Oral Answers to Questions
Lillian Jones Excerpts(1 week, 6 days ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mr Alexander
The SNP seems to respect every vote, apart from the constitutional referendum, in which 84% of the Scottish people exercised their democratic choice. The hon. Member she says that devolution is all the rage. With respect, some of us were early adopters. I campaigned for, voted for and supported the Scotland Act 1998 in this House, arguing for a two-Parliament solution to Scotland’s effective governance. Energy policy is one of the areas of policy that is held here at Westminster, albeit that there are important planning considerations in Westminster, but on the substantive point that the centralisation of powers in Holyrood needs to be reversed, I certainly do agree. The hon. Lady seems to have no comment on that. She is obviously replicating the pattern of behaviour of a certain former First Minister.
Lillian Jones (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)
For 23 years, I proudly served in Scotland’s NHS, working alongside dedicated hard-working brilliant nurses. Under the SNP Government, those very nurses are paying higher income tax than colleagues anywhere else in the UK. Does the Secretary of State agree that instead of demanding more power, the SNP Government should use the powers they already have to concentrate on delivering better public services and better value for Scotland’s taxpayers?
Mr Alexander
I could not agree more. My own mother worked for many years in the NHS in Ayrshire, at Crosshouse hospital. The Scottish Government are, alas, letting those dedicated NHS workers down. After 19 years in power, they must account for their record on public services, from NHS waiting lists to declining school standards. We used to have an education system that was the envy of the world. The priority should be on delivery, not division.
Oral Answers to Questions
Lillian Jones Excerpts(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mr Alexander
I know better than most the limitations of an SNP-led Renfrewshire council, and I applaud my hon. Friend’s efforts to bring this initiative to the fore. As the UK Government Minister responsible for local growth in Scotland, the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Kirsty McNeill), would be pleased to meet her to discuss how we can work with the council to deliver a vibrant and strong future for the town.
Lillian Jones (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr Douglas Alexander)
The UK Government are committed to empowering local people to deliver neighbourhood regeneration across Scotland. Our Pride in Place programme is directly supporting many of our most-in-need communities to shape the future of their local area. We are investing up to £480 million in 24 Scottish neighbourhoods over 10 years, and that includes £20 million for Kilmarnock.
Lillian Jones
Happy birthday, Mr Speaker.
I was delighted that the Darvel Improvement Group was awarded £200,000 of Pride in Place funding, meaning that it can now progress its work to restore the Sir Alexander Fleming commemorative garden and create an educational memorial in Hastings Square. My right hon. Friend will know that 2028 marks 100 years since the discovery of penicillin, a world-changing breakthrough that has saved millions of lives across the world. For local people across my constituency, that is a source of deep pride—Scotland’s contribution to science from a man born in Darvel in Ayrshire, aka God’s country. Does my right hon. Friend agree that by putting power into the hands of local people, we are helping communities to deliver—
Oral Answers to Questions
Lillian Jones Excerpts(1 year, 7 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lillian Jones (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)
Martin Rhodes (Glasgow North) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Ian Murray)
The Scotland Office is supporting the White Ribbon Scotland campaign, which asks people to sign a pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women. I have signed it, as has the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Kirsty McNeill), and I encourage Scottish Members from across the House to come to Dover House foyer and sign the pledge themselves. This Government have a mission to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade. I am sure that the whole House supports that.
Economic growth is our No. 1 mission in this Government. We announced a historic Budget for Scotland that chose investment over decline and an end to austerity. On top of a record settlement, the UK Government are investing nearly £1.4 billion into local growth projects in Scotland, creating the national wealth fund to support our new industrial strategy and driving the transition to clean energy via Great British Energy, which is headquartered in Aberdeen.
Lillian Jones
The first Labour Budget in 14 years delivered £4.9 billion for Scotland in Barnett consequentials—the biggest settlement since devolution, putting an end to austerity. On top of that, it confirmed £20 million for Kilmarnock in my constituency—I thank the Secretary of State for ensuring that that funding was delivered, despite the £22 billion black hole in the public finances left by the Tories. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the last Tory Government made promises to Scotland that they had no intention of keeping?
Ian Murray
I thank my hon. Friend not only for that question but for the tenacity with which she has backed Kilmarnock to get more funding for her local area in the Budget. It is an absolute disgrace that the previous Government made promises to communities such as Kilmarnock about funding that they never had an intention of keeping. This Government stepped in and funded those projects, chose investment over decline and will deliver growth and higher living standards. The irony is that the Scottish National party voted against the largest funding settlement in the history of devolution yesterday, but will spend it today.