Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Home Office and GAD began work on the implications of the SCAPE change.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
On 19 May 2026, HM Treasury confirmed the adjusted SCAPE rate from CPI +1.7% to CPI +2.0%, triggering a pension scheme factor review by the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD).
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
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.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce knife crime in Irvine.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Knife crime is a national concern. The Government is committed to halving knife crime over the next decade and published Protecting Lives, Building Hope: A Plan to Halve Knife Crime in April 2026. The Plan sets out a cross-government approach focused on prevention, early intervention, enforcement and reducing reoffending, and we will continue working with the Welsh Government, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to support a coordinated UK-wide response.
Many of the policy areas relevant to knife crime in Scotland, including health, education, social care, youth justice and policing, are devolved to the Scottish Government. However, elements of the Plan that relate to reserved matters apply across the United Kingdom, including measures to create safer online environments and the introduction of a new UK-wide Child Criminal Exploitation offence. The Plan also includes UK-wide legislation to strengthen controls on the sale of knives, including age verification and bulk sales provisions.
The Government recognises the important work already underway in Scotland to prevent violence and reduce knife crime, including the public health approach developed in Glasgow. This approach has informed the development of 20 Violence Reduction Units in England and Wales, which bring together local partners to understand and tackle the drivers of violence in their local areas. We will continue to engage with the Scottish Government to share learning and effective practice as the Plan is implemented.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce anti-social behaviour over the summer in Central Ayrshire.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Public order and policing are devolved matters in Scotland. Responsibility for tackling anti-social behaviour in Central Ayrshire therefore rests with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland. The UK Government continues to work with the devolved administrations on issues of shared interest relating to community safety, while respecting the devolution settlement.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
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.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of UK trade agreements on Scottish agriculture.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our trade programme is opening new opportunities for Scottish agrifood. Our FTA with India is expected to grow Scotland’s GVA by around £190 million, underpinned by significant new market access for Scotch whisky, which will in turn support primary agricultural producers in Scotland. Our FTA with the Gulf Cooperation Council will give Scottish agrifood exports a competitive advantage in a net agricultural importing region. This will see the removal of tariffs on Scottish strengths including salmon, baked goods, and confectionary. We continue to seek further opportunities, such as in negotiations with Turkey where, for example, salmon currently faces tariffs of up to 64%.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing defence contracts in Ayrshire.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government is committed to ensuring that businesses across the United Kingdom, including in Ayrshire, can benefit from opportunities created by defence investment. Through the Defence Industrial Strategy, we are strengthening partnerships with industry, improving visibility of future opportunities and supporting economic growth across the UK.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the impact of United States tariffs on Scottish whisky exports.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 30 April, following successful UK Government engagement and the State Visit, President Trump announced the removal of tariffs on UK produced whisky. Whisky tariffs were lifted on 24th July.
This has been welcomed by industry and is an important win for the Scotch Whisky sector which exports around £1 billion each year to the US.
Discussions on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal are ongoing. The UK continues to engage with the US Administration at all levels, working to benefit exporters from across the UK, including through Secretary of State holding calls last month with US counterparts, Ambassador Greer and Secretary Lutnick.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Extended Producer Responsibility on businesses in Central Ayrshire.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
pEPR in the UK has some of the most generous support measures for small businesses across any packaging scheme globally, including an exemption from disposal fees and recycling obligations for producers with an annual turnover below £2 million and packaging tonnage below 50 tonnes.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has the Government made of the impact of EPR on businesses in Central Ayrshire.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
pEPR in the UK has some of the most generous support measures for small businesses across any packaging scheme globally, including an exemption from disposal fees and recycling obligations for producers with an annual turnover below £2 million and packaging tonnage below 50 tonnes.