Kirsty McNeill MP: speeches

Speeches

• 10 Feb 2026 · Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026 · Hansard source

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  Let me just put on the record my great thanks to the Committee and its Chair, my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow West, for their scrutiny. I hope I will cover all the points that she raised.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026 · Hansard source

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  It is required and desirable because we believe the integrity of the medicines regulatory regime should be maintained across the United Kingdom. We are trying to strike a balance. We want to give the Scottish Parliament the ability to confer the power to Scottish Ministers to identify in this case, and in only this case, that substances and devices that could be used in assisted dying are able to be so used if that is the will of the Scottish Parliament. Of course, that is provided that that is done by way of subordinate legislation made with the agreement of the Secretary of State. The order also provides that the Scottish Parliament may confer powers on the Secretary of State to regulate such substances and devices by subordinate legislation. In our view, they are separate matters and we are trying to find a balance between the two. Turning to the questions raised by the Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee—

• 10 Feb 2026 · Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026 · Hansard source

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  I thank hon. Members for their contributions and consideration—I hope to cover all the points raised in turn. I will begin with reflections from the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, who asked why this debate was not conducted on the Floor of the Commons. As he will know, because we have sat opposite each other in this space many times, Scotland Act 1998 orders are generally considered in Delegated Legislation Committees and subsequently put to the House by a motion, so that is entirely in keeping with normal practice. The hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire asked for clarification of the UK Government’s role in medicines regulation and, indeed, a justification for that. The UK Government’s role in medicines regulation is to set and oversee the UK-wide statutory framework that ensures licensed medicines are safe, effective and of high quality before they can be supplied to patients. In our view, it is critical that regulatory consistency is maintained across the UK. It has been a key priority post the EU exit, and we have prioritised avoiding any divergence between regulatory approaches. The limited nature of that change will ensure that the overall integrity of the UK-wide medicines regime is retained, whether the Scottish Parliament approves the McArthur Bill or not. Staying with that line of questioning, the hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire asked why the Secretary of State will continue to have the final say over how that power is used. The draft order’s change to the legislative competence is specifically designed to allow for that to be retained, because we think that the UK Government have an appropriate role in the overarching regulation of medicines across the UK. That is why it is, and will remain, reserved. However, we do want to enable the Scottish Parliament to introduce provisions that could confer power in that way—in a way that simultaneously maintains the integrity of the UK medicines regime and allows the Scottish Parliament to debate that which is legitimately inside their competence.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026 · Hansard source

