Economic Growth 2025-03-05
2025-03-05
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting economic growth in Scotland.
The defence sector contributes £3.2 billion to the Scottish economy, and Scotland’s contribution keeps us all safe. The Prime Minister is absolutely right when he says that the first responsibility of this Government is to protect our national security and keep our citizens safe. The last time that defence spending was at 2.5% of GDP was under the last Labour Government.
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Q2
Partial Answer
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting economic growth in Scotland.
For years the defence sector in Scotland has been at the forefront of creating skilled, well-paid jobs, despite the SNP’s refusal to stand up and back UK defence. This week is Scottish Apprenticeship Week, and I hope that those on both sides of the House—particularly Members from Scotland—will join me in paying tribute to Scotland’s wonderful defence sector apprentices, who do a great job at not just keeping our country safe, but helping our economies grow and building the skills base of Scotland’s future.
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Q3
Partial Answer
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting economic growth in Scotland.
The Scottish Government and SNP Members seem to think that defending the defence industry is done on Twitter. This Government inherited not just a fiscal crisis but an industrial one, because we have had well over 10 years without a clear industrial strategy. I was pleased recently to meet the chair of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, and I welcomed my right hon. Friend the Business Secretary to Scotland last month to meet business leaders at the forefront of Scotland’s industrial future.
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Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP references the Secretary of State's previous stance on leaving the EU, arguing it has left the UK more isolated. He also mentions prior agreements on tackling fuel poverty and child poverty.
If the Secretary of State had bothered to read in more depth, he would have seen that I was saying something that he once agreed with: leaving the EU has left us more isolated. He once agreed with me about that, before he went into government—but then, he agreed with me on other things before he went into government, such as tackling fuel poverty and tackling child poverty. Is the Secretary of State no longer worried about those issues and more worried about league tables? Is he more worried about being in the relegation zone?
Sorry, Mr Speaker. I lost the thread of that question about halfway through, but one thing I did take from it is that it was absolutely identical to the question from the Tory shadow Secretary of State. That tells you all you need to know.
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Assessment & feedback
The MP's specific concerns about fuel and child poverty were not addressed; instead, he responded by pointing out similarities between his own and another MP's questioning.
Changing The Subject To Criticize Another Mp
Response accuracy