Commons
Debate
2 July 2025
Armed Forces Commissioner Bill
I was very happy to serve on the Committee for the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill while it was proceeding through this place. As the Minister knows, there was a large amount of consensus about the need for that process to conclude as quickly as possible, and I recently wrote an article with my hon. …
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 July 2025
8 contributions
Spending Review 2025: Scotland
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the impact of the Spending Review 2025 on Scotland.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John. On behalf of the Scottish contingent, I would like to thank the weather for finally breaking slightly, so that we can enjoy these much more…
I think the Government are already moving towards a focus on outcomes for budgeting, and I would like to see more of that.
As my constituency contains a large number of former coalfields, I have been working closely with colleagues on the replacement of the shared prosperity fund and how we can ens…
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
30 June 2025
Welfare Reform
This morning I met Parkinson’s UK, which is very concerned about the changes to both PIP and universal credit, and in particular that they will not take account of those with variable conditions. Will the Secretary of State make a commitment that Parkinson’s UK will be involved in the co-design of t…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
30 June 2025
2 contributions
Shipbuilding Supply Line
9. What steps he is taking to ensure an “always on” approach to the shipbuilding supply line.
As the Minister says, the SDR spoke of the need for an “always on” supply of shipbuilding, with the Royal Navy continuing to move towards a more powerful but cheaper and simpler fleet. The Minister has visited my constituency and seen the construction of the Type 31 frigates by Babcock at Rosyth, wi…
Commons
Debate
25 June 2025
National Armaments Director
It is welcome that this debate focusing on the remit of the national armaments director comes, as the hon. Member for North Cotswolds (Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown) said, as the Prime Minister attends the NATO summit, where we are likely to see greater focus and action on the need to increase defence …
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
23 June 2025
Topical Questions
T2. My constituent, Nicola Smith, works for NHS Fife. Like many people across the country, she is not paid on the same date each month. This leads to incorrect calculations for her husband Steven’s universal credit, often leaving the family without a payment or being sanctioned before the system cat…
Commons
Debate
19 June 2025
Public Sector Pensions: McCloud Remedy
I thank the hon. Member for securing this important debate. I have had a number of cases come into my office as well. My constituent Gavin Templeton, who served 25 years of dedicated service in the Fife constabulary, was forced to return to work because his incorrect pension was so low. Does she agr…
Commons
Debate
12 June 2025
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Like my hon. Friend, I have a constituent, Jamie Tierney, who, sadly, suffers with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Recently, he has been able to begin treatment, as have other patients in Scotland, but it took a lot of work and in some cases intervention by lawyers to get that. Jamie’s family tell me t…
Commons
Debate
11 June 2025
2 contributions
British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme
Will the hon. Member give way?
Does the Minister agree that it is thanks to campaigners such as Bobby Clelland in my constituency and to the local party that we have managed to succeed in having the MPS move towards a resolution and seeing that money being paid out to those communities in the coalfields in my constituency? It is …
Commons
Debate
11 June 2025
2 contributions
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill
Like my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Chris Vince) said, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Luke Taylor) should never be ashamed of being a geek of any kind. I definitely do not have his knowledge of formulas or anything like that, but I certainly am a self-professed aviation geek who has sp…
I thank the hon. Member for that intervention. I will not ask for a second intervention on how that relationship progressed.
Aviation is a critical part of our national story and our economy, as others have said. As an island nation, we rely on the maritime and aviation sectors to get goods and peo…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
11 June 2025
Spending Review 2025
I thank the Chancellor of the Exchequer for putting her faith in young people and the future with investments in the AI, nuclear and defence opportunities that young people in Scotland deserve, alongside £1.2 billion for training and apprenticeships. Meanwhile, in my constituency, Fife college has r…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
10 June 2025
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
This Israeli Government continue to perpetrate horrific and appalling violence against Palestinian people, and that is also against the interests of Israel and Israeli people. We know that Hamas are only interested in death and destruction. I welcome the action today as a sign of willingness to take…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
4 June 2025
Engagements
Q10. Carnegie UK, which was established by Dunfermline-born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, has found that people under 49 are twice as likely to have been negatively impacted by the rising cost of living as those over 65. It is vital that we increase opportunities for younger people and help put mo…
Commons
Debate
3 June 2025
Armed Forces Commissioner Bill
The Minister mentions family members and other individuals raising complaints, but some of the complaints will be about devolved issues such as health, education and other issues that affect families. Can he reassure me that the Armed Force Commissioner will have an effective method of working with …
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
Inheritance Tax: Family-owned Businesses
I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing this debate on a very important issue. Like herself, I have spoken to GAP, as well as other family businesses in my constituency. Does she agree that although the Government are absolutely right to ensure that we have enough funding to pay for public services…
Commons
Debate
2 June 2025
Strategic Defence Review
I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. The review puts shipbuilding firmly in the UK’s future defence plans, particularly in the high north, as I have mentioned in the House many times, and looks towards a Royal Navy that is powerful, cheaper and simpler. The workforce at the dockyards in…
Commons
Proceedings
14 May 2025
Ministerial Code: Compliance
As the Member of Parliament for Dunfermline and Dollar—which was, after all, where the infamous campervan was found—I have had a front row seat for the SNP’s commitment to transparency. Having heard more from SNP Members about their position on transparency and openness, does the Leader of the House…
Commons
Oral Questions
8 May 2025
2 contributions
Arable Farms: Cost of Materials
13. What steps he is taking to help reduce the cost of materials for arable farms.
Farms in my constituency and across Fife produce some of the highest quality grain in the world. However, many farmers are struggling to make a profit as imported grain is often produced at a different standard. That can undermine or undercut cereals grown in Scotland, which are produced to the high…
Commons
Petition
6 May 2025
Petrol prices in Dunfermline
I rise to present a petition regarding high fuel prices for people and businesses in Dunfermline. Prices in Dunfermline, Scotland’s historical capital city, are often as much as 6p per litre higher than in towns as close as 10 miles away. This cartel of pricing in and around Dunfermline is damaging …
Commons
Proceedings
1 May 2025
5 contributions
Parkinson’s Awareness Month
I beg to move,
That this House has considered Parkinson’s awareness month.
I extend my gratitude to the Backbench Business Committee for granting me this debate, and I thank hon. Members for attending, especially given that local elections are taking place across some parts of the country—I know t…
The right hon. Gentleman has anticipated a point that I will make later, but I could not agree more about the need for volunteer support. Increasing the awareness of that volunteer support at the point of diagnosis is absolutely key, and I will refer to that later in my remarks. I thank him for the …
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
1 May 2025
Business of the House
Before others were successfully and bravely completing the London and Manchester marathons, Brian Innes, a maths teacher at Queen Anne high school in Dunfermline, was completing the very difficult course of the Boston marathon in a little over three hours—a fantastic achievement, setting a great exa…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
1 May 2025
2 contributions
UK-Europe Trade
3. What steps his Department is taking to help support trade with European countries.
The UK’s economic relationship with Sweden is among the most important of our economic relationships with our European partners, particularly with Sweden having recently joined NATO. As the Minister will know, Babcock is pursuing a partnership with Saab to build four Luleå-class corvettes for Sweden…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
30 April 2025
UK Airstrike: Houthi Military Facility
In his statement, the Secretary of State referred to Russian attempts to support Houthi operations. Without compromising any information that he is unable to share, how would he rate the effectiveness of those Russian interventions, as well as the UK response? Does he agree that they show that we mu…