§ 5. Pete Wishart (North Tayside) (SNP)When he last met the First Minister to discuss extending the power of the Scottish Parliament. [174430]
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Alistair Darling)I am in regular contact with the First Minister, but I have not discussed extending the powers of the Scottish Parliament with him.
§ Pete WishartI thank the Secretary of State for that very illuminating answer. The First Minister has identified Scotland's population problems as perhaps the biggest issue facing Scotland in the short to medium term, yet we remain hampered by a UK immigration policy that actively discourages people from coming here—people whom we desperately require. The First Minister's response to the situation was the announcement of his student visa scheme, which he said was a Scottish solution to a Scottish problem, but far from being a trailblazing scheme, it is a regional pilot for a general UK-wide policy. When are the Secretary of State and the First Minister going to cut through this inept Edinburgh spin and get real with this issue, and does the Secretary of State really believe that Scotland's immigration issues are best served by the current UK immigration policy?
§ Mr. DarlingWhat a load of nonsense. The First Minister has rightly identified the fact that the declining population in Scotland is a problem: it is a problem now, and it will be in the future. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] "Why?" they say—simply because if we have an ageing population and a declining population, the costs increase. It is incredible that Opposition Members do not understand fundamental points like that. As I said, the First Minister has correctly identified the problem and the fresh talent initiative that he announced is designed to encourage people of talent to come to Scotland and to stay in Scotland. That should be supported and encouraged, and we certainly do so.