Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are informed when Scottish government Ministers meet foreign diplomats; whether permission is sought for such meetings; and whether (i) his Department and (ii) the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are informed of the content of those meetings.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has regular engagement with the Scottish Government across a range of issues, including its engagement with diplomatic representatives.

The terms of the International Relations Concordat of 2013 – agreed between the UK Government and Ministers of the devolved Governments (DGs) – reaffirm that the DGs can engage with international stakeholders, including at national and sub-national government levels.

That engagement should be done in consultation with the FCDO, and our expectation remains that where DG Ministers meet Ministers from other States, FCDO officials would routinely be in attendance. However, foreign diplomats based within the UK are able to meet a wide range of stakeholders across the UK without the need for permission from the Government.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on their role in international affairs.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

International relations is, and will remain, a matter reserved solely to the UK Government.

The terms of the International Relations Concordat of 2013 – agreed between the UK Government and Ministers of the devolved Governments (DGs) – reaffirm that the DGs can engage with international stakeholders, including at national and sub-national government levels.

That engagement should be done in consultation with the FCDO, and our expectation remains that where DG Ministers meet Ministers from other States, FCDO officials would routinely be in attendance.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on their meetings with foreign ambassadors.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Foreign diplomats based within the UK are able to meet a wide range of stakeholders across the UK, without the need for permission from the Government.

This principle is consistent with how we expect our own diplomats working overseas to be able to operate.

It is therefore not a requirement for the Devolved Governments to share meeting details in advance, or following an engagement with foreign diplomats. However, we will collaborate on areas of mutual interest.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proportion of staff in his Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. All staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other Government bodies, principally the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice, who remain the employers. All staff assigned to the Scotland Office adhere to the policies of their parent department, including those on flexible working.

The Scotland Office has three members of staff with formal compressed hours contracts.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Scotland Office has (a) two people who earn £100,000 or more and (b) zero people who earn £166,000 or more per year.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the Government plans to respond to the publication entitled Your Right to Decide, published by the Scottish Government on 4 September 2025.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The UK Government’s priority is delivering for people in Scotland. The Scottish Government should be focussed on working collaboratively with us on our Plan for Change - to grow the economy, improve our public services, and put more money in people’s pockets. That is what people in Scotland want to see.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on tackling social media interventions by foreign actors spreading misinformation on Scotland's constitutional position.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As you will be aware, I speak regularly with the Deputy First Minister, and my officials frequently engage with their Scottish Government counterparts. National security is the responsibility of the UK Government and protecting our democracy is one of our highest priorities. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. The Home Office’s taskforce to protect the democratic integrity, called the Defending Democracy Taskforce, was set up to tackle threats facing our democracy.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on mitigating potential risks to (a) food production and (b) the internal market posed by water scarcity in North East Scotland.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As you will be aware, I speak regularly with the Deputy First Minister, and my officials frequently engage with their Scottish Government counterparts.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are keeping the weather situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was set up by DEFRA and the Devolved Governments to monitor the UK market situation across all key agricultural commodities.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with representatives of the (a) food, (b) drink and (c) retail sectors on potential measures to help secure supply chains in the context of summer water scarcity in North East Scotland.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

I regularly engage with stakeholders across the food, drink and retail sectors.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are keeping the weather situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was set up by DEFRA and the Devolved Governments to monitor the UK market situation across all key agricultural commodities.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department has spent money on promotion through social media influencers since July 2024.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Scotland Office has not incurred any costs in relation to promotion through social media influencers since July 2024.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he last met with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to discuss social media intervention by foreign actors seeking to spread misinformation on Scotland's constitutional position.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

I have not recently met with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to discuss these matters. However, the Home Office’s taskforce to protect the democratic integrity, called the Defending Democracy Taskforce, was set up to tackle threats facing our entire democracy - including, but not limited to, election security. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to help tackle social media intervention by foreign states seeking to influence the debate on Scotland's constitutional status.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Protecting our democracy is one of the Government’s highest priorities. The Defending Democracy Taskforce was set up to tackle threats including, but not limited to, election security. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme on (a) supporting water resilience in Scotland and (b) posing risks to the internal market.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme is administered by the Scottish Government which could provide a more accurate assessment. However, I support any measures that protect our natural environment in Scotland.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, for what purposes their Department has used artificial intelligence in the last year.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland

Officials have used two prototype tools in the last year which are only accessible by government employees: GCS Assist and Redbox. These tools harness the latest transformative artificial intelligence technology. Officials can “chat” securely with a Large Language Model and summarise or ask questions of documents.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland

On 24 October 2024, the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time.

Office occupancy data is published on a quarterly basis. The data is published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data

If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction it will be dealt with via existing performance management processes and ultimately with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.

The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. All staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other Government bodies, principally the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice, who remain the employers. All staff assigned to the Scotland Office adhere to the policies of their parent department, including performance management processes.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what information they hold on the number of workdays that were completed remotely in their Department in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland

On 24 October 2024, the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time.

Office occupancy data is published on a quarterly basis. The data is published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Royal Norwegian Navy's decision to procure 5 Type 26 frigates from the UK on Scotland's economy.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

Norway’s decision to procure five Type 26 frigates from the UK will deliver a significant economic boost to Scotland. The historic £10 billion deal cements Scotland’s position as a world leader in naval shipbuilding and strengthens our strategic partnership with a key NATO ally.

The deal will secure around 2,000 highly skilled jobs at BAE Systems in Glasgow, with a further 2,000 roles sustained across the wider UK supply chain until the late 2030s. More than 100 Scottish businesses, including over 50 small and medium sized enterprises, are expected to benefit from this major partnership.

This contract represents another 'defence dividend' for Scotland, supporting thousands of jobs and reinforcing Scotland's vital contribution to UK prosperity and security. The deal shows that when we back Scottish industry, it delivers for communities, workers, our economy and our allies.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he had with the Royal Norwegian Navy before it announced its decision to procure 5 Type 26 frigates from the UK.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

Norway's decision to choose Scottish-built Type 26 frigates demonstrates the success of our shipbuilding industry and the world-class skills and expertise of the workforce on the Clyde. This is the defence dividend in action for Scotland.

The Scotland Office has actively supported the Type 26 campaign both at home and abroad. Last year, the previous Secretary of State for Scotland attended a meeting with the Norwegian Defence Minister, hosted by my Rt Hon Friend the Defence Secretary, and invited the Norwegian Ambassador and Defence Attache to join him at the RAF Distinguished Visitors Day onboard HMS Prince of Wales, observing the UK’s Carrier Strike Group and visited Oslo to meet Norwegian Ministers and the defence contractor Kongsberg.

The Secretary of State for Scotland and I will continue to proudly champion Scotland’s world-class shipbuilding and wider defence sector, ensuring it remains central to both the UK’s defence capability and wider economic growth.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on their statements on Israel.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

Foreign Affairs and Defence Policy is reserved to the UK Government. Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages cruelly detained by Hamas, better protection of civilians, significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza, and a path to long-term peace and stability. All our international partners understand that this is the UK’s position.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many days the Union Flag was flown on his Department's main buildings in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The Scotland Office leases space in Dover House, London from the Government Property Agency (GPA) and Queen Elizabeth House, Edinburgh from HMRC. GPA and HMRC follow guidance issued by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) regarding the flying of flags at these buildings.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on (a) promoting the safety of ethnic minority groups, (b) raising awareness of antisemitism and (c) protecting Jews in Scotland.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

Public safety is devolved to the Scottish Government. The Scotland Office regularly engages with Police Scotland on the safety of all our communities. The Government is clear that there is no place or justification for antisemitism.

We believe Scotland deserves independence.

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