Scotland Office

The Windsor Framework has lifted the ban on the movement of seed potatoes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Plant Health Label scheme.

Once planted in Northern Ireland, the new crop of seed potatoes can be sold with no restrictions. This reflects long-standing arrangements for biosecurity, and our commitment to upholding a smooth flow of trade with Northern Ireland.

The Scottish Cities Alliance is an important stakeholder. There is a clear synergy in the work of the Scottish Cities Alliance and how this Government wants to kickstart economic growth in all parts of the country. Therefore, I have plans to meet with the Scottish Cities Alliance in the future to hear about their very important plans for the economic potential across Scotland’s eight cities and better understand how they can better work in partnership with this Government.

The past weeks have been frightening for many of our communities in Scotland, in particular for Muslims. I will never forget hearing from a young woman who has asked to work from home indefinitely because she is so afraid to be in a city centre, in Scotland, in 2024, wearing the hijab. That is intolerable and cannot - and will not - be accepted.

So I do not share the complacency of some that Scotland has no issues around racism and Islamophobia to address.

The UK Government and Scotland Office are determined to play our part in defeating hate. I am grateful to the civil society and voluntary organisations throughout our communities whose efforts are so vital in supporting that endeavour, and to Police Scotland for their work in keeping us safe.

While I am confident that the true values of this country are best reflected by millions of decent, law abiding people who cherish our neighbours and will not be divided, we must acknowledge that mosques, synagogues and other buildings used by a range of faith communities in Scotland have had to take advantage of Home Office funding for security. Their need to do so shames us all and we will not rest until those responsible for violent disorder are brought to justice and everyone, of every faith and background, feels equally safe.

This government will continue to promote unity and solidarity across the diverse communities that so enrich life in Scotland and the United Kingdom and bring to justice all those engaged in thuggery and violent disorder.

The financial inheritance - the worst inherited by any incoming Government since World War 2 - was compounded by the unforeseen £22 billion black hole in spending left by the previous Government. This means we face hard choices we didn’t expect or want to make to fix the foundations of our economy.

What the previous Government did - spending the Treasury reserves three times over by July - was reckless and unforgivable. They also for the first time excluded an affordability clause from the Pay Bodies and the SNP had no set pay back either.

The Scottish Government is responsible for public sector pay awards for devolved workforces. Barnett consequentials and Supplementary Estimates for 2024-25 will be confirmed at the budget in October and the Spending Review will set block grant funding up to at least 2027-28. This will allow the devolved governments to financially plan over a longer period of time.

I can confirm that I have not made any statutory or non-statutory direct Ministerial Appointments since taking up office as the Secretary of State for Scotland on 5 July 2024.

Decisions regarding budgets for this year were set in the last spending review and for future years will be a matter for the upcoming comprehensive spending review which my department is engaging in. The uncovering of £22bn of in-year hidden pressures has added to the strain on departmental budgets as set out by the Chancellor to parliament on 30 July.

A breakdown of the Department and its arm’s length bodies underspend in the current financial year and over the spending review are disclosed in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scotland-office-and-oag-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-2023

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scotland-office-and-oag-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-2024

The UK Government is committed to the effective delivery of compensation schemes in relation to miscarriages of justice.

Scottish Parliament has been in recess since the formation of the new Government, so no discussions have taken place. However, through the resetting of the relationship between the UK and Scottish Governments, Scotland’s two governments will be able to work together in addressing the causes of delays to miscarriages of justice claims in order to bring justice to those affected.

I have had frequent discussions with the Department for Business and Trade, across government, trade unions and with the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, to support activity at Harland and Wolff sites across the United Kingdom. This country has a long and proud history of shipbuilding and fabrication, and I am confident that this Government is taking appropriate steps to support the sector in Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government and the company itself. Can I refer the Hon Gentlemen to the market update from the company dated Friday 19 July, and the Written Ministerial Statement presented to the House on Monday 22 July for more information.

As you may be aware, the current State Pension age is 66 for both men and woman, with the state pension age set to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028. The most recent population data by Scottish constituency, collected on Census Day 20 March 2022, is set out below.

