Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what meetings he has had with Cabinet colleagues on increased Government defence spending in Scotland.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Prime Minister has made it clear that we must strengthen our defence capabilities, which is why this Government has committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.
Scotland’s world-class defence industry is well-positioned to meet the growing demands for national security. This increase in defence spending will support highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the UK, including in Scotland.
The new UK Government support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will include specific SME spending targets for defence.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting JFD, a Scottish SME and world leader in underwater capabilities. This visit underscored our commitment to ensuring that these businesses benefit from the historic increase in defence spending. I am proud of Scotland's defence sector and will continue to advocate for the industry and its workforce.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on infected blood compensation payments.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
The UK Government is working closely with devolved governments and existing support schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Minister for the Cabinet Office met the Scottish Minister for Public Health on 3 March 2025 to discuss compensation payments for victims of the infected blood scandal, and he is committed to engaging further with the Scottish Government as we progress this work.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what he last met with representatives of the Scottish farming sector in Scotland.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
Supporting Scottish farmers and crofters is a priority for this Government and my department regularly engages with the industry at Ministerial and official levels. Most recently, Minister McNeill delivered a keynote speech at the National Farmers’ Union Scotland annual conference, where she announced that the Scotland Office would host a Food and Farming roundtable soon. Preparations for it are ongoing, in collaboration with the Scottish Government.
Earlier that same week, Minister McNeill accompanied Home Office Minister Seema Malhotra on a visit to a farm in Aberdeenshire, accompanied by NFUS representatives. Prior to that she met with crofters' representatives in Stornoway.