish economy.<br />
John Robertson: I thank the Secretary of State for his<br />
answer. He says that he has had these meetings, yet<br />
British Gas, Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern<br />
Energy have said that on no occasion has he ever<br />
discussed the price hiking that these companies are<br />
undertaking. When will he try to support the people of<br />
Scotland by doing something about the price hikes?<br />
Michael Moore: What I recognise is the importance<br />
of ensuring that we get a fair deal for consumers, as well<br />
as for the shareholders—the companies are concerned<br />
about that. As the hon. Gentleman will know, Ofgem<br />
has announced an inquiry into consumer protection<br />
and competition in the sector. I expect that to be a very<br />
thorough process.<br />
Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/<br />
Co-op): I am glad to see that the Secretary of State was<br />
able to get back from Scotland to be <strong>here</strong> today, despite<br />
the cold weather and the travel difficulties. Given that<br />
cold weather, and the increase in energy bills that many<br />
people have experienced, is he aware of the concern<br />
among many of my constituents and many others that<br />
the most vulnerable people will struggle to pay their<br />
bills, when they should be entitled to be on social<br />
tariffs? Will he t<strong>here</strong>fore undertake to convene a summit<br />
of the six energy companies to discuss, in particular,<br />
what they are doing to ensure that people who should<br />
be on social tariffs are on them, and that people in<br />
Scotland are not left cold at home this winter?<br />
Michael Moore: I am glad of the hon. Gentleman’s<br />
welcome, and I appreciate, as he will, that many people<br />
in Scotland, and indeed in the whole of the <strong>United</strong><br />
<strong>Kingdom</strong>, have been struggling to get to work and go<br />
about their business today. He rightly focuses on temperature<br />
and the fact that this will cause extra difficulty for<br />
people, so I am sure he will welcome the fact that we are<br />
maintaining the cold weather payments and the winter<br />
fuel allowance. I am certainly happy to discuss ideas of<br />
getting together with the different energy companies to<br />
make sure that they are properly focused on the needs<br />
of their customers.<br />
Asylum Seekers<br />
2. Anas Sarwar (Glasgow Central) (Lab): What<br />
discussions he has had with the UK Border Agency on<br />
the cancellation of its contract with Glasgow city<br />
council to provide services to asylum seekers. [26708]<br />
5. Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP):<br />
What recent discussions he has had with the UK<br />
Border Agency on the welfare of asylum seekers in<br />
Scotland. [26711]<br />
The <strong>Parliament</strong>ary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland<br />
(David Mundell): The Secretary of State and I are in<br />
regular contact with the Home Office on matters relating<br />
to asylum seekers. I understand that the UK Border<br />
Agency is working closely with support organisations in<br />
Glasgow to ensure that t<strong>here</strong> is minimum disruption to<br />
those affected by the termination of UKBA’s housing<br />
contract with Glasgow city council.<br />
Anas Sarwar: I thank the Minister for that answer.<br />
Does he think it acceptable that no detailed discussions<br />
were held between UKBA and either Ypeople or the<br />
Angel Group ahead of the decision to scrap the contract<br />
with Glasgow city council, even though they will be<br />
made to take responsibility for more than 1,000 asylum<br />
seekers in the city? Will he agree to meet representatives<br />
of all those involved in the dispute, so that he can make<br />
an informed contribution to the Immigration Minister?<br />
David Mundell: I will certainly be happy to meet the<br />
hon. Gentleman and other people who have an interest<br />
in this matter. I know that he has already had the<br />
opportunity to meet UKBA, and I think that he will<br />
share with me the positive view that although the people<br />
involved will no longer have a contract with Glasgow<br />
city council and will instead have one with another<br />
provider, many of them will stay in the same properties<br />
and that will minimise disruption.<br />
Pete Wishart: Does the Minister even start to understand<br />
and appreciate the outrage that exists in Scotland about<br />
the treatment of asylum seekers? This is not just about<br />
the Glasgow situation, appalling though that is; it is<br />
also about the detention of children and the operation<br />
of the section 4 card. Will he get down to the UKBA to<br />
explain that we look at these issues very differently in<br />
Scotland and we expect the UKBA to act accordingly?<br />
David Mundell: I do recognise that t<strong>here</strong> are concerns<br />
in Scotland about how the matter in Glasgow was<br />
handled, and the Immigration Minister accepts that the<br />
correspondence with those affected could have been<br />
much better handled. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman<br />
will welcome, as I do, the inquiry that the Scottish<br />
Affairs Committee is conducting into relations in Scotland<br />
with UKBA.