Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale MP David Mundell who attended today’s State Opening of Parliament has welcomed the commitment of Her Majesty’s Government to the United Kingdom in the Queen’s Speech.
As part the annual Speech to Parliament which includes a list of measures and legislation that Parliament will consider in the next year Her Majesty said: “My Government will continue to make the case for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom.” Mr Mundell welcomed this inclusion of this issue arguing that it emphasise the Governments absolute commitment to preventing the breakup of Great Britain.
Mr Mundell also welcomed a range of measures aimed at supporting hard working people and families as well as boosting economic growth.
The measures will see benefits for Scotland which include:
• Additional support for childcare for 210,000 families, with 310,000 children, in Scotland
• 70,000 businesses in Scotland sharing in saving £100m from additional National Insurance contributions relief
• 35,000 firms in Scotland taken out of National Insurance contributions altogether, with every business and charity entitled to a £2,000 Employment Allowance
• The introduction of a single-tier pension system
• The development of the high-speed rail network, which will reduce journey times between Scotland and the rest of the UK
• Draft provisions for clearer rights for consumers across the UK
Commenting following the Speech, local MP David Mundell said: “Her Majesty did well as always to maintain neutrality when giving her address to Parliament however the inclusion of the Government’s commitment to campaign to keep the UK intact emphasises its absolute commitment to the belief we are better together. It shows how seriously the UK Government are taking the issue of independence ahead of the referendum in little over a year’s time.”
Mr Mundell added: “I was also pleased that there were a number of new measures announced today that will support hard working people and families across my constituency and help businesses to employ more people. The Government continues to make difficult decisions but I am doing everything I can to make sure that local people are getting the best deal and today’s speech shows the Government is listening.”