Scottish Secretary defends trip to Westminster to face MPs
Alistair Jack was asked to explain his journey from his Dumfries and Galloway constituency by Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP Allan Dorans
Alister Jack has defended travelling to answer questions at Westminster, amid claims he ignored the Scottish Government’s lockdown guidelines.
SNP MP Allan Dorans (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) asked the Scottish Secretary to explain the justification for his round trip from his Dumfries and Galloway constituency to appear at the despatch box in the House of Commons.
Mr Jack insisted he had travelled via train safely and would isolate upon his return.
Boris Johnson was also pressed by Mr Dorans to “condemn or condone” Mr Jack's behaviour, to which the Prime Minister replied: “All I can say is no. I won't. I think the Secretary of State for Scotland does an admirable job.”
Appearing at Scotland Questions, Mr Dorans earlier said: “What justification does the Secretary of State have for ignoring Scottish Government guidelines to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives by undertaking an almost 700-mile round trip to Westminster when he could safely work virtually from home today?”
Mr Jack replied: “Members of Parliament are key workers, but more importantly, as a Cabinet minister and a Secretary of State, it is right that I should be here in the chamber so I can be properly scrutinised and answer these questions.
“I came down at the weekend, I travelled on a train very safely, I will return safely and I will be isolating myself when I do - but that is only because I go back to family.”
He added that “for me, it's absolutely about being here, being scrutinised and being at the despatch box”.
MPs are able to contribute to proceedings via Zoom although the Government is seeking to end this from June 2.
Mr Jack also said the silence over coronavirus infections in attendees at a Nike conference in Edinburgh in February was “a matter for the Scottish Government and how they handled it”.
Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray said: “The Secretary of State will be aware of the February outbreak of Covid-19 at an international Nike conference in central Edinburgh.
“In a catastrophic error of judgment, the Scottish Government decided that the Scottish public would not be informed despite that being contrary to Scottish public health legislation.”
He added: “Can the Secretary of State tell the House if the UK Government was informed and why the public were not told given the subsequent disinfecting and closure of subsequent Nike outlets across the UK, and how many lives could have been saved as a result?”
Mr Jack replied: “I believe maximum transparency is important when it comes to matters of public health because I believe it is important that we treat the public as adults.
“And to that end, I would like to make it clear to him that the Scottish Government informed Public Health England - an agency, as you know - of one case of Covid-19 on March 2 and two further cases on March 4.”
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