Oral Answers to Questions

Kirsteen Sullivan Excerpts

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Rigby]

My hon. Friend raises an important point. This Government are investing an extra £29 billion in our national health service. I would be happy to meet him to discuss it further.

[Kirsteen Sullivan (Bathgate and Linlithgow) (Lab/Co-op)]

2. What steps she is taking to provide regional funding.

[Emma Foody (Cramlington and Killingworth) (Lab/Co-op)]

6. What steps she is taking to provide regional funding.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rachel Reeves)]

I am very sorry to see your leg in such a way, Mr Speaker.

We are committed to driving growth everywhere. The Budget ensured that Scottish public services are fairly funded, with an extra £820 million for the Scottish Government through the Barnett formula, on top of a record settlement in June this year. We are also investing in transport for city regions, and investing £5 billion in deprived neighbourhoods through the Pride in Place programme, with some of that money going to Scotland.

[Kirsteen Sullivan]

I welcome the fantastic news that Edinburgh and south-east Scotland will receive £37.8 million from the new local growth fund, supporting infrastructure, business support and skills development. However, I consistently hear from businesses that they struggle to recruit people with the skill sets needed to grow their operations and fuel economic growth. Can the Chancellor set out how this investment will reach beyond the cities to tackle the acute skills shortages in my constituency of Bathgate and Linlithgow?

[Rachel Reeves]

I thank my hon. Friend for her commitment to her constituency. It is right that the money is allocated through the regional economic partnerships in Scotland, and I have absolutely no doubt that my hon. Friend will make the case for her local area. The regional economic partnerships have already worked together to deliver the integrated regional employability and skills programme in Edinburgh and south-east Scotland, including helping people in her Bathgate and Linlithgow constituency.