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  Officials of both Governments are working through a range of scenarios, but what we cannot do is table an order about a Bill that has not been passed. There are ongoing discussions, as we would hope and expect, but we cannot use a section 104 order until a Bill has received Royal Assent. The Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee has asked for clarification on whether the Scottish Parliament would be able to amend or repeal the Act’s regulation-making powers in a future Scottish parliamentary Session. I am pleased to clarify that if the Bill is passed and contains regulatory-making powers authorised by a section 30 order, it would not be possible for the Scottish Parliament to amend or repeal those regulation-making powers in a future Session. The time limits in this section 30 order mean that it would no longer be within the Scottish Parliament’s legislative competence to do so. Instead, subject to the Secretary of State’s approval, they would be able to revoke or amend the regulations that have been made under those powers. I will take a moment to answer the question that the Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee raised about receiving a copy of the response to the report in a timely fashion. We have responded, and I am grateful to the Committee for submitting it, but her points about timeliness and courtesy are well taken. I will make sure that courtesies are observed in future. The hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire asked about whether the UK Government would consent to a future section 104 order request. As per the correspondence between the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government, we understand that the Scottish Government will seek the agreement of the UK Government after the Bill passes. That will ensure that practitioners are protected should they choose to opt out of an assisted dying service. We expect to agree in principle to take forward that order, but it will be considered in the usual way, once we have actual legislation to look at. The hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire also asked whether, in effect, failure to pass this draft order would have the practical effect of stopping legislation progressing in the Scottish Parliament. That is our view. We must pass this today to give practical expression to whatever choice the Scottish Parliament makes. It is their choice to make, but whatever that is, we believe it is our constitutional responsibility to facilitate the progress of legislation through the Scottish Parliament. A number of questions were asked about the justification for a time limit in the draft order. The time limit reflects two things. First, it reflects that this is not a permanent—perhaps to the displeasure of the hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire—alteration to the devolution settlement, and secondly, that it would not be appropriate to pre-empt consideration by any future Scottish Parliament and attempt to bind it in that way. The section 30 order on an independence referendum illustrates that there is a precedent for including a time limit in a section 30 order. We have concluded that it is appropriate to provide for temporary, and temporary only, devolution of legislative competence in a section 30 order, because it is seeking to address a very specific issue. We are considering a very narrow and technical order that provides the Scottish Parliament with a time-limited ability to include powers in the Bill to identify and regulate substances and devices that could be used in an assisted dying regime. It is important to be clear that the draft order enables the Scottish Parliament to do that, if it chooses—it in no way compels it to. The decision on whether to create an assisted dying regime in Scotland remains, as it should be, a decision for Members of the Scottish Parliament. Although the Government remain neutral on assisted dying, we believe that our approach with this draft order is appropriate.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026 · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. The draft order was laid before the House on 17 December 2025. As with all orders made under the Scotland Act 1998 that we have considered since the start of this Parliament, the order is the result of close collaborative working between the UK and Scottish Governments. The order before us is made under section 30 of the Scotland Act, which provides the power for the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament to be altered. Specifically, it enables modifications to be made to schedules 4 or 5 of the Scotland Act. Orders made under that provision are subject to the affirmative procedure in the UK and Scottish Parliaments. The order was considered by the Scottish Parliament, having been considered by the Health and Social Care Committee, and it will be considered in the other place. I now turn to the purpose of the draft order. The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill is a Member’s Bill introduced by Liam McArthur MSP. It is currently before the Scottish Parliament and seeks to create an assisted dying regime in Scotland. I am acutely aware of the sincerely and strongly held views on the topic, and I emphasise that the UK Government are neutral on the matter of assisted dying. It is a matter for MSPs in the Scottish Parliament to determine whether there should be an assisted dying regime in Scotland. The Scottish Government identified areas of the Bill as being outside legislative competence and, as such, requested a section 30 Scotland Act order from the UK Government in respect of substances and medical devices, as they considered that such provisions are fundamental to the operability of the Bill. The UK Government considered the request carefully and, following engagement with the Scottish Government, concluded that making a narrow, time-limited section 30 order would be the most appropriate action. That approach enables Members of the Scottish Parliament to consider the Bill in the Scottish Parliament with clarity as to how the matter of substances and devices that may be used for an assisted dying regime in Scotland could be dealt with, while protecting