Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Co-operation with Devolved Governments

Thursday 24 April 2025 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The ruling upholds protection of single-sex spaces based on biological sex, providing clarity and confidence for women and service providers.
  • Let me first pay tribute to RSE and all its brilliant work on water tech. Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of representing Scotland in the United States at Tartan Week.
  • As the UK Government, we have delivered more than 2 million extra NHS appointments seven months early.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kenneth Stevenson Lab Airdrie and Shotts
Women & Equalities Standards & Ethics
Context

The UK Supreme Court issued a ruling last week defining womanhood based on biological sex, providing legal clarity. The MP emphasizes the importance of coordinated action between the UK and Scottish governments to ensure practical impacts are understood.

Question

The Minister will be aware of last week’s historic UK Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman being based on biological sex, which provided important legal clarity. It is critical now that the UK and Scottish Governments work in a co-ordinated manner to ensure that the practical impacts are understood. How does the Minister plan to ensure that this co-ordinated approach delivers for women in Scotland and across the United Kingdom?

Answer from The Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security (Mr Douglas Alexander)

The ruling upholds the protection of single-sex spaces based on biological sex and brings welcome clarity and confidence for women and, indeed, service providers. The Equality and Human Rights Commission, as Britain’s equality regulator, has already committed to supporting service providers with updated guidance. On the specific point raised by my hon. Friend, we will meet Scottish counterparts to discuss the implications of this significant judgment.

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Q2 Katrina Murray Lab Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch
Scotland
Context

Tartan Day is an event that provides Scottish companies the opportunity to promote their products internationally. The MP highlights RSE in Cumbernauld's desire to be part of Brand Scotland and seeks details on how the UK government will work with the devolved governments to ensure success.

Question

I thank the Minister for his answer to the earlier question. Events such as Tartan Day provide a vital opportunity for companies such as RSE in Cumbernauld to promote their products to international markets. RSE has repeatedly told me that it wants to be a part of Brand Scotland. Will the Minister outline how he will work with the Scotland Office and the Scottish Government to ensure that Tartan Day is an even bigger success next year to secure investment in the Scottish economy and create Scottish jobs?

Answer from The Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security (Mr Douglas Alexander)

Let me first pay tribute to RSE and all its brilliant work on water tech. Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of representing Scotland in the United States along with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland at Tartan Week, where we met a range of businesses and investors to bang the drum for Scotland as a great place to invest and to work. It was, frankly, a powerful opportunity to show that Scotland has two Governments committed to its prosperity and wellbeing.

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Q3 Elaine Stewart Lab Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
NHS Scotland
Context

The MP highlights the Labour Government's plan to deliver more GPs and asks for cooperation between the UK government and Scottish government in improving the SNP-run health service.

Question

Does the Minister agree that this Labour Government’s plan for change has helped to deliver 1,500 more GPs to help stop the 8 am rush and that the Scottish Government should work with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to look at how the SNP-run health service in Scotland could learn from such action?

Answer from The Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security (Mr Douglas Alexander)

As the UK Government, we have delivered more than 2 million extra NHS appointments seven months early, as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out just a few moments ago. Yet we all know that, despite the brilliance of NHS staff, the NHS in Scotland is still on its knees. Today, from this Dispatch Box, I urge our colleagues in the Scottish Government to work with us and actually learn some lessons from our team in the Department of Health and Social Care who are already driving change across England.

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