Commons
Debate
4 July 2025
2 contributions
Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill
I thank my hon. Friend for introducing this Bill, which I know means a lot to the great number of my constituents who have contacted me. They are particularly concerned about the conditions that puppies are smuggled in, but also that many animals coming into this country illegally bring conditions t…
First, I must confess that I am feeling increasingly guilty for not having mentioned my cockapoo, Brora, since everybody else is mentioning their pet. She has been a social media star—she posed in a Scotland football strip just before the last championship.
The hon. Gentleman makes a good point abo…
Commons
Debate
3 July 2025
Women’s State Pension Age: Financial Redress
One of the first constituents who came to me eight years ago was a WASPI woman. Does the hon. Lady agree that, after so many years, so much compromise and so much willingness to talk to the Government, one of the things that matters most to these women is not so much the amount of money but the actu…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 July 2025
3 contributions
Spending Review 2025: Scotland
It is an honour to serve with you in the chair, Sir John. I congratulate the hon. Member for Dunfermline and Dollar (Graeme Downie) on securing this debate. I apologise to you, Sir John, because I appreciate that it is frustrating that every debate about Scotland, and about this or the previous Gove…
No, I do not, actually. I agree fundamentally that the UK Government, whether Conservative or Labour, have not got everything right. But the Scottish Government have done nothing to mitigate any of the, if you like, failings of Westminster. They have done nothing to mitigate them, and have exacerbat…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
24 June 2025
China Audit
The Foreign Secretary has referred to protections in terms of energy companies, but when it comes to Mingyang and Orient Cable in the highlands and the North sea, the concern is not their ability to produce but their ability to switch off and on the network and our energy security and, as a result, …
Commons
Proceedings
24 June 2025
National Security Strategy
As the MP for Edinburgh West, I welcome the Government’s continued commitment to the defence industries in which so many of my constituents work in the city. As the Liberal Democrat Scotland spokesperson, however, I also welcome what the Minister himself describes as a “critical” investment in the s…
Commons
Debate
20 June 2025
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
We all, I believe, come to this place every day determined to improve not just our society, but the lives of those who live in it—our constituents. We want to give them more choice and opportunity, but we also have a responsibility to protect the vulnerable and alleviate suffering. I do not believe …
Commons
Debate
19 June 2025
4 contributions
Public Sector Pensions: McCloud Remedy
I rise today to discuss an issue that I am sure affects not just my constituents in Edinburgh West but many of our constituents across the United Kingdom. Since 2018, thousands of civil servants, teachers, doctors, nurses, police officers and firefighters have been waiting for the compensation they …
As I say, these delays are having a significant impact on people’s lives.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
18 June 2025
Banning Conversion Practices
As Liberal Democrats, we have been concerned about the lack of a draft Bill on conversion practices, so I am relieved to hear what the Minister has said today. However, given the amount of fear and anxiety that there is among the trans community in this country, can she reassure the House that when …
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2025
4 contributions
Disabled People in Poverty
Order. I remind Members that if they wish to speak in the debate, they should bob. We have only 20 minutes before we have to move to the Front Benchers at 6.6 pm, so please keep speeches very brief or go for an intervention instead.
Order. I urge Members to keep as close to a minute as they can.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2025
3 contributions
Genocide Convention: UK Compliance
Order. There is a Division in the House on the Crime and Policing Bill—the first of a number. We will suspend the sitting for 45 minutes.
The Parliamentary Private Secretary is here, and the Minister has just arrived.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 June 2025
Iran-Israel Conflict
I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement and welcome in particular the measures about bolstering our consular support. He has also made reference to our assets and the hundreds of thousands of British citizens in the wider region. What reassurance can he give us that their wellbeing is being …
Commons
Debate
13 June 2025
3 contributions
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
Will my hon. Friend give way?
I thank my hon. Friend for giving way. I share with him concerns about the level and quality of palliative care in this country. However, I do not agree that giving people the choice to end their life, if they are terminally ill and have been diagnosed as dying shortly, in any way undermines our abi…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Energy Security and Net Zero
10 June 2025
Topical Questions
Happy birthday, Mr Speaker—I suspect you may be relieved that we cannot sing in the Chamber.
I was recently approached by a small business owner in my constituency of Edinburgh West who faces bill of almost £30,000 for the period of lockdown when her business was closed. She is getting no sense out…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 June 2025
Mass Transit: West Yorkshire
Order. I remind Members that they should bob if they wish to be called in the debate.
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 June 2025
2 contributions
Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme: Capital Disregard
I remind Members that they should bob if they wish to be called in the debate. I should also mention there is likely to be a vote shortly, at which point we will suspend the sitting for 15 minutes to allow Members to vote.
The new finish time will be 4.12 pm.
Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
5 June 2025
Topical Questions
T7. A recent cyber-attack on schools and early learning IT in my constituency knocked out online access, but also underlined the need for a positive interaction between Scotland’s two Governments, rather than the constant constitutional bickering we have seen in recent years. With cyber-security abo…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
4 June 2025
Regional Growth
I am disappointed that there are no SNP Members in the Chamber— [ Interruption. ] Nobody is here from the Scottish National party. I have to take issue with the Chief Secretary, because economic growth in any part of the United Kingdom affects not just England but all of the United Kingdom. I am sur…
Commons
Oral Questions
Scotland
4 June 2025
Veterans
I associate myself with the remarks of the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Andrew Bowie) about the success of Aberdeen football club. The strategic defence review makes it clear that housing must be a priority, and that the money from the sale of housing must be reinvested, but ve…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 June 2025
3 contributions
Swimming Facilities
Order. We are going to struggle to get everybody in. I will have to ask hon. Members to keep to a formal two-minute limit, and if you intervene, unfortunately I will have to take you off the list. I have to call the Front-Bench spokespersons by 5.10 pm.
Order. To get everybody in, we will have to reduce the time limit to one minute.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 June 2025
Prosecutions for Violence against Women and Girls: West Midlands
I remind hon. Members that they may only make a speech with prior permission from the Member in charge of the debate and the Minister. There will not be an opportunity for the Member in charge to wind up, as is the convention for 30-minute debates. Before I call the hon. Member for Wolverhampton Wes…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 June 2025
3 contributions
Business Rates Relief: High-street Businesses
Order. I remind hon. Members that they should bob if they wish to be called in the debate, and ask them to keep their speeches to within four minutes so that everyone can get in.
That is not a matter for me at the moment.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 June 2025
Decriminalising Abortion
It is an honour to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Dowd. I thank the hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Tony Vaughan) for his powerful introduction to this very timeous petition debate. This is a conscience issue, and my Liberal Democrat colleagues may have very different views, but I…
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 May 2025
3 contributions
Gender Self-identification
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Ms Furniss. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for South Cotswolds (Dr Savage) on leading the debate with such a powerful speech on behalf of the 120,000 people who want us to consider the petition carefully. I thank them for bringing the voice of the …
I think I have made it absolutely clear that I include women and I include all the LGBT community. But what I object to, with every fibre of my being, is those vulnerable groups being pitted against each other. I think we all do.
Every vulnerable group in this society deserves the protection of not…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
15 May 2025
Business of the House
I am sure that we would all agree that the wellbeing of our universities is vital to the economic wellbeing of this country. As the Member for Edinburgh West, I know that the wellbeing of our four universities in Edinburgh is vital not just to the economy, but to the livelihoods of many of my consti…