Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many departmental employees were on performance management plans in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The Scotland Office is committed to thorough performance management and has in place robust processes to ensure that those who fall below the expected standards are supported to improve in a timely manner.

No employees have been placed on a Performance Improvement Plan in 2023/24, 2024/25, or 2025/26.

Those who cannot improve their performance, despite this additional support, may be dismissed.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

No civil servants in the Scotland Office were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 or (b) 2025.

Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much of the funding allocated to the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal remains to be spent.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The UK Government has committed £65 million to the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal. Across Scottish and UK Government investment into the deal, around 6% of Government funding has been drawn down by Deal partners so far.

The slow start to spending is a result of supply chain issues, inflationary and other pressures driven by external factors such as the Covid pandemic or cost increases of raw material.

To boost delivery progress, the UK and Scottish Government approved a reset of the Deal in March - confirming a more affordable and deliverable financial profile for projects.

As a result of this, drawdown will significantly accelerate this financial year.

All of this means the Borderlands Growth Deal is now well placed to deliver an additional 5,500 jobs and attract over 4 million new visitors to the region.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU on Scotland's fishing sector.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The UK Government remains steadfast in our commitment to maintaining world-leading food safety and animal health standards. All food and drink products imported into the UK must comply with our regulatory standards.

But we want to limit red tape for our exporters as much as possible. As my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor advised the House on 24 March, we aim to conclude negotiations with the EU this year on the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement. This will positively impact food prices in our shops and make it easier to trade with our biggest market. This is good news for Scottish exporters in seafood and many other sectors.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU on Scotland's fishing sector.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The UK Government remains steadfast in our commitment to maintaining world-leading food safety and animal health standards. All food and drink products imported into the UK must comply with our regulatory standards.

But we want to limit red tape for our exporters as much as possible. As my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor advised the House on 24 March, we aim to conclude negotiations with the EU this year on the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement. This will positively impact food prices in our shops and make it easier to trade with our biggest market. This is good news for Scottish exporters in seafood and many other sectors.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the adequacy of levels of UK Government funding for the Glasgow City Region.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

This UK Government has committed more than £870 million to deliver long term economic growth across the Glasgow City Region, including investing more than £350 million over the next three years.

Furthermore, the region will be up to £15m better off under our new pride in place and local growth investments than if the UK Shared Prosperity Fund had been continued.

Since the election in 2024, the UK Labour Government has also provided the Scottish Government with £12 billion of additional funding to spend on devolved priorities.

I am sure my Honourable Friend will agree with me that there is no excuse for the SNP Scottish Government's cuts to Scottish local authority budgets.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the Defence Growth Deal on Scotland.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland

The UK Government’s £50 million Scottish Defence Growth Deal is a step-change for Scotland’s industrial base. It will support skills, high-skilled jobs, innovation and regional growth.

It will include £10 million for innovation facilities both on the Clyde and in Rosyth, and £10 million for two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges. Located to support Scotland’s defence clusters in the East and West, these will strengthen talent pipelines and support long-term sector growth. I urge the Scottish Government to match our investment in Scotland’s defence skills sector.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effectiveness of the welfare system in Scotland.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland

I meet regularly with Cabinet colleagues to discuss matters of government policy. This Government is committed to fixing our broken welfare system, ensuring that it is pro-work and provides strong support for disabled claimants to start or stay in work.

We are working in partnership with the Scottish Government, through forums such as the Joint Ministerial Working Group for Welfare, to help more people into work, to grow our economy, and raise living standards for all.

Found: Transport Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland Office