Asked by: Zubir Ahmed (Labour - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing legislation to prevent the carrying of crossbows in public buildings, including hospitals and educational institutions.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is an offence in England and Wales, under section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, for any person to have with them in a public place any article made, or adapted, for causing an injury to a person without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. The maximum penalty, on conviction or indictment, is four years in prison, a fine or both.
Asked by: Zubir Ahmed (Labour - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Human Rights report on Transnational Repression in the UK, and whether Sikh and Punjabi communities are explicitly reflected in transnational repression guidance and risk assessments.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The Government carefully considered the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ report on transnational repression (TNR) and responded formally on 30 October 2025.
The Government’s approach to TNR is designed to capture the full range of behaviours and victims, ensuring flexibility in responding to the threat and avoiding the risk of stigmatising communities. The Government agrees that the approach to TNR must remain responsive to the evolving nature of the threat and that it keeps this under regular review, informed by operational insights and ongoing engagement with civil society organisations and trusted networks.
GOV.UK guidance has recently been updated, alongside guidance issued by the National Security Protective Authority, providing practical advice for individuals who believe they may be at risk, including steps to help keep them safe both physically and online.
Asked by: Zubir Ahmed (Labour - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the potential impact of the Chancellor’s statement on public spending inheritance of 29 July 2024 on public sector pay in Scotland.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The financial inheritance - the worst inherited by any incoming Government since World War 2 - was compounded by the unforeseen £22 billion black hole in spending left by the previous Government. This means we face hard choices we didn’t expect or want to make to fix the foundations of our economy.
What the previous Government did - spending the Treasury reserves three times over by July - was reckless and unforgivable. They also for the first time excluded an affordability clause from the Pay Bodies and the SNP had no set pay back either.
The Scottish Government is responsible for public sector pay awards for devolved workforces. Barnett consequentials and Supplementary Estimates for 2024-25 will be confirmed at the budget in October and the Spending Review will set block grant funding up to at least 2027-28. This will allow the devolved governments to financially plan over a longer period of time.