INEOS Chemicals: Grangemouth

Debate between Scott Arthur and Judith Cummins

Wednesday 17th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I call Dr Scott Arthur to ask a succinct question.

[Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)]

No pressure, Madam Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister for his statement and for not giving up on these workers. He was slightly generous in describing the situation inherited from the SNP and the Tories as “managed decline”, but perhaps that was because it is Christmastime. It is great to see my constituency neighbour, my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray), on the Front Bench, and I thank him for all his work in saving these jobs as well. On Monday, my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Euan Stainbank) and I were at a meeting with representatives of the aviation sector, where Grangemouth was mentioned repeatedly. The aviation sector is desperate for more sustainable aviation fuel production in the UK and it is targeting Grangemouth as a potential source. Does the Minister agree with the sector about that?

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Order. Minister, I need you to lead by giving an answer that is the definition of succinct.

Borders and Asylum

Debate between Scott Arthur and Judith Cummins

Monday 1st September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I call Dr Scott Arthur.

[Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker; I had forgotten how much I enjoyed bobbing.

We all want to be proud of the UK’s asylum system, but because of the mess we inherited from the previous Government, none of us are there right now; that is just a fact. I thank the Home Secretary for the methodical work that she is doing to get a grip of the situation and get the system back on track. It really pains me, though, that some of the people who are behind this mess are now sitting on the Opposition Benches and seeking to weaponise it, rather than apologising to the country. Does the Home Secretary share my hope that extending the Ukrainian visa scheme and the refugee student scheme, bringing Gaza students here and supporting injured Gazan children will provide a chance to show the UK immigration system at its best?

Defence committee

Debate between Scott Arthur and Judith Cummins

Tuesday 8th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

Order. I ask that the final few questions and answers be a bit shorter.

[Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. and gallant Friend for his statement on behalf of the Select Committee. I read the report this morning, and some of it makes for quite shameful reading. I want to touch on the childcare issue again. Someone serving in the military who has younger pre-school children is better off in England, but if they have older pre-school children they are better off in Scotland. This issue was raised with my directly when I recently met 3rd Battalion the Rifles, who are based in my constituency. Captain Shaun Swift was very clear that this caused friction for movement and made it harder for spouses to maintain jobs. Is this issue being raised directly with the Scottish Government, and can we encourage the UK and Scottish Governments to work together to address this issue?

Finance Bill

Debate between Scott Arthur and Judith Cummins

2nd reading
Wednesday 27th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Dr Arthur]

My hon. Friend mentioned partygate, but it goes far beyond that. We have to remember that the dodgy contracts that went to mates and donors brought our country into utter disrepute. In this Finance Bill debate, does he recognise the financial impact of that on the country?

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

Order. I once again remind Members that interventions should be on what is in front of us: the Second Reading of the Finance Bill.