The renewable energy sector supports economic activity throughout its supply chains and this economic activity supports wage spending across Scotland. According to the Fraser of Allander Institute, a leading think-tank, Scotland’s renewable energy industry and its supply chain supported an estimated 42,000 jobs and contributed over £10.1 billion to the economy in 2021. Scotland's renewables industry continues to contribute significantly to the UK economy, and has a growing role to play as we realise the UK Government’s ambition of becoming a clean energy superpower by 2030. The establishment of GB Energy, publicly owned and headquartered in Scotland, will further support and turbocharge the sector.

The Scotland Office and Office for the Advocate General can confirm that no redundancy payments have been returned to the department since 2019.

The Scotland Office uses vehicles provided by the Government Car Service (GCS). Due to logistical and operational reasons, the type of vehicles deployed at each department can vary on a daily or weekly basis. The GCS fleet currently has 122 vehicles, 58 (48%) of which are vehicles made in Britain.

I have written to the Scottish Government to confirm the UK Government’s in-principle agreement to proceed with this Scotland Act Order. My officials will continue to engage with their Scottish Government counterparts as the Order advances.

The Scotland Office does not manage any canteens or restaurants and does not procure any food or drinks for use in canteens or restaurants.

This Government is committed to protecting free speech.

It is the responsibility of the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament, working with Police Scotland, to ensure that the hate crime legislation is implemented and enforced in a way that protects freedom of speech and has the confidence of people in Scotland.

Supporting households and the most vulnerable by tackling cost of living pressures remains a core priority for this government. That is why the UK Government has introduced a £108 billion package of support over 2022-25, worth an average £3,800 per household, to mitigate against these pressures. We are also making good progress against the Prime Minister’s three economic priorities of halving inflation, getting the economy growing and reducing the national debt. Inflation is now at 3.2 percent - less than half its recent peak, and is expected to fall further to its 2 percent target one year earlier than expected.

I discuss the strengths and benefits of the Union with colleagues on a regular basis.

This Government is committed to protecting the Union and promoting the strengths that have made it the most successful political and economic union the world has ever seen.

Scotland Office Ministers have conducted one visit to the constituency of Midlothian in the past five years. This was by Iain Stewart MP, while Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Scotland Office, to Midlothian Council Projects on 4 February 2022.

Discussions with Scottish Ministers on the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill have principally been led by the Minister of State in the Department for Business and Trade, Minister Hollinrake. I have not had discussions with the Lord Advocate regarding the Scottish Government’s proposed amendments to the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill.

Noting Scotland’s historically separate legal jurisdiction and the unique role of the Lord Advocate and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in respect of prosecutions in Scotland, it is the UK Government’s view that it is appropriate for the Scottish Government to bring forward proposals to address prosecutions on this matter in Scotland, and for those to be scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament. The UK Government remains committed to supporting the Scottish Government in bringing forward its own proposals.

The Scotland Office reported no cases of fraud or amounts lost due to fraud or error in any of the last three financial years. This is disclosed as part of the Annual Report and Accounts available on GOV.UK.

The Government is determined to uncover fraud in the public sector and is proud of its record. As part of this, the Government established the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA).

In 22/23, the PSFA set a target of delivering £180m of savings to the taxpayer. In fact, the PSFA far surpassed this within the first 12 months by preventing and recovering £311 million. As it enters its second year, the PSFA has a target of achieving £185 million of savings for the taxpayer.

The Government has also announced an additional £34 million to deploy cutting-edge tools and Artificial Intelligence tools to help combat fraud across the public sector, saving £100 million for the public purse. This is in addition to existing partnerships between PSFA and the tech sector.

The Scotland Office and Office for the Advocate General are currently in the process of finalising the department’s figures for financial year 2023-24. These figures are subject to external audit and the department’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2023-24 are expected to be available later this year. The budget for the department for financial year 2024-25 as agreed in Spending Review 2021 is £13.354m.

The Scotland Office and Office for the Advocate General publish an Annual Report and Accounts which contains the information requested. The latest version can be found at Scotland Office Annual Report 2022-23. Prior year Annual Reports and Accounts for the Scotland Office and Office for the Advocate General are available online or can be obtained from the Library of the House.

I have had no discussions with the Scottish Government in regards to the appointment of an international development Minister. Under the devolution settlement, Ministerial appointments, including pay, are a matter for the Scottish Government.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to UIN 17535 on 13 March 2024.

