Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Home Office and GAD began work on the implications of the SCAPE change.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

On 19 May 2026, HM Treasury confirmed the adjusted SCAPE rate from CPI +1.7% to CPI +2.0%, triggering a pension scheme factor review by the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD).

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on attracting international investment to Ayrshire.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

Ministers and officials from the Scotland Office regularly engage with Scottish Government colleagues, local authorities, and economic development partners to drive inward investment and deliver regional economic growth across Scotland.

Recent discussions have focused on maximising the impact of the Ayrshire Growth Deal, including major milestones like the groundbreaking event at the Ayrshire Innovation Park last December and Ryanair’s expansion at Prestwick in March. The UK Government remains committed to working collaboratively with the Scottish Government and all Ayrshire local authorities to present a unified offer to international investors and secure high-value jobs for Ayrshire.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce knife crime in Irvine.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Knife crime is a national concern. The Government is committed to halving knife crime over the next decade and published Protecting Lives, Building Hope: A Plan to Halve Knife Crime in April 2026. The Plan sets out a cross-government approach focused on prevention, early intervention, enforcement and reducing reoffending, and we will continue working with the Welsh Government, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to support a coordinated UK-wide response.

Many of the policy areas relevant to knife crime in Scotland, including health, education, social care, youth justice and policing, are devolved to the Scottish Government. However, elements of the Plan that relate to reserved matters apply across the United Kingdom, including measures to create safer online environments and the introduction of a new UK-wide Child Criminal Exploitation offence. The Plan also includes UK-wide legislation to strengthen controls on the sale of knives, including age verification and bulk sales provisions.

The Government recognises the important work already underway in Scotland to prevent violence and reduce knife crime, including the public health approach developed in Glasgow. This approach has informed the development of 20 Violence Reduction Units in England and Wales, which bring together local partners to understand and tackle the drivers of violence in their local areas. We will continue to engage with the Scottish Government to share learning and effective practice as the Plan is implemented.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce anti-social behaviour over the summer in Central Ayrshire.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Public order and policing are devolved matters in Scotland. Responsibility for tackling anti-social behaviour in Central Ayrshire therefore rests with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland. The UK Government continues to work with the devolved administrations on issues of shared interest relating to community safety, while respecting the devolution settlement.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department is taking to increase foreign direct investment into Ayrshire's aerospace, advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The UK Government actively promotes Ayrshire’s world-class aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and engineering capabilities to global markets.

Key steps include:

• Prestwick Aerospace: Supporting the development of the Aerospace and Space Innovation Centre at Prestwick through the Ayrshire Growth Deal, positioning the region as a premier hub for MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) and advanced manufacturing.

• Global Trade Missions: Highlighting Scotland's sector strengths, including Ayrshire’s engineering heritage, in trade delegations and global investment summits to attract international capital.

• Strengthening links with key markets: For example meeting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and an inward delegation to strengthen economic and cultural partnerships, with a focus on shared opportunities in space exploration, financial services, technology, and the export of goods

The Scotland Office continues to advocate for Ayrshire’s strategic industrial assets on both national and international stages.