Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many private aircraft landed at Leuchars Station between 28 September 2025 and 6th October 2025.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
A total of twenty civil private aircraft used Leuchars during that period.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the contribution of natural stone and other low-carbon materials to reducing embodied carbon in the UK construction sector.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The department is currently developing policies that will help grow the market for low carbon industrial products, including green procurement and improved carbon accounting. The initial focus of these policies is steel, cement, and concrete products used in construction.
The department recently ran a technical consultation that included questions on whether other industrial sectors should be included in the scope of these policies in future. Although natural stone was not explicitly mentioned in the consultation, it would align with one of the options; to take a strategic approach to expand these policies to other sectors related to construction. The department is currently reviewing the responses to this consultation and will publish a summary and its own response in due course.
The government also recognises the role that whole life carbon assessments can play in helping developers to evaluate carbon emissions across all stages of a building or structure’s life. This approach can support decision makers to adopt materials which have a lower overall environmental impact. Whole life carbon assessments are embedded into green procurement approaches being taken by government departments, such as instituting carbon management plans.
The department would welcome engagement with any interested stakeholders from the natural stone sector.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill will include measures to support the use of low-carbon, natural building materials.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill contains no measures relating to building materials.
The full text of the Bill as introduced, as well as further versions of the Bill as it is reprinted to incorporate amendments made during its passage through Parliament, can be found online here.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will review public procurement guidance to ensure that locally and sustainably sourced building materials are prioritised in public projects.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Procurement Act 2023 allows contracting authorities the flexibility to include considerations such as locally and sustainably sourced building materials in contracts. Any criteria adopted must be relevant and proportionate to the contract.
We have consulted on procurement reforms to further boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for businesses, in particular SMEs, across the UK. We will be publishing the consultation outcome - and legislative proposals - soon.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to respond to the correspondence of 24 October 2025 from the hon. Member for Dundee Central.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister has sent a response to the Honourable Member.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with the construction industry on planning barriers and standards affecting the use of natural materials such as stone in new developments.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 92689 on 28 November 2025.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of energy costs and industrial tariffs on small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK stone and quarrying industry.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government continually monitors the UK economy and is bearing down on business energy prices by reducing Great Britain’s reliance on volatile international gas prices, and through a new framework to scrutinise energy levies, ensuring they are affordable and value-for-money.
We know that behind taxation, energy prices are the most cited barrier to growth by SMEs (50%). The Government has a variety of schemes, already in place or due to be launched soon, that either directly support businesses by reducing energy costs or support them to reduce costs by making energy efficiencies and decarbonising. Examples include:
The UK Global Tariff is tailored to the UK economy, and has been designed to balance the interests of consumers and producers, and our wider strategic trade objectives. As with all policy, the Government welcomes feedback and monitors these requests closely.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will review energy support and taxation policy for energy-intensive industries such as quarrying to ensure fair treatment compared with high-carbon sectors like steel and glass.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government keeps all tax under review as part of the policy making process.
The government is bearing down on business energy prices by reducing Great Britain’s reliance on volatile international gas prices, and through a new framework to scrutinise energy levies, ensuring they are affordable and value-for-money.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential economic impact of foreign government subsidies on the competitiveness of UK natural stone producers; and whether the Government plans to introduce targeted support for UK SMEs in the sector.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) is the UK’s investigatory body that exists to defend the UK against unfair international trade practices, including foreign government subsidies.
I encourage UK industry to engage directly with the TRA if they believe they are being injured by unfair trading practices as it will be for the TRA to decide whether evidentiary thresholds to initiate a trade remedies investigation are met.
The Department remains vigilant to any reports of potential injury to industries from unfair trading practices and regularly engages with the natural stone sector.
We have no specific plans to introduce the specific kind of support he refers to.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken for (a) award decisions and (b) reimbursement payments for the Access to Work scheme.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise the importance of clearing the backlog, which is why last year we increased the number of staff working in this area by 27% and we have continued to streamline delivery practises. We remain committed to reducing waiting times for claims, prioritising customers starting a job within the next four weeks.
In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We are reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.