reserved matters such as medicines regulation. I emphasise that this is a limited and temporary change to the Scotland Act 1998. To explain the time-limited nature of the draft order further, this section 30 order is time limited so as to reflect the circumstances of the Scottish Parliament Bill and the upcoming Scottish elections in May. The time-limited nature of the order reflects that, first, this is not a fundamental or permanent alteration to the devolution settlement and, secondly, it would not be appropriate to pre-empt consideration by a future Scottish Parliament. The time limit applies to the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament but will not affect the future exercise of any regulation-making functions conferred by the Bill beyond 7 May 2026, should the Scottish Parliament determine to do so. The draft order has been designed specifically to ensure that the Scottish Parliament can create an overall framework for medicines and devices to be used in an assisted dying regime, should it decide to do so. In particular, I take this opportunity to thank members of the Scottish Affairs Committee for their carefully considered report on the SI. On the question of whether the Scottish Parliament would be able to amend or repeal the regulation-making powers under any Act in a future Scottish parliamentary Session—if the Bill is passed and contains regulation-making powers authorised by section 30 order—it would not be possible for the Scottish Parliament to amend or repeal those regulation-making powers in a future Session. The time limits within the section 30 order mean that that would no longer be within the Scottish Parliament’s legislative competence to do. Subject to the Secretary of State’s approval, it would instead be able to revoke or amend the regulations that had been made under those powers. I am aware that the content of the draft order has prompted queries about the approach that the Government have taken: first, on why the Government have taken forward a section 30 order and not, for example, a section 104 order; secondly, on the scope of the draft order and the matters that are not included; and, thirdly, on the likelihood of other orders being brought forward under the Scotland Act 1998. A Committee scrutinised the draft order and the Scottish Affairs Committee considered it, and they both raised those points. I take this opportunity to thank them for their scrutiny and to provide answers, as follows. The Government consider all requests for Scotland Act orders carefully. They look at what, if any, provisions made under the Scotland Act 1998 may be appropriate. That includes section 104 of the Act. Section 104 is routinely used to make provision in consequence of an Act of the Scottish Parliament—that is to say, once a Bill has Royal Assent. In this instance, it was not considered an appropriate option due to the limitations of the power. Section 104 cannot be used before a Bill achieves Royal Assent. The request was to take action before, because in the Scottish Government’s view, the provisions were fundamental to the operation of the Bill. Moreover, section 104 cannot be used to create regulation-making functions. Section 30 was considered appropriate as it enables the Scottish Parliament to introduce regulation-making powers within the narrow scope of the order. In essence, section 30 was in this instance the only means of achieving both of those outcomes. The Government therefore believe that their approach is appropriate in the circumstances. On the second point, the Government have been asked why the order does not include further subject areas that the Scottish Government have identified as being outside competence. The Government’s view is consistent: it is a matter for the Scottish Parliament to ensure that the legislation is within competence. Although section 30 orders have been used occasionally in the past as Bills have proceeded through the Scottish Parliament, it is not a regular practice nor would be expect it to be. We have agreed to it in those circumstances. Consequential legislation is, however, routinely taken forward and is rightly considered by this House. Such consequential orders cover matters that cannot be legislated for by the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government asked the UK Government to consider section 104 orders in relation to professional regulation and opt-in measures, and subsequently, to consider a section 30 order in respect of those provisions. The UK Government position is that consequential legislation is the appropriate means of addressing or considering reserve provisions. Fundamentally, the Government are not seeking to substantially alter the devolution settlement via this order. Therefore, it is appropriate that the order is narrow and addresses the key questions asked of us. Ministerial correspondence confirms that the Scottish Government were seeking agreement to a section 30 order on the narrow scope of substances and devices, with further consideration to be given to section 104 orders. The UK Government have agreed to further requests and consequential legislation, which is a normal occurrence. Of course, the order before the Committee is the order the Government have agreed to take forward with the Scottish Government on the matter of substances and devices. That is the matter that the Government is seeking the approval of the Committee on. Both Governments agree that the specification of substances and devices, as well as their associated regulation, is fundamental to the operation of the Bill before the Scottish Parliament and the workability of the assisted dying regime, which the Bill seeks to introduce. I reiterate that the UK Government maintain their neutral stance on assisted dying and do not endorse any particular outcome of the consideration of the Bill before the Scottish Parliament. I recognise that there is interest in the existence of schemes across the UK in view of the legislation being considered by the Scottish and UK Parliaments. The position is not changed by this order. The order has been specifically designed to ensure that the Scottish Parliament can create an overall framework for medicines and devices to be used in an assisted dying regime, should it choose to do so.

