Contributions
297 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDAdvanced Research and Invention Agency BillIt is a pleasure to be able to speak in this debate, and this will be my last speech in this Chamber. I shall come to that in a moment, but first let me address the substance of…23 Mar 2021HANSARDAdvanced Research and Invention Agency BillIt is very kind of my hon. Friend to say so. In my maiden speech, I thanked my wife Karlie and my then 11-month-old daughter Isla for their love and support. I said then that it…23 Mar 2021HANSARDEngagementsI had a meeting recently with the PCS about public sector pay and heard from constituents in Shotts and Calderbank who work for UK Government Departments, both of whom are…10 Feb 2021HANSARDPoverty LevelsThe Secretary of State suggested that her approach to universal credit is evidence-based, yet the Government dismissed the Select Committee on Work and Pensions report on this…25 Jan 2021HANSARDPoverty LevelsSo no action on legacy benefits, which means that the active discrimination from the UK Government against sick and disabled people, who disproportionately claim them, will…25 Jan 2021HANSARDScottish Fishing Communities: EU TradeWhat assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK-EU trade and co-operation agreement on Scottish fishing communities.21 Jan 2021HANSARDScottish Fishing Communities: EU TradeThis Government have followed up their sell-out of Scotland’s fishing communities with this £23 million insult. The industry is losing more than four times that every day. It is…21 Jan 2021HANSARDUniversal Credit and Working Tax CreditI am pleased to have the opportunity to go into detail about why the SNP has been at the forefront of the campaign, led by the likes of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Save the…18 Jan 2021HANSARDUnited Kingdom Internal Market Bill: Strength of UnionWhat assessment he has made of the effect on the strength of the Union of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.17 Dec 2020HANSARDUnited Kingdom Internal Market Bill: Strength of UnionThe majority support for independence in the last 17 polls in a row—58% this morning—is in part due to how Scotland has been treated by the Minister and his colleagues since the…17 Dec 2020HANSARDSpending Review 2020Shortly, Nicola Sturgeon will outline in her conference speech plans to pay families who receive free school meals a £100 grant to help them through winter until the new,…30 Nov 2020HANSARDSpending Review 2020The Secretary of State talks about jobs, yet just as employment is expected to reach 2.6 million, she plans, shamefully, to cut universal credit. Ahead of the spending review, a…30 Nov 2020HANSARDUK-US Co-operationWhat recent discussions he has had with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team on future co-operation between the UK and the US.24 Nov 2020HANSARDUK-US Co-operationAs President-elect Biden embarks on building his internationally focused team, including, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said that Joe Biden would bring aid back to the…24 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]I was—I have it right here. We took some comfort from that statement from the Minister, but I have to emphasise the word “inappropriate” in respect of that de-risking journey. For…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]It is a pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Gordon (Richard Thomson), whose helpful, informed and persuasive speech matched the characteristics he brought to the…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]The fact remains, and the Minister has not rebuked the point I made in Committee, that the stronger nudge managed to get successful appointments to move from 3% to 11% of cases.…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]I was just coming on to quote that very passage from the Minister in Committee—16 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]Nothing that the Minister has said contradicts anything in our amendment 7 or, for that matter, our amendment 1. It would not be the first time if the regulations did not…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]Like others, I wish to put on record my thanks to the Clerks, Huw Yardley and Kenneth Fox, and to Djuna Thurley in the Library, for their support. I also thank our SNP researchers…16 Nov 2020