Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Economic Growth

Wednesday 26 November 2025 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Recent trends in economic growth in Scotland have been assessed by the Cabinet.
  • The Scottish Government is criticized for keeping a 1 billion underspend instead of investing in public services.
  • Farmers in Scotland feel ignored and abandoned by the current Labour Government.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Economy Scotland
Context

The question arises from recent trends showing poor economic growth figures in Scotland, particularly the latest figure of just 0.2%.

Question

What assessment has been made with Cabinet colleagues of recent trends in levels of economic growth in Scotland? The latest growth figures in Scotland have been terrible—just 0.2%—and are even worse than Labour’s figures for England at 0.3%. What has been more damaging to the Scottish economy: SNP policies in Holyrood, or Labour policies here in Whitehall?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)

Despite the UK economy being forecast to be the second fastest growing G7 economy this year, and despite private companies such as Iberdrola investing £10 billion in Scotland’s energy sector alone, there is more to do. The recently published Muscatelli report shows that under the SNP, economic growth has been ignored, and the unique potential of communities across Scotland has been held back. That is why today the Chancellor will set out a Budget to boost economic growth in each and every part of the UK.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answerer did not directly address which policies (SNP or Labour) have more negatively impacted Scotland's economy, instead focusing on future budgetary plans.

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Q2 Patricia Ferguson Lab Glasgow West
NHS Economy Scotland
Context

The Scottish Government has reportedly kept £1 billion of underspend instead of investing it into health centres, primary schools and other public services.

Question

Does my hon. Friend share my regret the Scottish Government have been content to keep £1 billion of underspend rather than building 39 new health centres or 30 new primary schools, employing 23,700 nurses in our NHS, or investing money in Scottish public services and having a consequential effect on Scotland’s economy?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)

I could not agree more. Since the election, this Government have delivered an extra £5.2 billion in funding for the Scottish Government, so they should be making life easier for Scots, but that money is being completely wasted by the SNP. What do we have to show for this record-breaking settlement? We simply cannot waste another decade with this failing SNP Government.

Answered
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Q3 Andrew Bowie Con West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Taxation Scotland Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Farmers have written to Labour MPs urging them to reconsider the family farm tax, arguing that it could destroy family farms.

Question

A key driver of growth in Scotland is the agricultural sector, but Scottish farmers feel utterly ignored and totally abandoned by this Labour Government. I have received a copy of a letter that was delivered to all Scottish Labour MPs urging them to call on their own Government to reconsider the family farm tax. Will the Minister tell the House if those pleas have fallen on deaf ears?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)

The hon. Gentleman and I have discussed this issue many times, and he is aware that we are striking a fair balance between supporting farmers and fixing the public services on which all our rural communities rely. We have taken a fair and balanced approach that protects family farms, while also fixing the public services that we all rely on, including our own constituents.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answerer did not address whether pleas from farmers were ignored or not.

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Q4 Andrew Bowie Con West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Economy Scotland Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Scottish economy is struggling, and the agricultural sector feels abandoned by the Labour Government.

Question

Pleas from farmers to the Minister and the Secretary of State are being ignored, just as other pleas from other sectors that are key to driving growth in Scotland have been ignored. Scotland has the worst of both worlds: two socialist and economically illiterate Governments, and a Scotland Office that turns a deaf ear to the pleas of the sectors that could drive growth in our country. It is no surprise that the Scottish people are about to reject Labour in May’s election yet again. After today’s Budget, who does the Secretary of State think will feel most abandoned—Scottish famers, Scottish distillers, Scottish family businesses, Scottish oil and gas workers, or poor Anas Sarwar and the Scottish Labour party?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)

The hon. Gentleman is perfectly well aware that the majority—three quarters—of those claiming agricultural property relief will be completely unaffected. However, what will affect every single person in Scotland is the Chancellor’s Budget that is set to help with living standards, to drive growth and to put the financial management at the heart of our public finances.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answerer did not directly state who would feel most abandoned but shifted focus towards the upcoming budget's impact on all Scottish people.

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