• 20 Jan 2026 · Draft Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Carer’s Assistance) (Consequential Modifications) Order 2026 · Hansard source

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  I thank Members for their contributions. I not only thank the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine for his support for the technical nature of the change, but note and share his view that the Scottish Government are indeed incredibly careless with taxpayers’ money. I would go further and say, on behalf of the Labour Government, that they are addicted to wasting money. That point is noted and is a point of agreement between us. I thank the hon. Member for Mid Dunbartonshire for her party’s support for the changes. This instrument demonstrates the UK Government’s continued commitment to work with the Scottish Government to deliver for Scotland. I commend the draft order to the House. Question put and agreed to.

• 20 Jan 2026 · Draft Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Carer’s Assistance) (Consequential Modifications) Order 2026 · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Carer’s Assistance) (Consequential Modifications) Order 2026. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Christopher. The draft order was laid before the House on 8 December, and I am grateful for the opportunity to debate it. As with all the Scotland Act orders we have considered since the start of this Parliament, this one is the result of collaborative working between the UK and Scottish Governments. The order will be made under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 which, following an Act of the Scottish Parliament, provides the power for consequential provisions to be made in respect of the law relating to reserved matters or the laws elsewhere in the UK. Scotland Act orders are a demonstration of devolution in action, and I am pleased to say that the Scotland Office has taken through 12 orders since the Government came to power in July 2024. The Scotland Act 2016 devolved responsibility for certain social security benefits, and employment support, to the Scottish Parliament. This included carer’s allowance, which the Scottish Government replaced with the carer support payment in 2023. This order was introduced to make provisions in consequence of further changes that the Scottish Government have made to their carer support payment. The Scottish Government requested the order, and the UK Government worked collaboratively with them on the draft, showcasing devolution in action. The order makes amendments to the relevant UK and Northern Ireland legislation as a consequence of the Carer’s Assistance (Miscellaneous and Consequential Amendments, Revocation, Transitional and Saving Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2025, which were made on 6 November 2025 and will come into force, in respect of the provisions relevant to this order, on 15 March 2026. The Scottish Government’s regulations introduce additional support—the carer additional person payment—for those who receive carer support payment and care for more than one person; extend support for carers from eight to 12 weeks after the death of the person they care for; and introduce a new Scottish carer supplement which, for most carers, will replace the carer’s allowance supplement that is currently paid under section 81 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018. The order will ensure that the Scottish Government’s changes to the carer support payment are reflected in reserved benefits. In summary, the order makes consequential amendments to UK legislation to reflect the introduction of changes to the carer support payment in Scotland. It is an example of devolution in action, it is about the UK Government working with the Scottish Government to deliver for the people of Scotland, and it reflects the continued strong co-operation between the Scottish and UK Governments.

