Scotland Office

The expenditure on hotel accommodation for the Scotland Office in the 2024-25 financial year is shown below:

All accommodation costs incurred by the Scotland Office are undertaken in accordance with the principles set out in Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code, ensuring value for money for the public purse.

Policing and police operational matters are devolved to the Scottish Government, and Police Scotland operates independently under the governance of the Scottish Police Authority. As such, the UK Government does not hold information regarding specific correspondence sent to Police Scotland. The Hon. Member may wish to direct his query to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the Scottish Government.

The Secretary of State has not held discussions with the Scottish Government regarding the standard response time for Police Scotland to provide a response to an MP’s correspondence.

The Scotland Office did not have any civil servants on permanent home working contracts in 2025.

The Scotland Office remains committed to flexible working and the business benefits that it offers, including supporting the Civil Service priority of ensuring continued, effective and productive delivery of the work carried out by civil servants across the full range of services.

The department operates a ‘hybrid’ approach, led by business needs, and as a result many employees will work both from home and in the workplace on an informal basis.

I am concerned about the prevalence of illegal tobacco sold in Scotland, and fully support efforts to limit its spread.

The enforcement of trading standards is a devolved matter. I understand that the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland is currently engaging with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to explore what more can be done to better empower Scottish Trading Standards Officers in dealing with criminality, specifically in ensuring that they have comparable powers to their counterparts in England and Wales in measures such as Closure Orders.

In its recent Programme for Government, the Scottish Government committed to the development of a Human Rights Bill on devolved matters, which it aims to introduce in year two of the new Scottish Parliament. The development of Scottish Parliament legislation is of course a matter for the Scottish Government, but the UK Government notes this is a complex policy area and will consider any requests for engagement in the usual way. To date, there have been no substantive policy discussions with the Scottish Government on the proposed legislation.

The Scotland Office occupies premises owned, leased, and managed by the Government Property Agency (GPA) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) who are responsible for building assets, including the installation and use of rooftop solar panels.

Enquiries related to these buildings should be directed to the Government Property Agency (GPA) and HMRC.

Funding support for public bodies to install solar panels has been available through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) with a total of over £3 billion made available up to 2028. Great British Energy (GBE) also supports public sector decarbonisation and the GBE Solar programme is investing £255 million to fund around 250 schools, around 260 NHS sites, and around 15 military sites to install solar panels across the country.

In 2014, there was agreement in the UK parliament and the Scottish parliament, across all political parties, and across civic society, that there should be a referendum. There is no such consensus now. In that referendum, the people of Scotland made clear their continued commitment to Scotland remaining part of the UK.

As set out in the manifesto which saw this government win a majority of UK parliamentary seats in Scotland, this Government does not support independence or another referendum.

Our focus now must be on delivery, not division. This UK Government is focused entirely on delivering in the national interest.

The Scotland Office does not monitor the amount of food waste generated by its offices each month. The Department's offices are located in buildings managed by the Government Property Agency and HM Revenue and Customs. Both the Government Property Agency and HMRC provide facilities management services, and are responsible for monitoring and recording food waste generated within those buildings.

There has not been correspondence between Scotland Office Ministers, or the Scotland Office Director, with Flint Global since July 2024.

The UK Government actively promotes Ayrshire’s world-class aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and engineering capabilities to global markets.

Key steps include:

• Prestwick Aerospace: Supporting the development of the Aerospace and Space Innovation Centre at Prestwick through the Ayrshire Growth Deal, positioning the region as a premier hub for MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) and advanced manufacturing.

• Global Trade Missions: Highlighting Scotland's sector strengths, including Ayrshire’s engineering heritage, in trade delegations and global investment summits to attract international capital.

• Strengthening links with key markets: For example meeting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and an inward delegation to strengthen economic and cultural partnerships, with a focus on shared opportunities in space exploration, financial services, technology, and the export of goods

The Scotland Office continues to advocate for Ayrshire’s strategic industrial assets on both national and international stages.

The UK Government is committed to ensuring our policies reflect the views and barriers facing young people across Scotland. The Scotland Office maintains regular dialogue with youth organisations and charities, and officials have met with both Includem and Inspiring Scotland this year.

Young people’s experiences of mental health and employment support are directly informing our approach to delivering in Scotland, including extending the Youth Hubs initiative to another 18 areas, bringing the total in Scotland to 28.

This will help ensure even more young people have access to essential mental health support, housing advice, and career guidance, including CV advice so they can fulfil their potential.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as the world’s largest performing arts festival and trade show, is a vital pillar of the United Kingdom’s creative ecosystem. Its success generates significant economic and cultural benefits across the entire UK, with artists from every nation showcasing work that often goes on to achieve broader national and international acclaim, as seen with productions like Fleabag, Six the Musical, and Baby Reindeer.

