At its meeting on 9 September, the Committee agreed to inquire into the Electoral Commission's oversight of the funding and governance of political parties in Scotland, and the policies, processes and safeguards associated with the distribution of Short Money to political parties. Further information on the scope of this inquiry will be published in due course.

The Lord Advocate and her deputy the Solicitor General for Scotland each assume a “dual role” being both senior government legal advisers, and senior public prosecutors. There is a long-standing and ongoing political and constitutional debate within Scotland about whether the dual role should be split to better mitigate actual and/or perceived conflicts of interest between the two functions. This inquiry will appraise the case for and against splitting the dual role, and exploring different options for reform.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the Scotland Act to provide that a referendum be arranged in the situation where there is a consensus in Scotland for independence.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department (a) uses or (b) is taking steps to install rooftop solar panels on its premises.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have held any meetings with the Scottish Government regarding its proposed Human Rights Bill.

Answered by Lord Katz - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department monitors the amount of food waste generated by its offices each month.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on attracting international investment to Ayrshire.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will set out the required steps for an independence referendum in Scotland.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will set out the the conditions under which the Government would grant permission for Scotland to hold another Independence Referendum.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department’s (a) Permanent Secretary and (b) Ministers have had correspondence with Flint Global since July 2024.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department is taking to increase foreign direct investment into Ayrshire's aerospace, advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on ways to help ensure that people across the UK benefit from the economic impact of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to work with youth organisations in Scotland to understand the opinions of young Scottish people.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department spent on activities relating to Pride Month 2026.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government and HMRC on tackling the sale of illegal tobacco in Scotland.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

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.

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