As per paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code, it is not possible to disclose whether Law Officers have or have not provided advice on such matters. Paragraph 2.13 states: “The fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised and the content of their advice must not be disclosed outside Government without their authority”.

The Government publishes on GOV.UK details of the cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals). But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad.

The Government is proud of its record in proactively seeking to find and prevent more fraud in the system. We have established the dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In its first year, it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.

The PSFA produces a Fraud Landscape Report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cross-government-fraud-landscape-annual-report-2022). This provides data on fraud and error detection, loss and recoveries in central government, outside of the tax and welfare system. The 2020/21 Report was published in March 2023.

There has been no reported or detected fraud and error in the Department during the last three financial years.

All Departments in central government, including arms-length bodies apply the published guidance: Using non-corporate communication channels (e.g. WhatsApp, private email, SMS) for government business published by Cabinet Office in March 2023. It applies to all individuals in central government (ministers, special advisers, officials, contractors, non-executive board members and independent experts advising ministers). The Scotland Office uses the central guidance and has applied it since March 2023.

The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS) produced the following reports during the last three years.

*The Department outsources its printing and the invoices received do not split the costs between printing and distribution.

I’m sure my Honourable Friend was also pleased to hear the growth measures we will take to keep Scotland prospering that were announced at the Budget today.

The UK Government is now investing more than £2.9 billion across Levelling Up initiatives in Scotland. That's the equivalent of £538 per person in Scotland.

I have personally seen how this funding is regenerating towns, creating jobs, and empowering communities to deliver directly on their ambitions.

The Scotland Office can confirm the following costs in respect of advertising costs over the last three financial years;

The Scotland Office does not employ any staff directly. The staff are employed by their parent departments primarily the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government. The payment of the apprenticeship levy and access to any funding generated is the responsibility of the employing parent departments.

The Scotland Office can confirm that it has incurred the following costs in relation to the subscriptions below over the last three financial years;

The Scotland Office can confirm that it has had the following subscriptions in place over the last three financial years:

Press and Journal

The Courier

The Financial Times

The Herald

The Spectator

The Telegraph

The Times

The Scotsman

The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland does not currently have any digital vacancies.

Non-Executive Board Members’ personal data, including those relating to personal taxation or status, are protected by the UK General Data Protection Regulation. Collection of personal data on non-dom status is not routinely collected, and is generally not required for making public appointments. If any such data was held, it could only be published if doing so was in compliance with data protection law.

Non-Executive Board Members are not employees of the Scotland Office and act in an advisory capacity.

Data relating to public appointments are covered by the Public Appointments Privacy Statement found here: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/privacy.

The Scotland Office has not had any funding budgeted for nor spent on software updates to legacy computer systems in the last three financial years. The Scotland Office does not have any legacy computer systems and the IT services for the department are provided by the Cabinet Office.

Yes; all buildings and workplaces that staff from the Scotland Office occupy have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment under Section 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

The duty does not require us to maintain a comprehensive list of policies within scope of the duty. The duty applies to all policies made from 1 November 2023, whether developed by a central department or an arm’s length body, which are:

• made by Ministers of the Crown; and
• not covered by the exemptions for the armed forces, defence or national security, taxation, spending or the allocation of resources within government.

The environmental principles policy statement provides further information on what is considered policy in scope of the duty. Examples include strategies and frameworks.

The UK Government is committed to working constructively with the devolved administrations and I would be open to engaging with the Scottish Government on Maritime Patrol Vessels in the Highland region of Scotland. However, this is a devolved matter and I have not received any representations from Scottish Government Ministers.

With regard to the manufacture of Wind Turbines, the Government has announced the £960 million Green Industries Growth Accelerator to support manufacturing capacity, including for offshore wind. This will attract private investment, see the creation of high-skilled, well-paying jobs and ensure the UK stands ready to take the opportunity presented by the Net Zero Transition.

The Government works directly with the Scottish Government and industry through the Offshore Wind Industry Council. The Council is engaged in assessing the needs of the offshore wind supply chain, finding opportunities for its development, and the establishment of a long-term Industrial Growth Plan.

Expenditure on communications staffing costs, including employer’s pensions and national insurance contributions, but excluding any VAT where applicable, was:

The Office has spent the following on social media platforms to support UK Government policies and information campaigns in Scotland: