Oral Answers to Questions

Kirsty McNeill Excerpts

Wednesday 26th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Jerome Mayhew (Broadland and Fakenham) (Con)]

3. What assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of recent trends in levels of economic growth in Scotland.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)]

Over the last year, this Government have taken action to fix the foundations of our economy, to put the public finances on a sustainable path and support growth. Despite the UK economy being forecast to be the second fastest growing G7 economy this year, and despite private companies such as Iberdrola investing £10 billion in Scotland’s energy sector alone, there is more to do. The recently published Muscatelli report shows that under the SNP, economic growth has been ignored, and the unique potential of communities across Scotland has been held back. That is why today the Chancellor will set out a Budget to boost economic growth in each and every part of the UK.

[Jerome Mayhew]

The latest growth figures in Scotland have been terrible—just 0.2%—and are even worse than Labour’s figures for England at 0.3%. What has been more damaging to the Scottish economy: SNP policies in Holyrood, or Labour policies here in Whitehall?

[Kirsty McNeill]

The SNP Government are clearly not doing what is required to drive growth in Scotland, but I say to the hon. Member that we are dealing with the legacy of 14 years of Conservative economic mismanagement, including their catastrophic policy of austerity, their mismanagement of the pandemic, and a failed Brexit deal. Members do not have to take my word for it: the current leader of the Conservative party has been clear that the Conservatives have no plan for growth.

[Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow West) (Lab)]

Does my hon. Friend share my regret the Scottish Government have been content to keep £1 billion of underspend rather than building 39 new health centres or 30 new primary schools, employing 23,700 nurses in our NHS, or investing money in Scottish public services and having a consequential effect on Scotland’s economy?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I could not agree more. Since the election, this Government have delivered an extra £5.2 billion in funding for the Scottish Government, so they should be making life easier for Scots, but that money is being completely wasted by the SNP. What do we have to show for this record-breaking settlement? We simply cannot waste another decade with this failing SNP Government. It is long past time for a new direction.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Andrew Bowie (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (Con)]

A key driver of growth in Scotland is the agricultural sector, but Scottish farmers feel utterly ignored and totally abandoned by this Labour Government. I have received a copy of a letter that was delivered to all Scottish Labour MPs urging them to call on their own Government to reconsider the family farm tax. One farmer who wrote to Labour Members said that these tax changes would destroy the family farms that feed Scotland and that he was delivering the letter as a plea for their future. Will the Minister tell the House if those pleas have fallen on deaf ears?

[Kirsty McNeill]

The hon. Gentleman and I have discussed this issue many times, and he is aware that we are striking a fair balance between supporting farmers and fixing the public services on which all our rural communities rely. We have taken a fair and balanced approach that protects family farms, while also fixing the public services that we all rely on, including our own constituents.

[Andrew Bowie]

Pleas from farmers to the Minister and the Secretary of State are being ignored, just as other pleas from other sectors that are key to driving growth in Scotland have been ignored. Scotland has the worst of both worlds: two socialist and economically illiterate Governments, and a Scotland Office that turns a deaf ear to the pleas of the sectors that could drive growth in our country. It is no surprise that the Scottish people are about to reject Labour in May’s election yet again. After today’s Budget, who does the Secretary of State think will feel most abandoned—Scottish famers, Scottish distillers, Scottish family businesses, Scottish oil and gas workers, or poor Anas Sarwar and the Scottish Labour party?

[Kirsty McNeill]

The hon. Gentleman is perfectly well aware that the majority—three quarters—of those claiming agricultural property relief will be completely unaffected. However, what will affect every single person in Scotland is the Chancellor’s Budget that is set to help with living standards, to drive growth and to put the financial management at the heart of our public finances.

[Pete Wishart (Perth and Kinross-shire) (SNP)]

4. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential impact of the UK’s asylum and returns policies on Scotland.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)]

Immigration is a reserved issue and the Home Secretary set out last week an asylum policy that will work for all parts of the United Kingdom. It contains the most sweeping asylum reforms in modern times, commensurate to the scale of the issues before us. These reforms will restore control, contribution and fairness to the system. I am proud that our country has always been fair, tolerant and compassionate, and this Government will always defend those values.

[Pete Wishart]

This Government’s new heinous asylum and immigration policy marks a dark moment for many who have chosen Scotland to be their home, even leaving children born in Scotland at risk of deportation. I do not know if the Minister has noticed that we are facing a population and demography crisis that the policy will only make 10 times worse, and if we do not address it, it will have a huge impact on our economy and social services. Why does Scottish Labour support an immigration policy that is contrary to the Scottish interest?

[Kirsty McNeill]

What Scottish Labour supports, like the rest of the Labour party, is a system that is both humane and restores control, and that is in the best interest of communities and those seeking asylum and to migrate. We are proud to support the policy, and we know that the rest of the country wants a system that has both control and fairness as its guiding principles.

[Chris Murray (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab)]

In Scotland, there are approximately four times as many people fleeing oppression from Ukraine and Hong Kong as there are asylum seekers. There has been no public outcry and they have been welcomed. That shows that Scotland is a generous country, willing to play our part if the system is fair and controlled. Moreover, 14 children this year have drowned in the channel coming here. Does the Minister agree with me that there is nothing progressive about not fixing a system where public support for refugees drains and children drown?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I am sure that the whole House will join me in remembering those children who have drowned in the channel, and I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. There is nothing progressive or humane about a system that incentivises people to take terrible risks. I commend my hon. Friend for all the work that he has done with those seeking asylum and refuge over very many years.

[Chris Kane (Stirling and Strathallan) (Lab)]

5. What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on skills, development and training for the Forth valley area.

--- Later in debate ---

[Elaine Stewart (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (Lab)]

7. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support regeneration in Scotland through the Pride in Place programme.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)]

Through the Pride in Place programme, we are investing almost £500 million to revitalise communities across Scotland. As part of that, the Scotland Office has recently completed the collection of evidence from MPs, MSPs, local authorities and community groups to inform the selection of 14 new neighbourhoods that will each benefit from £20 million over 10 years.

[Elaine Stewart]

Will the Minister give assurances on the timeline of the Pride in Place funding? It is crucial to get projects up and running as soon as possible. While it might be too early for her to wear a Santa hat, can she tell me whether successful local authorities can expect an early Christmas present?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I can confirm to my hon. Friend that she will not have long to wait. It is in all our interests to get things coming down the chimney as soon as possible.

[Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD)]

Some 40% of children in Stenhouse in my constituency of Edinburgh West live in poverty. There are nine Pride in Place projects being considered across Edinburgh, but none include that area of deprivation. Are there plans to change the criteria so that such areas can be included, helping to attack problems such as child poverty?

[Kirsty McNeill]

There are no plans to change the criteria against which local authority areas will be selected, but I can confirm that we do not have long to wait before the areas will be confirmed.

[Mr Speaker]

Before we come to Prime Minister’s questions, I welcome His Excellency the honourable Stephen Francis Smith to the Gallery. As Stephen’s term as the Australian high commissioner to the UK comes to an end, we wish him all the best in retirement. We thank him for what he has done in the UK.