The UK government has delivered £7 million support for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. This investment has delivered a new home for the Society - which officially opened this year - and has boosted the ‘Keep it Fringe’ fund to help widen participation and ensure that creative talent from across the UK can reach audiences at the Fringe.

The Scotland Office has spent nil on activities relating to Pride Month 2026.

Ministers and officials from the Scotland Office regularly engage with Scottish Government colleagues, local authorities, and economic development partners to drive inward investment and deliver regional economic growth across Scotland.

Recent discussions have focused on maximising the impact of the Ayrshire Growth Deal, including major milestones like the groundbreaking event at the Ayrshire Innovation Park last December and Ryanair’s expansion at Prestwick in March. The UK Government remains committed to working collaboratively with the Scottish Government and all Ayrshire local authorities to present a unified offer to international investors and secure high-value jobs for Ayrshire.

This Government was elected on a clear commitment not to support independence or another referendum. People need and want their governments focused on the big issues our country faces - economic growth, the cost of living, public services and security. That is what this Government is doing.

This Government was elected on a clear commitment not to support independence or another referendum. People need and want their governments focused on the big issues our country faces - economic growth, the cost of living, public services and security. That is what this Government is doing.

The Scotland Office incurred outturn spending on social media marketing in 2024-25 and 2025-26.

In the financial year 2024-25, the outturn spending by the department on social media marketing was £2,806.

In the financial year 2025-26, the outturn spending by the department on social media marketing was £6,964.

The Scotland Office has not incurred any costs for social media influencers since July 2024.

All communicators are members of the Government Communication Service.

It has been the practice of successive governments not to comment, on grounds of both national security and staff safety, on the physical capacity or staffing numbers for individual buildings of the government estate.

It is not possible to provide an estimate for hours spent preparing Ministers to respond to Westminster Hall Debates. There will be differences in the Civil Service, Special Adviser and Ministerial time depending on the policy matter and length of the debate. Debates can also be cross-cutting and require resources from multiple departments or engage departmental bodies.

This Government is fully committed to the protection of human rights, both domestically and internationally. It is for the Scottish Government to ensure their legislation is drafted within the parameters of the devolution settlement. The UK Government will consider any forthcoming legislation in the usual way.

The UK Government is providing substantial funding across Ayrshire to drive long-term economic growth, strengthen local infrastructure, and boost trade and investment.

Key direct investments and funding initiatives provided to the region include:

● Ayrshire Growth Deal: A £103 million UK Government investment supporting major economic projects across aerospace, life sciences, and digital infrastructure in Ayrshire.

● Local Regeneration Fund: Over £61 million in direct UK Government capital grants delivered to the region, including £37.45 million for commercial and low-carbon infrastructure across North and South Ayrshire, and £23.69 million for critical B714 transport upgrades.

● Pride in Place Funds: Over £40 million in direct 10-year endowment funding reconfirmed for Ayrshire towns, including Irvine, Kilmarnock, and Ayr North, to support community-led high street regeneration, housing, and local civic infrastructure.

● UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF): £17.35 million allocated across North, South, and East Ayrshire Councils to support local community projects, business development, skills, and adult numeracy programmes.

● Local Growth Fund: Delivering £11.8 million of funding directly to Ayrshire Regional Partnership to support regional economic development and local business growth.

The UK Government is committed to driving sustainable economic growth, creating high-quality jobs, and boosting trade across all parts of Scotland. While Scotland's designated Green Freeports, Inverness & Cromarty Firth and Forth Green Freeport, are geographically focused, they are expected to yield broader supply chain, trade, and investment benefits for regional economies right across Scotland, including Ayrshire.

Specifically, Scotland's two Green Freeports could potentially generate over 50,000 jobs, with advanced manufacturing hubs like Ayrshire positioned to absorb substantial supply chain, logistics, and spillover demand.

Alongside the national economic impact of Green Freeports, the UK Government is also directly investing in Ayrshire’s long-term economic prosperity through our £103 million commitment to the £251 million Ayrshire Growth Deal. This is complemented by targeted UK Government local funding streams, including £11.8 million via the Local Growth Fund and £40 million via Pride in Place initiatives, ensuring local leaders in Ayrshire have the direct backing needed to drive town centre regeneration, support local businesses, and maximise regional investment opportunities.

The Scotland Office has not spent any money on branded goods and merchandise since April 2025.

The Scotland Office has not appointed any delivery advisers to date.

Minister McNeill, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Scotland Office, held two stakeholder receptions in 2025 to mark International Women’s Day and International Coming Out Day.

