Business of the House

Euan Stainbank Excerpts

Thursday 26th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

It is indeed wonderful news. We are working hard to make sure that young people are supported. Youth Futures hubs will bring together services for young people, so that they can access opportunities and get the support that they need in their local communities. The national youth strategy is about empowering young people. It was written by, effectively, young people, and it puts them in the driving seat when it comes to designing local youth services. Should my hon. Friend seek a Westminster Hall debate on the subject, I am sure that other colleagues would want to take part and praise what is happening in their area.

[Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)]

Heritage is devolved, and the Scottish Government have not yet provided a replacement for the listed places of worship VAT reclaim scheme, causing significant distress and uncertainty for places of worship in my constituency. Angus Robertson has justified this by saying that the UK Government did not inform them that the scheme was ending. It has since been established that they were first informed about the change by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in January 2025; that gave them a year and two budgets to replace the scheme. Instead, in their most recent budget, they cut Historic Environment Scotland’s funding. Can we have a statement on the subject after the recess from a DCMS Minister, so that Scottish Members from across the House who have raised this matter during business questions can call on the SNP to drop the political posturing and deliver a scheme for Scottish places of worship?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a regular attendee of business questions, and I know that many share his appreciation of the importance of places of worship in communities. The reality is that we gave the Scottish Government the largest funding settlement since devolution began, and we gave them notice of what we were going to do, so he is absolutely right: the SNP needs to stop posturing on these matters, stop the political point scoring, and get on and deliver.