Chris Kane

Through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), the government provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband via local community-led broadband projects.

Approximately 2,300 premises in Stirling and Strathallan have received a gigabit-capable connection via the GBVS and its previous iterations. The voucher scheme is currently paused in the constituency while Building Digital UK finalises the scope of a wider Project Gigabit contract for Central and Northern Scotland.

Through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), the government provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband via local community-led broadband projects.

Approximately 2,300 premises in Stirling and Strathallan have received a gigabit-capable connection via the GBVS and its previous iterations. The voucher scheme is currently paused in the constituency while Building Digital UK finalises the scope of a wider Project Gigabit contract for Central and Northern Scotland.

Creative Industries policy is an area of devolved competency in Scotland. It is the responsibility of the Scottish Government to make an assessment of the economic impact of the UK Film Industry on Scotland. However, a report from Screen Scotland estimates that in 2021 the wider Film & TV sector in Scotland supported 10,940 FTE (full time equivalent) workers, with an overall economic contribution to Scotland’s economy of £627.1 million. Furthermore, VisitScotland’s research shows that up to 18% of inbound visitors from its top international markets visit a film or TV location during their trips to Scotland.

Through our Arm’s Length Body the British Film Institute (BFI), the government supports the film sector across the UK. The government has worked with the BFI to ensure a wide range of funding and initiatives are available to support Scottish production and the development of talent. Examples of support for the Scottish film industry include the BFI Film Fund, the BFI NETWORK and the BFI Film Audience Network, which use National Lottery Funding for development, production, distribution and promotion, supporting Scottish films, Scottish audiences and emerging Scottish filmmakers.

The British Film Commission (BFC), a national body predominantly funded by DCMS, also supports and promotes UK-wide film and high-end television production, including in Scotland. It works in close partnership with Screen Scotland, the national screen agency for Scotland funded by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. Scotland is featured as part of all BFC marketing campaigns and assets, including show reels, websites and brochures, that are designed to facilitate film making and promote British locations. The BFC facilitates regular business development meetings with international film and television clients for representatives from all UK nations, including Scotland.

DCMS also has regular meetings on the film industry with Devolved Government officials, in particular to discuss the DCMS-funded UK Global Screen Fund which is designed to boost international development, production, distribution, and promotional opportunities for the independent screen sector across all nations including Scotland.

The new government is mission-led and will break down the barriers to opportunity to help make Britain the international home of opportunity. The UK government’s International Education Champion Professor Sir Steve Smith regularly liaises with the university sector, including in Scotland, to promote education export growth for UK universities. Representatives from Scottish universities have also joined several of his trade missions. Most recently, the University of Dundee and the University of Glasgow joined Professor Sir Steve on a higher education transnational education mission to Brazil. Professor Sir Steve’s tenure as the UK government’s International Education Champion has been extended to 1 October 2025 by this government.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has had initial engagement with her Scottish counterpart and looks forward to further collaboration with education Ministers from across the UK including at the UK Education Ministers Council next month in Belfast. This government supports the university sector in Scotland and the development of their international operations through the overseas engagements of the UK government’s International Education Champion Professor Sir Steve Smith. Most recently, Professor Sir Steve led a higher education transnational education mission to Brazil with two Scottish universities in attendance, the University of Dundee and the University of Glasgow.

This Government committed in its manifesto to tackle the high costs of motor insurance. To deliver on this commitment, the UK Government has formed a cross-government Taskforce on motor insurance, co-chaired by the Department for Transport and His Majesty’s Treasury, which met for the first time on 16th October.

The Taskforce is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and by the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The Taskforce is supported by a separate Stakeholder Panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.

This Taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will evaluate the impact of increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities.

• The Government has made clear that we consider the current rate of inactivity to be unacceptably high. With nearly 2.8 million people out of work due to long-term sickness and the last Parliament seeing the biggest increase in economic inactivity in forty years, our inactivity rate is above pre-pandemic levels at 21.9% for May-July 2024 and, unlike most major economies, our overall employment rate has failed to recover to its pre-pandemic level. In Stirling and Strathallan constituency the estimated economic inactivity level amongst 16-64 year olds stood at 11,700 from April 2023-March 2024.

• This is why we have set an ambition to get to an 80% employment rate, alongside raising living standards and tackling insecurity at work. We have announced our intention to publish a White Paper which will set out the Government’s planned changes to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work and help them to progress.

• The White Paper will set out fundamental reforms including:

o A new public employment and careers service to help get more people into work, and on in their work.

o New, bespoke joined-up work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, with input from mayors, local councils, the NHS, businesses, colleges and the voluntary sector to deliver real employment opportunities for local people

o A youth guarantee for all people aged 18 to 21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or employment support

The Government considers the current rate of inactivity to be unacceptably high. With nearly 2.8 million people out of work due to long-term sickness and the inactivity rate above pre-pandemic levels at 21.9% for May-July 2024, unlike most major economies, our overall employment rate has failed to recover to its pre-pandemic level.

This is why we have set a long-term ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate. We will publish a white paper which sets out further details on our plans to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work, and help them to progress in work. The Get Britain Working White Paper will build on manifesto commitments, setting out how fundamental reform will be delivered in three, interconnected parts:

o A new public employment and careers service to help get more people into work, and on in their work.

o New, bespoke joined-up work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, led by Mayors and local authorities to address the needs of their communities.

o A youth guarantee for all people aged 18 to 21.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as rare inflammatory neuropathies. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities, collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, which include increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We remain committed to delivering under the framework and will publish an annual England action plan in 2025.

Pioneering research is an underpinning theme of the UK Rare Diseases Framework, and the Department funds and supports research into rare diseases through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In the last five financial years, multiple studies, including one that is currently live, on rare inflammatory neuropathies have been supported by NIHR infrastructure.

The NHS Genomics Education Programme is working to increase overall awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals. Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and other inflammatory neuropathies are part of the core training curriculum for neurology trainees, for which competency has to be demonstrated before being placed on the specialist register.

There are a range of anti-seizure medications that can be prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy that have been shown to be effective at reducing the number of seizures a person experiences. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on epilepsies in children, young people, and adults, provides clinicians with evidence-based advice around starting a patient on anti-seizure medication. It outlines that clinicians should develop an individualised anti-seizure medication treatment strategy with their patient, taking safety considerations into account, and regularly monitoring and reviewing their patient’s medications. The NICE guidance also includes recommendations on non-pharmacological treatments for epilepsy, such as adhering to a ketogenic diet.

In June 2018, Professor Dame Sally Davies, the former Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Advisor to the Government, published a review to explore the therapeutic benefits of cannabis-based products for medicinal use. Professor Davies recommended ‘that the whole class of cannabis-based medicinal products be moved out of Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001’.

Following advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, the Government accepted the recommendation and amended the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (the 2001 Regulations) and Misuse of Drugs (Designation) Order 2015. This introduced a legal route for cannabis-based products for medicinal use to be prescribed by doctors on the General Medical Council specialist register, in the strictly controlled circumstances required by the 2001 Regulations, without the requirement for a Home Office licence

There are no outstanding actions from the review.

The following table shows the total number of National Health Service prescriptions for licensed cannabis-based medicines, namely Nabilone, Sativex, and Epidyolex, dispensed in the community in England against an NHS prescription between January 2018 to September 2024:

Source: NHS Business Services Authority

Note: data for 2024 is from January to September.

Data on unlicensed cannabis-based medicines is withheld in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulations, due to the number of items attributed being to fewer than five patients, and an enhanced risk of the release of patient identifiable information.

At Autumn Budget the Government announced a number of measures to help reduce business costs and encourage growth within the spirits industry. These included:

o Legislation to abolish the Alcohol Duty Stamp Scheme. From 1st May 2025 approximately 3500 spirit producers, bottlers and labellers will no longer need to comply with the duty stamp requirements, saving industry an estimated £6.5m annually.

o Investment of up to £5m into HMRC’s Spirit Drinks Verification Scheme, to reduce costs for spirit producers registering traditional products for Geographic Indication.

o Increased generosity of Small Producers Relief, available to producers of spirit-based products under 8.5% abv.

The Government is also simplifying the administration of alcohol duty, reducing burdens and supporting growth. From March 2025 HMRC’s arrangements for duty returns and payments will be reformed, supported by a new online service. As a result, many small spirit producers will no longer require costly duty deferment arrangements to underwrite their monthly liabilities.

Additionally, reform of the production approvals required by spirit producers will mean they will no longer be required to operate separate excise warehousing facilities for the storage, bottling and labelling of their own products.

Beyond simplification and investment in the alcohol duty system, the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) also leads a government effort, working with devolved governments and the sector, to support this important industry. DBT helps boost spirit exports by leveraging trade agreements and removing barriers. They recently obtained recognition of the Scotch Whisky Geographic Indicator in Brazil, valued at £25m over five years. DBT also continue to spotlight UK spirits at global trade shows in key markets, including a trade mission to India in November this year and Germany in March 2025. Finally, the Export Academy food and drink programme, launched in October, offers dedicated upskilling to both emerging and experienced exporting distilleries.

HM Revenue & Customs’ Spirits Drinks Verification Scheme (SDVS) conducts assurance of spirit producers wishing to apply for Geographic Indication status, ensuring their processes and products comply with established standards. As the SDVS is not limited to craft producers and engagement with the scheme is voluntary, no assessment of the impact on small scale craft producers has been undertaken.

However, the government recognises the importance of protecting and promoting the unique status of the UK’s traditional spirit drinks industry. That is why at Autumn Budget we announced an investment of up to £5m to improve the SDVS and ensure the fees HMRC charge producers for its verification service are as low as possible.

Building standards and remediation are a devolved matter. Scottish Government have taken a different remediation approach in terms of identification, assessment and scope.

We support the collective improvement of the safety of the UK’s built environment and regularly work with colleagues in Scotland and other devolved Governments to support them in driving remediation and protecting affected residents.

Statistics on the progress of remediating unsafe cladding on 11m+ buildings in England are published monthly here: Building Safety Remediation - GOV.UK.

The latest published statistics, as at 31 October 2024, shows progress over the last three months as: 120 more buildings in England are known to have started or completed remediation works on unsafe cladding since the end of July, and 86 more buildings are known to have completed remediation.

The published statistics also include data on remediation progress of buildings in Northern Ireland progressing remediation via the Cladding Safety Scheme.

Building safety is a devolved matter and the progress of remediation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for their respective devolved administrations.

This government is committed to the communities sector and community ownership through empowering communities to own and run those local assets which mean the most to them. To date, the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund has helped more than 40 Scottish community organisations with around £17m in grants. As part of this programme, the UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government to look for opportunities to jointly support projects, including through the Empowering Communities Programme and the Scottish Land Fund.

The projects awarded funding to date can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/community-ownership-fund-first-round-successful-bidders.

Growing the economy across both rural and urban areas is a key mission for the Government, and helping rural businesses succeed is a significant part of this work. Nature recovery plays a critical role in supporting the rural economy, and in turn businesses can help provide food security, enhance biodiversity and accelerate progress towards net zero targets.

In Scotland, we work closely with the Scottish Government and its agencies to ensure that businesses have access to the support they need to grow and thrive, including through export, and that we showcase the opportunities offered in all parts of Scotland to potential global investors.

For example, the Investment Fund for Scotland offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans and debt finance from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million. The fund covers the whole of Scotland, including rural and coastal areas..

The Government recognises the importance of tackling rural depopulation, and the wider challenges faced by rural and island communities in Scotland. We are committed to supporting these communities by boosting investment and opportunities.

For example, we are in the process of rolling out the Shared Rural Network (SRN) program (alongside EE, three, VMO2 and Vodafone), to improve mobile coverage and connectivity across the UK. Rural areas in Scotland will be among the biggest beneficiaries of this programme.

Furthermore, the UK Government is investing £50m covering the three island groups – Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles – through the Islands Growth Deal. The Deal supports the Islands’ ambitions for net zero, aquaculture and development of tourism and heritage projects. These investments exemplify the Government’s ongoing work towards growing the rural economy and improving infrastructure, which are critical to addressing rural depopulation.

Tackling child poverty is a shared priority across all parts of the UK. I am a member of the Child Poverty Taskforce, which is confronting the wide-ranging and deep-rooted causes of child poverty. The Child Poverty Taskforce will collaborate with the Scottish Government on our common goal to reduce and alleviate child poverty. The Taskforce will work with the Scottish Government in developing the UK-wide strategy, to be published in spring next year, to improve children’s lives and life chances now and address the root causes of child poverty in the long-term.

I have had a number of discussions with Scottish Government Ministers since my appointment, as have many of my Ministerial colleagues, including the Prime Minister. T o establish collaboration on the development of a UK-wide Child Poverty Strategy, the co-chairs of the Child Poverty Taskforce met with the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice earlier this month. We look forward to continuing our partnership to build consensus for action and deliver sustainable change for all children across the UK. The Taskforce is also engaging directly with voluntary sector organisations from across the UK.

The Chancellor will set out overall fiscal and spending plans in her Budget on 30 October and the Spending Review in the spring.

The UK Government worked with the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to inform the most appropriate mix of UKSPF interventions for Scotland. Under the UKSPF delegated delivery model, local authorities are given the autonomy to make decisions on how funding is spent in their area. Local authorities in Scotland therefore might choose to make place-based investments for regeneration and town centre improvements, which could include better accessibility for disabled people, including capital spend and running costs; as well as providing funding for the development and promotion (both trade and consumer) of the visitor economy, such as local attractions, trails, tours and tourism products more generally.