Business of the House

Irene Campbell Excerpts

Thursday 30th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

The Government are absolutely committed to municipally run galleries such as the one that my hon. Friend mentions. The culture sector and the cultural offer are at the core of making our towns, villages and cities vibrant places where people want to live and work. I join him in welcoming that.,

[Irene Campbell (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab)]

In my constituency, the Isle of Arran has been connected to the mainland through harbours at Brodick and Ardrossan for 190 years. I have mentioned before the Save Ardrossan Harbour group, which is fighting hard to keep the ferry sailing from Ardrossan. Although I welcome the new ferry that is currently sailing from Troon to Brodick, I am concerned that fewer sailings are timetabled. I have been made aware of an island constituent who has had to reschedule a health screening on the mainland three times as they are unable to make the journey and return home on the same day. Had the ferries still been sailing from Ardrossan as usual, that would not have been a problem. Will my right hon. Friend grant a debate to discuss the fact that the SNP Government and other stakeholders need to sort out the ferry situation as soon as possible to provide clarity for the people of Brodick?

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend is a real campaigner on this matter, which she has raised with me a number of times. She knows that the SNP Government have wasted over £5 billion of taxpayer’s money on pet projects, including ferries that did not sail. They have had a massive boost to their budget as a result of the UK Government’s Budget, and their excuses really have run out.

Business of the House

Irene Campbell Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

We have debated these matters at length over many years. I will look into the statutory instrument to which the hon. and learned Gentleman refers, but as he knows, we are keen to ensure that controversial statutory instruments are considered on the Floor of the House, for greater scrutiny.

[Irene Campbell (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab)]

Will the Leader of the House give us time to debate the awful situation of the SNP ferry fiasco, which impacts on the towns of Ardrossan and Brodick, and my constituency of North Ayrshire and Arran more widely? The Ardrossan to Brodick ferry route has been in place for around 190 years. Owing to SNP mismanagement and a lack of robust negotiation, this vital route is now in jeopardy. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating members of the Save Ardrossan Harbour group, who are fighting hard to save this crucial local service? The ferry situation in Scotland is extremely serious, and it is about time it was brought to the House.

[Lucy Powell]

I certainly congratulate my hon. Friend’s constituents on the work they are doing to save this local service. She is absolutely right to say that the Scottish National party Government of Scotland have overseen huge mismanagement when it comes to the long-awaited ferry services. They are late and over budget, and they just add to the £5 billion of taxpayers’ money that the Scottish Government have wasted on pet projects.