Forth Valley Industry 2025-12-09
2025-12-09
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from the need for economic support and development in Grangemouth, which has a long industrial history but is currently facing challenges due to high energy prices and potential college closures.
What fiscal steps are being taken to support industry in the Forth valley? I welcome the additional £14 million-plus to get new industry delivered quickly in Grangemouth and the £25 million to finalise the freeport in the Budget two weeks ago. Forth Valley college is vital to giving local working-class kids the skills they need to grasp the new opportunities that must come to Grangemouth, but it has been failed by the SNP Scottish Government’s staggering 20% cut to colleges since 2021. The Alloa campus now faces closure. Will the Minister consider stepping in with direct skills support for this vital college?
Education and skills policy, including the funding and operation of colleges, is fully devolved to the Scottish Government. That means that it is for Scottish Ministers to decide how to support Forth Valley college with the overall settlement. As my hon. Friend will know, the spending review provided the Scottish Government with their largest settlement in real terms since devolution in 1998, and the Budget provided an additional £820 million to Scotland through the Barnett formula. In the months ahead we will be campaigning to ensure that decisions about how to invest that funding in Scotland’s future will be taken by Anas Sarwar and a Scottish Labour Government.
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Assessment & feedback
Direct skills support for Forth Valley College was not addressed specifically, only general comments on devolved responsibilities were provided.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question stems from criticism towards the UK government’s fiscal policy, particularly regarding its impact on industrial energy prices, farm taxes, employment costs, and support for Grangemouth.
What is your view on the challenges experienced by Forth valley businesses due to high G7 industrial energy prices, Labour's farm tax, family business tax, £26 billion raid on employing people, fiscal drag on earnings, and lack of support for key projects like Acorn?
The hon. Member is happy to criticise tax decisions taken by this Government, but where does he think the largest spending review settlement since devolution began came from? Where does he think the £820 million announced at the autumn Budget came from? He needs to support the tax decisions we take if he wants the investment to go into Scotland.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific issues raised about high energy prices and fiscal drag were not addressed; instead, the answer focused on challenging the opposition's criticism of taxes and highlighting government funding.
Response accuracy