Commons
Oral Questions
Scotland
26 November 2025
2 contributions
Defence Sector: Skills and Training
6. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support skills and training in the defence sector in Scotland.
The recruitment of 14 new apprentices at the Methil yard in my constituency, which was saved from bankruptcy by this Labour Government protecting 200 skilled apprenticeships, is in stark contrast to the failure of the SNP on apprenticeships in the defence sector. That means that many companies strug…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
20 November 2025
2 contributions
Business of the House
rose—
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating not only the famous and heroic Scottish football team on its qualification for the world cup this week, but the charity Fife Gingerbread in my constituency? It was also successful this week, as it was a finalist in…
Commons
Proceedings
20 November 2025
Ukraine: Forcible Removal of Children
In September I had the privilege of meeting, in Kyiv, Raisa Kravchenko and Yulia Klepets of the All-Ukrainian NGO Coalition for People with Intellectual Disabilities. They told me of the devastating impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on disabled people. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is parti…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
18 November 2025
ExxonMobil: Mossmorran
This decision by ExxonMobil, and the manner in which it has been taken and announced, is a very poor way to treat workers who have given so much to the company and their communities. Given that only last year the company was announcing four-year apprenticeships at Mossmorran, including for some of m…
Commons
Debate
22 October 2025
4 contributions
Devolution in Scotland
I am very much enjoying the hon. Gentleman’s speech reflecting on the many experiences of devolution that have inspired us, but on the point around employment and disabled people, will join me in saying that it is regrettable that the Scottish Government decided to cut employability funding for disa…
My hon. Friend has mentioned Reform UK, which is apparently a recent convert to devolution. Does it tell us all we need to know about how much it values devolution, Scotland and its future that there is not one Member from that party in the Chamber this afternoon?
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 October 2025
Pride in Place
Two neighbourhoods in Fife are benefiting from £40 million of Pride in Place funding, showing the Government once again delivering for the people of the kingdom of Fife. Given the centralisation of power in Scotland under the SNP, how does the Minister believe those funds can support local decision …
Commons
Debate
14 October 2025
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
The Bill addresses fundamental flaws in our current mental health legislation in relation to the rights of people with learning disabilities and autistic people. I will focus my comments on new clauses 32 and 33, which I have tabled. They are also about vital rights within our mental health legislat…
Commons
Debate
8 September 2025
Defence Industrial Strategy
Can the Minister assure me that, along with the huge defence contracts that this Government have already secured for shipyards in Scotland, this strategy will also offer great opportunities for fabrication yards, including at Methil in my constituency? It was saved from closure by Labour Ministers, …
Commons
Oral Questions
Scotland
9 July 2025
Supporting Scottish Agriculture
Does my hon. Friend agree that the Chancellor’s excellent spending review for Scotland, which sets out record funding for the Scottish Government, means that SNP Ministers are ideally placed to offer the agricultural sector in Scotland a multi-year funding settlement, and that that is exactly what t…
Commons
Oral Questions
7 July 2025
2 contributions
Antisocial Behaviour
17. What recent progress her Department has made on tackling antisocial behaviour.
With increasing incidents of antisocial behaviour and falling police numbers in Scotland, will the Minister assure me that she will share learning from the safer streets initiative with SNP Ministers, as it is rolled out, to encourage them to raise their game on this issue? Will she also join me and…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
3 July 2025
NHS 10-Year Plan
Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker—persistence pays off.
Will my right hon. Friend assure me that he will report regularly to this House on progress against this excellent plan? I hope that will help us to evidence the case for investment in community health facilities in Scotland, which have l…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 July 2025
4 contributions
Spending Review 2025: Scotland
rose —
I might say that Labour Members have had rather more impact on Government policy than SNP Members. The hon. Gentleman makes important points about welfare and the importance of having the right system to get people back into work. Why, then, did his Government in Holyrood, of which he aspires to be …
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
19 June 2025
Business of the House
I declare an interest as a member of Unite. Will my right hon. Friend find an opportunity for the House to recognise the vital work of our elected trade union representatives across the country? In particular, following his funeral last week in Glenrothes, will she join me in paying tribute to John …
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 June 2025
Social Mobility: Careers Education
It is a pleasure to serve under you as Chair, Ms Lewell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Andrew Ranger) for securing this vital debate.
I want to stress how important it is for disabled young people that we have careers education that supports social mobility. Nearly half of families…
Commons
Debate
12 June 2025
SEND Funding
Decisions on SEND funding in this Parliament directly affect the availability of resources for additional support needs education in Scotland. One of the best experiences of my career was working with the pupils, parents and teachers at the Royal Blind school in Edinburgh when I was at the charity S…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
9 June 2025
Winter Fuel Payment
I used to work for Age Scotland, so may I say how welcome it is that the Government have listened to older people’s charities and made today’s announcement? I understand it will mean some £100 million additional funding for the payments in Scotland. Does my hon. Friend agree that SNP Ministers shoul…
Commons
Oral Questions
Scotland
4 June 2025
School Standards
When my right hon. Friend discusses with SNP Ministers, through announcements made this week, the huge employment opportunities that this Government have created for young people in Scotland, will he impress on them the urgent need to finally tackle the persistent—and in some areas widening—attainme…
Commons
Debate
3 June 2025
Dementia Care
My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech. I have worked in this area of policy and services, and I am aware that some of the most powerful advocates for change in dementia care are people with dementia themselves and their families. Does he agree that, when formulating new strategies for dementia …
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
Inheritance Tax: Family-owned Businesses
I recognise the need for the Government to raise funds, given the economic context that they inherited, but, as my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar (Graeme Downie) said, a number of family businesses have come forward with alternative proposals that would raise the funds in a differ…
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 May 2025
Ukraine: Forcibly Deported Children
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter) on securing this vital debate, and particularly on her excellent work with the UK Friends of Ukraine on authoring this important but distressing rep…
Commons
Debate
19 May 2025
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
Does the Secretary of State agree that that should be a case of “only when absolutely necessary”? In my previous role, I provided advocacy for the family of a young man who has been in a state hospital in Scotland for 17 years under a compulsory treatment order. His family live several hours away in…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
19 May 2025
Topical Questions
T7. Does the Minister agree that shipyards—such as Methil in my constituency, which has been saved by this Government—have fantastic opportunities to benefit from increased defence spending in the UK, and from initiatives such as Programme Euston? Will she continue to do all she can to identify oppo…
Commons
Debate
15 May 2025
Youth Services
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon East (Natasha Irons) on securing this debate and on her excellent speech. Youth services are fundamental in my constituency, where in some wards, one in three children are living in poverty. That is completely unacceptable and shows how important …
Commons
Proceedings
14 May 2025
Ministerial Code: Compliance
Does the Minister agree that there is a certain irony in the SNP raising this matter, given the regularity with which SNP Ministers trail Scottish Government announcements in the press before coming to the Chamber in Holyrood? That was certainly the case when I served as a Member of the Scottish Par…
Commons
Proceedings
13 May 2025
3 contributions
UK-EU Summit
This has been an interesting debate, but, to reflect on the unhappy nostalgia of my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Ms Creasy), it is quite clear that some people are having trouble moving on, as we need to. The summit is happening because of the process agreed by the Conservative party when…
I could not agree more. On the issue of learning, it is so important, good and welcome to hear that, ahead of this vital summit, the Minister for the constitution and European Union relations, my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Nick Thomas-Symonds), attended a meeting with SAFE in Edinburg…
+1 more contribution in this session