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, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of UK Government investment programmes on communities in Scotland.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions his Department has had with Scottish local authorities on the delivery of UK Government-funded projects.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many inward investment projects his department has supported in Ayrshire in each of the last five years.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Freeports and Green Freeports on the economy in Ayrshire.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161, on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by the department since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent; on what items, and at what cost.

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

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

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to the answer of 3 June 2026, to Question 3339, on Special Advisers: Public Appointments, how many delivery advisers have been appointed to date, broken down by (a) special advisers, (b) Direct Ministerial Appointments, (c) civil servants appointed by exception, and (d) permanent civil servants appointed through open competition.

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

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

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what specific diversity and inclusion (a) days, (b) weeks and (c) months, were recognised and marked by (i) the department and (ii) each of its agencies, in the calendar year 2025.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 10189, on Databases: EU law, if they will list the data and reporting requirements that the department must make to the European Commission and its agencies.

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

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

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to the answer of 8 July 2026 to Question 14349 on Civil Service: Temporary Employment, if he will list each of the internship schemes that have been made available in the last 12 months through the department, other than the Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme.

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

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

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list each industrial dispute live within his Department, including the nature of the dispute and level of industrial action.

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

There are no live industrial disputes within the Scotland Office.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the total cost of facility time to the department in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-26; and what was the headcount number of facility time staff in each; how many were 100% facility time; and whether funding was provided for trade union activities in each of those years.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what is the percentage office workplace attendance requirement in each of the department’s offices, broken down by location; and whether attendance statistics are collated for each of those individual offices.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many departmental Senior Civil Service away days have taken place in calendar year 2026 to date; in what specific venues; at what cost; and if there was any associated social or team-building activity at public expense.

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

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

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to the Scottish Government's document entitled Human Rights Bill for Scotland: discussion paper, published on 1 July 2025, whether the proposed Bill will engage reserved matters, including the Equality Act.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether any internship schemes managed by (a) her Department and (b) each of its Arm’s Length Bodies are restricted to applicants on the basis of (i) ethnicity, (ii) social class and (iii) both.

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

The Scotland Office does not manage any internship schemes.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the percentage of desks provided for staff is as a proportion of the total number of assigned staff in his Department's (a) Scottish and (b) London headquarters.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will provide an estimate of the number of hours spent (a) responding to and (b) preparing for Westminster Hall Debates by (i) government ministers, (ii) civil servants and (iii) special advisers in his Department for each parliamentary session for which the information is available.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the outturn spending by the department on communications, marketing and advertising in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.

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

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.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2026 to Question 3763 and with reference to the Answer of of 19 January 2026 to Question 104195 on Government Communication Service: Staff, how many headcount staff in (a) the Department and (b) each of its Arm’s Length Bodies are (i) members of the Government Communication Network and (ii) embedded communicators who are not counted as members of the Government Communication Network.

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

All communicators are members of the Government Communication Service.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department has spent on social media influencers since July 2024.

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

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

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.

We call upon the UK Government to apologise for its role in the Tinker Experiment. We also want the Government to recognise the intergenerational trauma caused to families within the indigenous highland traveller community.

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