Pride in Place

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

We have allocated local growth funding to Scotland, which we will announce in due course. In addition, we are working with the Scotland Office on the allocation of the Scottish component of pride in place. This Labour Government are investing in Scotland and in our communities, but the Scottish Government are in charge, and if our communities are struggling in Scotland, responsibility for that sits with the SNP.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

rose—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I call Paul Waugh, who will not want to let me down after his earlier infraction.

[Paul Waugh]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. In Rochdale, we warmly welcome this £20 million investment in Smallbridge and Hurstead, which is very much overdue. I am the Labour and Co-operative MP for Rochdale, which is the home of the Co-op, and we know more than anyone elsewhere the power of local people coming together, setting their own priorities and taking back control. Does the Minister agree with me that this investment is overdue because of the years of neglect by the Conservative party and Whitehall, and is a vote of confidence in local people?

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

My hon. Friend is completely right. Like him, I am a Co-operative MP, and I think the values of our Co-operative movement run through this programme. It puts local people in charge, but it also says that it is by giving local people a stake, giving them ownership and allowing them to generate community wealth that we make our places prosperous.