My Lords, this Government acknowledge there is a live debate about the dual role of the Lord Advocate in Scotland. The Scottish Labour manifesto in 2024 committed to splitting the role of legal adviser to the Scottish Government and head of the system of criminal prosecutions in Scotland, and that r…
I thank the noble Lord and recognise his position as a former Scotland Office Minister and his knowledge and experience on this matter. He is of course right to emphasise that this has become a very significant issue of public debate in Scotland at the moment, given very high-profile criminal cases.…
My noble friend the Minister is clearly aware of the urgency of this situation and the demands across government that we must respond to it. The sector is now increasingly asking government to adopt a whole-of-government approach to develop a more resilient society. What thinking is taking place in …
I thank my noble friend for that Answer. Will he join me in sending warmest wishes to Sir David Attenborough on his 100th birthday? I am sure that all in this House would pay tribute to the extraordinary contribution of Sir David to our understanding of the natural world, but he also tells us what w…
I absolutely agree with everything my noble friend says. The legacy of underinvestment from the previous Government still affects the economy today. When we won the election, private sector investment was the lowest in the whole G7. Public sector investment was no better and was set to fall again fr…
My Lords, I associate myself with the gratitude and thanks to the armed services that has been expressed by all Members of this House. I ask my noble friend the Minister directly, does he agree with me that the British people understand that the responsibility of the British Government and the Prime…
I thank my noble friend for the question. I will consider her suggestion to ensure that the most deprived communities benefit from the investment. That is why we have the skills agenda and why Scotland has a defence growth deal. My noble friend will know that nearly 12,000 jobs are dependent on MoD …
My noble friend makes an important point. We will certainly ensure that we properly evaluate the youth guarantee trailblazers that are currently in place in eight areas, and the much- expanded national youth guarantee that we are now funding, and consider the sorts of impacts that my noble friend ha…
My Lords, the Government’s youth guarantee will increase opportunities for 16 to 24 year- olds to make them work-ready and equipped to thrive. Success will be measured by improvements in employment outcomes, a reduction in economic inactivity, and an increase in participation in education and traini…
My noble friend is right that, while all unemployment is devastating for the individual, for young people to not be able to access the workplace, or education and training, is a waste of their talents at the most important part of their adult lives. That is why we are absolutely committed to ensurin…
My Lords, people who choose to serve their country deserve to do so free from fear of abuse. The Defence Serious Crime Command has driven improvements to victim care and investigations since its establishment in December 2022. The Victim Witness Care Unit has delivered independent, exemplary care to…
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her Question, which I think is of importance and interest to us all. As I said, various units have been set up to deal with this problem. The MoD publishes annual statistics for sexual offending within the service justice system, and the Service Complaints Ombud…
I thank the noble Baroness for her question. I congratulate Scotland on qualifying for the World Cup, and there were some really good goals last night. It was really sad to hear that news about the plant at Mossmorran, which produces ethylene for export, employing 179 people. The Minister has spoken…
My Lords, I am sure the whole House will welcome the Type 26 frigate Norway deal announced at the end of September. This is the UK’s largest warship export agreement by value. BAE Systems’ Govan and Scotstoun shipyards will construct the vessels, supporting thousands of jobs, hundreds of supporters …
I agree with my noble friend that this deal provides long-term security for shipbuilding in Scotland, and I am proud of the role that our Government have played in helping to secure that. The Type 26 programme is vital to the national security of the UK as well as to the UK and Scottish economy, and…
My noble friend is very generous in inviting me to mention the £22 billion black hole. She is correct that capital spending is a significant driver of growth in our economy. The OBR estimates that the increases in capital spending that we have seen have increased growth by 0.14% over five years, 0.4…
My Lords, as introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Murphy, this Bill has a simple yet important aim: to make it easier for voters in Wales and Scotland to apply for postal and proxy voting. It achieves this by giving the Welsh and Scottish Governments the necessary powers to bring forward regulations f…
I say to my noble friend the Minister that I warmly welcome this Statement, most particularly its emphasis on the negotiations with India in respect of the Scottish whisky industry and the benefits it will bring for that industry but also, more broadly, for the Scottish economy. Will my noble friend…