Business of the House

Patricia Ferguson Excerpts

Thursday 11th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds East (Richard Burgon), the Justice Secretary is monitoring the situation. The care and health of prisoners, whatever their status happens to be, are paramount in these matters. The Justice Secretary is taking these matters seriously and monitoring the situation. Should there be something to report to this House, I am sure he will come and do so.

[Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow West) (Lab)]

Earlier this year, I held a child poverty taskforce event in my constituency. All the organisations that took part identified inconsistent funding as a barrier to their work. I warmly welcome the child poverty strategy, but it is ironic that almost at the same time as it was announced, the SNP-controlled city council announced funding cuts to a number of organisations across Glasgow West. Given the record settlement from this Government to the SNP Government at Holyrood, does the Leader of the House agree that vital community organisations such as The Annexe, Drumchapel LIFE and Kingsway Community Connections—to mention just a small percentage—deserve stable funding to allow them to continue their good work, and that local authorities in Scotland have been underfunded for far too long?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a champion for the issue of child poverty, and I commend her for that. I agree with her about the vital community work that organisations such as the Annexe, Drumchapel LIFE and Kingsway Community Connections, among others, do in her constituency and many others. It is more than disappointing that at the very time that this Government are publishing the child poverty strategy, the SNP Government should act in the way that they have done. As she rightly points out, we have provided the Scottish Government with a record funding settlement. They have nowhere to hide on these matters.