• 14 Jan 2026 · Tertiary Education · Hansard source

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  First, I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s very passionate advocacy for higher education in Scotland. He will be well aware that the Scottish Government have received an additional £11 billion since the general election, money that could have been spent on Scotland’s world-class universities and colleges, but as a recent Audit Scotland report shows, those institutions have been put under immense stress, with Scottish colleges suffering a 20% cut in real-terms funding since 2021. That is utterly shameful.

• 14 Jan 2026 · Tertiary Education · Hansard source

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  I agree with my hon. Friend that Scotland’s young people have been appallingly let down, which is why it is time for a new direction. I would, of course, be delighted to meet him and representatives of Heriot-Watt to discuss Scotland’s desperate need for a new direction.

• 11 Dec 2025 · St Andrew’s Day and Scottish Affairs · Hansard source

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  I would like to begin by taking the opportunity to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar (Graeme Downie) for securing this debate. I thank him, the hon. Member for North East Fife (Wendy Chamberlain) and my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) for the very interesting history lessons they gave us today, from which I learned a great deal. It is fitting that we are holding this debate to mark St Andrew’s day—even if it is slightly after the date itself. Let me take the opportunity to thank all Members across the House and wish them a very happy, albeit belated, St Andrew’s day. The occasion remains important, as it invites people across Scotland, the United Kingdom, and indeed the world, to reflect on Scotland’s heritage and contribution to our collective UK story. Scotland has always punched above its weight, and it is right that we take this moment to celebrate what our nation contributes to the world. We are, as we have heard often today, a nation that helped to lead the industrial revolution. We have long been a world leader in engineering, philosophy, science and medicine, and we continue proudly to be a key contributor to Scotland and the UK’s defence capability. Our contribution is woven into the fabric of global progress too. In recent years, we have added new chapters to that story—from advances in renewable energy and medical research to the cultural and creative excellence that resonates far beyond our borders. Our world-class universities are advancing innovation in quantum, clean energy and life sciences, and this Labour Government continue to support them. Indeed, in June we invested £750 million in the UK’s largest supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh—headquartered, of course, in Midlothian—which has so often been at the forefront of scientific progress. We have achievements on the world stage that speak to our spirit and resilience. Honestly, I cannot believe it took until the contribution from my hon. Friend the Member for Glenrothes and Mid Fife (Richard Baker) for it to be mentioned in this House that Scotland has, of course, qualified for the world cup. We are also, with Glasgow, hosting the Commonwealth games next summer and will be in a position to showcase not only our sporting ambition but our ability to welcome the world with warmth and confidence. However, our accomplishments should not be measured only in medals and milestones; they should be measured, as for all Governments, in the lives that we change. We secured places in Scotland for Afghan women medical students whose futures were thrown into uncertainty. By opening our doors, we offered not just education, but hope and dignity. As we look outward, Scotland is strengthening its place in the global economy. Labour’s trade deal with India is set to grow the Scottish economy by £190 million every year, in a transformative partnership that opens new markets for our businesses and deepens our ties with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Together, those achievements tell a powerful story: Scotland is a nation that leads, welcomes and builds. It is in that spirit that I welcome today’s debate. My hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar began the debate by paying tribute to working men’s clubs, institutes and miners’ welfare. I am delighted that he did so, because it gives us a chance to reflect on the fact that not only do we belong to those kinds of institutions, but they belong to us. They are theatres of self-help and community power, which is exactly what this Labour Government’s Pride in Place programme is all about. The hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Andrew Bowie) and I do not agree on much these days, but we do agree on this: Scotland has too long been troubled by division. I suspect our remedies for that division would differ, but I believe that we need a new direction with a Government focused resolutely on public services and growth—a new direction offered by Anas Sarwar. The hon. Member for Mid Dunbartonshire (Susan Murray) talked about the ferry fiasco and how terrible it was for islanders. That is true, but it also speaks more widely to a deep sickness at the heart of a Scottish Government who are much more interested in announcements than achievements. The hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper) suggested that this Government are sending money to the Scottish Government without worrying very much about what will happen to it. I can assure him that, on the £11 billion that has been sent to the Scottish Government as a result of this Labour Government’s decisions, we will be watching like hawks. That money is intended to be spent on Scotland’s public services and Scotland’s communities, and if it is not, we Scots will ask, “Where’s the money gone, John?” The hon. Member for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry (Stephen Gethins) asked us to comment on the Government’s commitment to devolution, and I am pleased to reassure him too. Devolution is not simply a destination and it is not even a process; it is, to my mind, a habit of mind that the Scottish Government have simply never acquired because they are obsessed with centralising inside Scotland and talking about what powers will come to Scotland and not what powers will be distributed inside Scotland to communities, where they belong. My hon. Friend the Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Torcuil Crichton) and the right hon. Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (David Mundell) talked about how, despite the very best efforts of our NHS staff, the state of Scotland’s NHS should shame us all. I can refer to stories in Midlothian too, which are similar to those that have been mentioned on the Floor today: one person waiting 120 weeks on a CAMHS waiting list; parents talking about the fact that they had been referred to an urgent ear, nose and throat waiting list, but will still be on that list for two to three years with a child in pain; and a woman in excruciating pain who has been waiting for a gynaecology appointment since the start of the year. What is the answer to that from the SNP? It is simply, “Look at England.” That is of no comfort at all to any of our constituents, and I suspect that that complacency will be roundly rejected in May. My hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow West (Patricia Ferguson), who chairs the Scottish Affairs Committee, whose work I commend, talked with great passion about how, as Scotland, we have to forge a place where people can come together, and although we might not agree on everything, we have to find ways to agree about more. My hon. Friends the Members for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur) and for Bathgate and Linlithgow (Kirsteen Sullivan) gave moving tributes to the extraordinary community groups in their constituencies, which I was delighted to hear about. Some of them I have visited and I look forward to learning more about others. My hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter) paid a moving tribute to the children of Ukraine. I know we all commend her for the work she is doing to see their safe return. From many Members across the House, we have rightly heard commendations of lots of Scottish laddies. I want to even it up a little and put on the record some commendations for Scottish women. We heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar about Queen Margaret, but I am sure the House will join me in paying tribute to Jane Haining, recognised as “Righteous Among the Nations” in the Holocaust and most recently commemorated in Edinburgh; to Mary Barbour, who showed that when working-class women come to fight for working-class women, there is nothing they cannot achieve; to Jennie Lee, without whom we would have no Open University; and to Mary Somerville, whose achievements were quite literally astronomical. As we come to the end of the debate, and indeed the end of the year, it is a good time to reflect on what we have achieved together across this House. From the Labour perspective, we are proud of our local growth programme, which will deliver real, visible benefits for communities right across Scotland. The Pride in Place programme and impact fund will see up to £292 million invested in regenerating Scottish communities, which will transform neighbourhoods across Scotland. That funding will revitalise our high streets and town centres. It will create jobs, boost productivity and improve safety, security and connectivity. Local communities are at the very heart of Scottish life, and the Scotland Office is proud to back them.

