Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department has has discussions with Scottish Government on levels of availability of accredited training providers for skilled trades.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The Scotland Office and the Department for Work and Pensions maintain regular engagement with the Scottish Government on issues relating to Scotland’s skills development. While decisions on the provision and accreditation of training providers are a matter for the Scottish Government, the UK Government continues to work constructively with the devolved governments to support skills development and economic growth across the UK.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what engagement his department has had with devolved administrations regarding to access to apprenticeship programmes in England for roles where there is a critical shortage of fully trained tradespeople.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Funding for apprenticeships and skills is a devolved matter. This government is committed to engaging with the devolved governments on skills policy, including on the development of the growth and skills levy for England, to share best practice and support one another in boosting growth and spreading opportunity throughout the UK.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what engagement his department has had with the Department for Education regarding accessing apprenticeship training through English providers where there is no alternative provider in Scotland.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The responsibility for skills policy, and the provision of apprenticeship training in Scotland, lies with the Scottish Government as a devolved matter. Funding for apprenticeships and providers in Scotland are a devolved responsibility. UK Government officials, including those from DWP responsible for apprenticeships, regularly meet their counterparts in the devolved administrations to discuss issues, including eligibility.
Apprenticeship schemes in England are available to eligible learners working most of their time in England, including those who live in other parts of the UK. Due to devolved funding arrangements, learners based in Scotland who do not work in England are not eligible for funding for an English apprenticeship, even in cases where a comparable training provider does not exist in Scotland.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on financial support for listed places of worship in Scotland unable to access the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
Whilst heritage policy is a devolved matter, we recognise the importance of places of worship to Scotland’s communities. Scotland Office Ministers have had a number of discussions with Scottish Government Ministers covering a range of topics. Additionally, Ministers from both Scotland Office and Department for Culture, Media & Sport Ministers are due to discuss this matter with officials from the Church of Scotland in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has made representations to the Scottish Government on support for listed places of worship in Scotland, including Sacred Heart Parish Church in Cumbernauld, that have been unable to access equivalent funding to that available in England.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
We want to see Scotland's building and cultural heritage protected for future generations. Whilst heritage policy is a devolved matter, both Scotland Office and Department for Culture, Media and Sport Ministers are due to discuss this matter with officials from the Church of Scotland in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether funding allocated to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme in England is treated as comparable expenditure for the purposes of calculating Barnett consequentials for Scotland.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Yes - funding allocated to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme in England is treated as comparable expenditure for the purposes of calculating Barnett consequentials for Scotland.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the financial pressures facing listed places of worship in Scotland, including Sacred Heart Parish Church in Cumbernauld, in the context of changes to heritage and capital funding streams.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Heritage funding is devolved, however listed places of worship in Scotland have benefitted from VAT rebate grants from the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which ran from 2001 to the end of this financial year.
The Department conducted an evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. Our evaluation showed that while it had many benefits, 80% of respondents said that they would still have carried out the work without the rebate. The evaluation included an extensive survey of current and past scheme users and is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-listed-places-of-worship-scheme-final-report. We are aware that grants from the scheme will have benefited many recipients across Scotland, with a total of 1,513 Listed Places of Worship grant claims to a value of £6.9m being awarded to Scottish applicants since August 2022.
The Government has recently announced the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England which will provide upfront capital support in the areas where it is needed most.
At Spending Reviews, the Devolved Governments generally receive Barnett consequentials as a proportion of overall departmental settlements, not specific funding lines or programmes. Barnett consequentials were confirmed taking into account the overall DCMS allocation, which includes funding for the Places of Worship Renewal fund. Decisions on the allocation of this funding are then for the Devolved Governments to take.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies on Colombia of recent comments by President Trump regarding President Petro.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 5 January, and her responses to the questions raised in that debate.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on health services in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Matthew Patrick - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
With our record settlement for Northern Ireland, and work of the Executive, waiting lists are starting to come down.
Soon, I will meet with Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to discuss long-term transformation.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to help support recovery efforts following Storm Éowyn in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Hundreds of thousands of homes were affected by Storm Éowyn and I know the House would wish to express its thanks to all those who worked so hard to restore services.
The Government worked closely with the NI Executive to ensure that all the help needed for Northern Ireland to recover was provided.