Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to the policy papers entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 30 June 2025, and Budget 2025, published on 28 November 2025, what their Department’s capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be in each year of the Spending Review period; how much capital funding has been allocated to each of their Department’s programmes; and how much and what proportion of the capital DEL allocation remains unallocated in each year.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The Departments capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) over the Spending Review is shown below:
Financial Year | £M |
2025-26* | 0.500 |
2026-27 | 0.050 |
2027-28 | 0.050 |
2028-29 | 0.050 |
2029-30 | 0.050 |
The Department does not have any capital programmes. The capital DEL is to cover the purchase of office equipment.
*The 2025-26 Capital DEL includes £0.450m for a change in valuation of the Departments building leases resulting from a technical accounting adjustment in line with HM Treasury Consolidated Budgeting guidance.
Asked by: Stephen Flynn (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to Written Statement HCWS867, whether the devolution settlement would prevent the Scottish Government from taking any of the same actions in Scotland.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
We are working closely with the Devolved Governments on a range of issues related to the deployment of digital infrastructure. This includes improving access and collaborating to deliver Project Gigabit - the UK Government’s nationwide programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans. In addition, the UK Government is supporting the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% programme, which aims to ensure homes and businesses across Scotland have access to faster broadband.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92513, if he will confirm who the relevant authorities are.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The Secretary of State is aware that the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Ombudsman have been responding to the implications for clients in England and Wales of the firm’s closure. It would not be appropriate for him to comment any further and any inquiries should be directed to these relevant authorities.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The Scotland Office and its associated arm’s length bodies have spent £0 on LinkedIn membership fees and £797 on other subscriptions in the last financial year.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the expected breakdown of the £14.5 million allocated to Grangemouth, including funding for site remediation, feasibility work, infrastructure upgrades, skills programmes, and any other defined purposes.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The UK and Scottish Governments are working together to assess and progress all investment at Grangemouth. To support this, at Autumn Budget 2025 the Chancellor announced up to £14.5 million of UKG funding for Grangemouth to support future projects.
At this moment in time, we cannot provide further information on allocation of this funding due to commercial sensitivities. Funding for projects will only be dispensed after thorough due diligence and Accounting Officer checks have been completed by the UK Government, but the UK Government remains committed to delivering a successful low-carbon future for Grangemouth.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how the £14.5 million announced for Grangemouth at the November 2025 Budget will be allocated; and what project milestones or conditions must be met before funds are released.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The UK and Scottish Governments are working together to assess and progress all investment at Grangemouth. To support this, at Autumn Budget 2025 the Chancellor announced up to £14.5 million of UKG funding for Grangemouth to support future projects.
At this moment in time, we cannot provide further information on allocation of this funding due to commercial sensitivities. Funding for projects will only be dispensed after thorough due diligence and Accounting Officer checks have been completed by the UK Government, but the UK Government remains committed to delivering a successful low-carbon future for Grangemouth.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Scottish Government's real terms reduction in College Funding since 2021 to the delivery of the industrial strategy in Scotland.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
Colleges have a critical role in ensuring the young people of Scotland can access secure, skilled jobs, and in fostering innovation, developing a skilled workforce, and driving economic growth.
This is why we have committed to hundreds of millions of additional funding for colleges in the Industrial Strategy.
However, the funding of colleges in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Government. Scotland’s colleges have had their funding cut by 20% between 2021/22 and 2025/26. The Spending Review was historic for Scotland and delivered the largest real terms settlement for the Scottish Government since devolution, with an average £50.9 billion per year between 2026-27 and 2028-29. Last week’s Budget has boosted this by a further £820m.
As the UK Government has delivered a record funding settlement to the Scottish Government, it is up to them to ensure that young people will benefit from these investments.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that UK public bodies in Scotland implement the For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers Supreme Court judgment.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has shared its updated draft statutory code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations with my Right Honourable Friend, the Minister for Women and Equalities. She will consider it fully and make a decision in due course. It is important we take the time to get this right.
The Code of Practice will apply to service providers, public bodies and associations across Great Britain. It is for the Scottish Government, of course, to ensure that its own public bodies comply with their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief on Scottish family farms.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
We are striking a fair balance between supporting farmers and fixing the public services on which our rural communities rely.
Our reforms to the Agricultural Property Relief means that the majority of those claiming relief, three quarters, will not be affected. The vast majority of farmers will not be affected at all. They will be able to pass the family farm down to their children just as previous generations have always done.
This is a fair and balanced approach that protects the family farm while also fixing the public services that we all rely on.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether Police Scotland has had discussions with his Department on its investigation into McClures Solicitors asset protection trusts.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
Police Scotland has not had discussions with the Scotland Office regarding its investigation into McClures Solicitors' asset protection trusts. It would not be appropriate for the Secretary of State or Scotland Office officials to discuss this matter with Police Scotland as the investigating authority. I am aware however that the relevant authorities have been considering any implications for the firm’s clients in England and Wales.