• 11 Dec 2025 · St Andrew’s Day and Scottish Affairs · Hansard source

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  I am always delighted to commit to oomph and would be delighted to meet all relevant MPs from the Borderlands growth deal, to which I know the right hon. Member is very committed. I am following it closely. Our Brand Scotland effort promotes Scotland’s exports, culture and global reputation. We fund a range of initiatives, including delivering trade missions to key markets and supporting our overseas network to undertake Scotland-specific promotional activity. We have delivered a number of successful ministerial visits—to Norway, Japan, Spain, Washington DC and New York—and we recently supported a major trade mission to Shanghai by Glasgow city chamber of commerce. We are seeing the results of having a UK Government with Scotland at their beating heart. The Budget provided an extra £820 million for the Scottish Government. That means that since the general election the Scottish Government have received an additional £11 billion. We have announced £14.5 million to back Grangemouth’s transition to a hub for low-carbon technologies, and a further £20 million for Inchgreen near Greenock, which will upgrade the port’s dry dock; £20 million has been found to support the regeneration of Kirkcaldy’s town centre and seafront; and £25 million will be released following the full sign-off of the Forth Green freeport. All in all, the UK Government will be investing more than £2 billion in local and regional growth programmes in Scotland. That is alongside the biggest upgrade in workers’ rights in a generation, with a pay rise for 200,000 of the lowest-paid Scots. We also focused on ensuring job security for 350 skilled workers at Harland & Wolff shipyards in Methil and at Arnish. We have secured a deal worth £10 billion to supply Norway with Type 26 frigates, securing 2,000 jobs in Scotland until the late 2030s. Of course, we did not stop there. We are firmly committed to tackling child poverty, having removed the two-child cap, which will change the futures of 95,000 Scottish children. As we mark St Andrew’s day—a moment when we celebrate Scotland’s history, identity and shared values—we are reminded of the strength that we can draw from solidarity across these islands. Yes, we have deep pride in being Scottish, but it is pride with a purpose, because if we remain focused on our common purposes of stronger growth, fairer opportunities and resilient communities, Scotland will not simply be part of the UK’s prosperity; it will be at the very heart of it.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  I could not agree more. Since the election, this Government have delivered an extra £5.2 billion in funding for the Scottish Government, so they should be making life easier for Scots, but that money is being completely wasted by the SNP. What do we have to show for this record-breaking settlement? We simply cannot waste another decade with this failing SNP Government. It is long past time for a new direction.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  Over the last year, this Government have taken action to fix the foundations of our economy, to put the public finances on a sustainable path and support growth. Despite the UK economy being forecast to be the second fastest growing G7 economy this year, and despite private companies such as Iberdrola investing £10 billion in Scotland’s energy sector alone, there is more to do. The recently published Muscatelli report shows that under the SNP, economic growth has been ignored, and the unique potential of communities across Scotland has been held back. That is why today the Chancellor will set out a Budget to boost economic growth in each and every part of the UK.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is perfectly well aware that the majority—three quarters—of those claiming agricultural property relief will be completely unaffected. However, what will affect every single person in Scotland is the Chancellor’s Budget that is set to help with living standards, to drive growth and to put the financial management at the heart of our public finances.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman and I have discussed this issue many times, and he is aware that we are striking a fair balance between supporting farmers and fixing the public services on which all our rural communities rely. We have taken a fair and balanced approach that protects family farms, while also fixing the public services that we all rely on, including our own constituents.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  The SNP Government are clearly not doing what is required to drive growth in Scotland, but I say to the hon. Member that we are dealing with the legacy of 14 years of Conservative economic mismanagement, including their catastrophic policy of austerity, their mismanagement of the pandemic, and a failed Brexit deal. Members do not have to take my word for it: the current leader of the Conservative party has been clear that the Conservatives have no plan for growth.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Pride in Place Programme · Hansard source

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  I can confirm to my hon. Friend that she will not have long to wait. It is in all our interests to get things coming down the chimney as soon as possible.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Pride in Place Programme · Hansard source

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  There are no plans to change the criteria against which local authority areas will be selected, but I can confirm that we do not have long to wait before the areas will be confirmed.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Pride in Place Programme · Hansard source

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  Through the Pride in Place programme, we are investing almost £500 million to revitalise communities across Scotland. As part of that, the Scotland Office has recently completed the collection of evidence from MPs, MSPs, local authorities and community groups to inform the selection of 14 new neighbourhoods that will each benefit from £20 million over 10 years.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Asylum and Returns Policies · Hansard source

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  I am sure that the whole House will join me in remembering those children who have drowned in the channel, and I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. There is nothing progressive or humane about a system that incentivises people to take terrible risks. I commend my hon. Friend for all the work that he has done with those seeking asylum and refuge over very many years.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Asylum and Returns Policies · Hansard source

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  Immigration is a reserved issue and the Home Secretary set out last week an asylum policy that will work for all parts of the United Kingdom. It contains the most sweeping asylum reforms in modern times, commensurate to the scale of the issues before us. These reforms will restore control, contribution and fairness to the system. I am proud that our country has always been fair, tolerant and compassionate, and this Government will always defend those values.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Asylum and Returns Policies · Hansard source

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  What Scottish Labour supports, like the rest of the Labour party, is a system that is both humane and restores control, and that is in the best interest of communities and those seeking asylum and to migrate. We are proud to support the policy, and we know that the rest of the country wants a system that has both control and fairness as its guiding principles.

