Pride in Place
Richard Baker Excerpts(2 weeks, 3 days ago)
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Miatta Fahnbulleh
Absolutely. My hon. Friend gives us the example of how not to do this, as we saw that under the Conservative party. If we get this right and we put communities at the very heart of it, that is how we will drive change. I commend her on the amazing leadership she is showing in her community, working with others to bring them around the table to ensure that investment that has a long-term impact will drive change in her community.
Richard Baker (Glenrothes and Mid Fife) (Lab)
Two neighbourhoods in Fife are benefiting from £40 million of Pride in Place funding, showing the Government once again delivering for the people of the kingdom of Fife. Given the centralisation of power in Scotland under the SNP, how does the Minister believe those funds can support local decision making in Scottish communities, particularly in areas of deprivation?
Miatta Fahnbulleh
I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important point. We believe that communities should be in charge and in the driving seat—that is how we drive transformative long-term change. We desperately hope that the Scottish Government will look at what we are doing. The Scottish Government have been hugely centralising, but not always making decisions in the best interests of the communities we want them to. We think there is something that they can learn, and we will work with them to share the lessons and, critically, to advocate and encourage them to take a similar approach.
Coalfields Regeneration Trust
Richard Baker Excerpts(6 months, 1 week ago)
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Adam Jogee
My hon. Friend makes a very good point. She speaks to the cross-nation commitment to this issue, and about the many people who live in, work in and benefit from the potential in our coalfield communities.
Richard Baker (Glenrothes and Mid Fife) (Lab)
Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the huge benefits of the trust has been its investment in projects supporting young people in our coalfield communities? Although the Scottish Government have provided continued support to the trust, that support has declined in monetary value over the past decade. That represents an opportunity cost for vital projects for coalfield communities, including in my constituency. As we are urging the Government here to ensure that support is adequate for the trust, does my hon. Friend agree that the same principle applies to Scotland as well?
Adam Jogee
My hon. Friend raises a very good point. I suspect that the reason he is here, joined by many Labour colleagues from Scotland, is that the SNP Government were found wanting on a number of issues. Thanks to this Labour Government’s Budget, at the end of last year Scotland had an increase in the last financial year of £1.5 billion. There is no excuse for them not to turn up and do the job properly. I feel sure that my hon. Friend, alongside many others, will be holding the SNP Government to account.
I have seen the positive impact of the CRT at work in my constituency. Fourteen local organisations are part of the free membership programme CRT Support, including charities I have worked closely with, such as the excellent Tri Services and Veterans Support Centre right in the heart of Newcastle-under-Lyme.