The Scotland Office does not have any data and reporting requirements to the European Commission and its agencies.

The Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme is the only internship scheme that the Scotland Office has participated in over the last 12 months.

There are no live industrial disputes within the Scotland Office.

The total cost to the Scotland Office of facility time in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-26 was nil, with no headcount number of facility staff time in either of the years requested. No funding was provided for trade union activities in any of those years.

The Scotland Office follows the civil service attendance expectation of 60% for all of the department’s offices. Attendance statistics are not collated for individual offices.

The Scotland Office does not manage any internship schemes.

The Scotland Office has had no departmental Senior Civil Service away days in 2026.

Ministers and officials from the Scotland Office regularly engage with Scottish local authorities, regional partnerships, and COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) to discuss the design, delivery, and governance of UK Government-funded projects.

Recent discussions have focused on ensuring efficient delivery of programmes, including City Region and Growth Deals, the Pride in Place initiative, and the Local Growth Fund.

The Scotland Office works collaboratively with local authority leaders and the Scottish Government to ensure projects are tailored to local economic priorities, delivered transparently, and aligned with wider community needs.

The UK Government is committed to driving sustainable economic growth, creating high-skilled jobs, and delivering tangible benefits for communities right across Scotland.

Our direct investment programmes, including the £140 million Scottish Local Growth Fund, the Pride in Place programme, City Region and Growth Deals, Freeports, and Investment Zones, are targeted at unlocking economic potential, regenerating town and city centres, and improving local infrastructure. For example, the Glasgow City Region Deal, has attracted over £800 million in private and commercial investment since 2014, further strengthening Glasgow City Region’s position as a hub of Scotland’s economic growth. The Deal has supported 5,500 people into sustained employment, and has the potential to deliver 29,000 jobs over the Deal’s lifetime.

Assessments of investment programmes are conducted in partnership with local authorities, regional partnerships, and key stakeholders using robust economic frameworks. These measure long-term outcomes such as local job creation, private-sector leverage, productivity growth, and community revitalisation. My department continues to monitor these impacts closely to ensure UK Government funding delivers maximum value and lasting economic prosperity across Scotland.

The number of agency staff employed in the Scotland Office in each of the last five years is as follows:

Scotland Office Ministers meet regularly with Members of Parliament to discuss a wide range of issues relating to their departmental responsibilities.

For the purpose of this PQ, we have taken ‘surgeries’ to mean meetings or briefings with MPs where external stakeholders were not also present.

a) July 2024 to January 2025: 7

b) From January 2025 onwards: 37

Other than special advisers, the Scotland Office has made one appointment from outside the civil service since July 2024.

Gillian McGregor has been appointed to the Boundary Commission for Scotland, an advisory non-departmental public body funded by the Scotland Office. The appointment was made on a fixed term basis through open competition using the procedures laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

This Government is steadfast in its commitment to the steel industry, and that includes Scotland. On 1 July, we took bold steps to limit tariff-free steel imports, with the aim that half of the steel used in the UK is made here.

We are closely engaged on Dalzell - the UK's only heavy steel plate mill. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland and I routinely engage with ministerial colleagues to ensure Scotland's specific circumstances are reflected in the Government's wider approach to supporting the domestic steel sector.

As my Honourable Friend will be well aware, earlier this year we unlocked £25 million of seed capital for the Forth Green Freeport to create tens of thousands of jobs in clean energy and manufacturing.

Already we are seeing the benefits in Edinburgh. The Port of Leith has transformed itself into an offshore wind hub, currently servicing the massive InchCape development. There is the potential for further investment by the wind turbine manufacturer Vestas, which could create up to 500 new jobs at the port.

Skills policy is devolved to the Scottish Government and it is up to them to ensure that the young people of Edinburgh are equipped to take advantage of these opportunities.

In an era of geopolitical uncertainty, we need to do all that we can to strengthen our energy security here at home. I am in regular contact with my Cabinet colleagues on a whole range of issues.

The wearing of the sgian dubh is permitted where it is being worn as part of a national costume. There are no plans to change this.

However, we are clear that if any bladed or pointed article is used to threaten or harm others, this will be met with the full force of the law.

This strikes the balance between protecting public safety and protecting freedoms.

Voluntary organisations are essential partners in the UK Government mission to build national and local pride.

While community development is a devolved matter, the Scotland Office works closely with all UK Government departments to ensure UK-wide funding structures empower Scotland's third sector.

Through our targeted £280 million Pride in Place Programme, the £12 million Pride in Place Impact Fund and the new £140 million Local Growth Fund, we are putting real spending power into the hands of communities, to protect vital assets and drive local growth across Scotland.