• 25 Nov 2025 · Draft Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2025 · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2025. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Hobhouse. I am grateful for the opportunity to debate this order today. Like all the Scotland Act orders we have considered since the start of this Parliament, this is a result of collaborative working between the UK and Scottish Governments. The order before us will be made under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 which, following an Act of the Scottish Parliament, provides the power for consequential provisions to be made to the law relating to reserved matters, or to the laws elsewhere in the UK. Scotland Act orders are a demonstration of devolution in action, and I am pleased to say that the Scotland Office has taken through 10 orders in the past 12 months. This order makes provisions in consequence of the Education (Scotland) Act, which received Royal Assent earlier this year. That Act of the Scottish Parliament provides for the establishment of a new qualifications body, Qualifications Scotland, to replace the existing Scottish Qualifications Authority. It also creates the office of His Majesty’s chief inspector of education in Scotland, removing the inspection function from Education Scotland, which is an Executive agency of the Scottish Government. The UK Government have worked collaboratively with the Scottish Government on the draft order, which is needed to commence some of the provisions of the Act. The order is necessary to ensure that the functions currently exercised by the SQA can be fully transferred to the new body being set up, Qualifications Scotland. This will enable Qualifications Scotland to deliver all the services and products that are currently delivered by the SQA, maintaining the same functional and geographic scope. The order also makes a number of consequential amendments in reserved areas and to UK, Welsh and Northern Ireland regulations to reflect replacement of the SQA with Qualifications Scotland. These are needed so that existing provisions across numerous regulations can continue to operate in the way they do now. Finally, the draft order is also needed to designate the newly created office of His Majesty’s chief inspector of education in Scotland as a non-ministerial office holder in the Scottish Administration for the purposes of the Scotland Act 1998. That change is needed to ensure that the person appointed to this role is a civil servant, which is required to support the delivery model for the inspectorate that is being set up by the Education (Scotland) Act. The order changes the law in a very limited way and only so far as is necessary to give full effect to the provisions of the education Act of the Scottish Parliament. While the order’s provisions extend to the whole of the UK, its practical effect is limited to Scotland. Without the order, there is a risk of disrupting the education system in Scotland and the hard work of teachers and young people across Scotland. It is an example of devolution in action—the UK Government working with the Scottish Government to deliver for the people of Scotland.

• 25 Nov 2025 · Draft Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2025 · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for his contribution. While he might not be surprised to discover that I disagree with his assessment of the Conservative educational legacy south of the border, we can all agree as Scots that it is absolutely appalling that a full 42% of Scottish young people today are leaving Scottish education without a single higher or equivalent qualification to their name. For an education system that was once the envy of the world, that is a burning national shame. This instrument demonstrates the UK Government’s continued commitment to work with the Scottish Government to deliver for Scotland. I therefore commend the draft order to the Committee. Question put and agreed to.

• 22 Oct 2025 · Devolution in Scotland · Hansard source

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  I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. At the last election, we promised to maximise Scotland’s influence, and this is what that looks like. The calls we have heard from leaders across Scotland are clear. Local government leaders are not just asking for money, but for powers—powers over skills, transport and growth—to unlock the full potential of their regions. They are really asking for genuine accountability to the people they serve. As my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow West and the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross have both highlighted, there are problems with accountability and scrutiny in how the Committee system in Holyrood has evolved away from the desires of those who founded the Scottish Parliament. They have warned that Committees that were intended to be the backbone of scrutiny in the Scottish Parliament are too often dominated by the governing party, and lack the independence needed to really hold the Executive to account. Their view—which, as founding Members of the Scottish Parliament, carries much weight—is that without stronger and more robust Committees, devolution cannot deliver as the architects of the Scotland Act intended. As has been said many times this afternoon, devolution was never meant to be an end in itself. It was always supposed to be a means to improve lives, not with division, but through co-operation. If we can focus on our common purpose across this House and between all levels of Government—if we focus on stronger growth and fairer opportunities—Scotland can truly be at the heart of UK prosperity.