Oral Answers to Questions

Gregor Poynton Excerpts

Wednesday 9th July 2025 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Gregor Poynton (Livingston) (Lab)]

1. What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the potential impact of the spending review 2025 on Scottish public services.

[Katrina Murray (Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch) (Lab)]

10. What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the potential impact of the spending review 2025 on Scottish public services.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (Ian Murray)]

I am sure Members across the House will have seen the wonderful news this morning and join me in congratulating Ferguson Marine on winning a substantial Ministry of Defence shipbuilding contract through BAE Systems. That is great news for the workforce, who will play a key role in keeping our country and its people safe. Shipbuilding on the Clyde is thriving thanks to the UK Government’s record investment in defence, supporting 4,000 jobs; this is a real defence dividend for Scotland. This is investment that the SNP seeks to block, but Labour will build.

This is the last Scottish oral questions before summer recess, so can I thank you, Mr Speaker, your team and all the House staff for all your work over the last year? This was a historic spending review for Scotland that ended austerity. Along with last year’s Budget, it delivered an extra £14 billion as a UK Labour Government dividend to Scotland. That is more money for our NHS, police, housing and schools. Scots will not accept continued SNP failure on Scottish public services and will rightly ask the SNP: where has all the money gone?

[Gregor Poynton]

This UK Labour Government are delivering the largest budgetary settlement in the history of devolution, with an extra £9.1 billion to invest in Scottish public services, yet the SNP Scottish Government continue to squander opportunity after opportunity and waste the public’s money. Will he join me in urging the SNP Scottish Government to get a grip and invest in projects that matter to our communities, such as the East Calder medical centre, which has not materialised after SNP dither and delay?