Elaine Stewart MP: speeches

Speeches

• 19 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I was thrilled to see the Coo Shed in Parliament this week, getting special recognition for its farm-to-fork family-run coffee shop in my constituency, but poor local infrastructure has been a drain on its success. Road closures on the A77, which for years has been neglected by the Scottish Government, have cost it dearly. Will the Leader of the House agree to time in the House to debate the importance of well-funded infrastructure to help businesses, particularly in rural areas, thrive?

• 18 Jun 2025 · Businesses in Rural Areas · Hansard source

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  It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mr Western. It has taken until 2025, but Barr, a rural south Ayrshire village, is finally able to enjoy a mobile phone signal. I was pleased for the community; I had my photograph taken with residents, and the local papers covered the story. It should have been a non-event—this is 2025, after all—but rural communities are too often left behind when it comes to digital connectivity, which is why it was an important moment for Barr. That is the first of three points that I want to make about businesses in rural communities such as Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock. My second point is that businesses employ local people, and people buy houses and spend their money in the local community. Sometimes the issue is finding local talent, and that is made more difficult by a skills mismatch. Take green energy: many rural communities are hosting new wind farm projects, but vacancies for local engineers and maintenance staff for wind farms are not always easy to find. I am sure that that is also common in many other areas. We have talent in Ayrshire, but we do not have the right skills. We need to train our young people with the right skillsets for local jobs for the future. I want growth deals, such as the Ayrshire growth deal, to invest in skills for the future, and I made that case to the Scotland Office yesterday. My final point is about broader infrastructure such as transport. Poor road connectivity and limited public transport options hinder people’s access to work. The A77 in Ayrshire is in desperate need of an upgrade. It is plagued by congestion and shocking road surfaces, which make travel difficult for residents and businesses alike. Last week, the Government announced £15.6 billion for transport in the spending review. The spending review shows that the Government are backing the devolved Administrations. Those funds should be used directly to ensure that Scotland’s transport network is efficient and accessible. I have again written to the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, about the state of the A77. I want to finish on a broader point—

• 12 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  This week, I was delighted to welcome pupils from Doon Academy in Dalmellington to Parliament. They were able to make the trip due to the community benefit from local windfarms. A few weeks ago, I paid a visit to the school to learn about its “kind to mind” group. Students have created a safe place for students in the school to connect and talk about how they feel. Would the Leader of the House make time for a debate on what action can be taken to support mental health in our communities, particularly for our young people?

• 12 Jun 2025 · Trade Agreements Programme · Hansard source

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  Luxury knitwear products from Alex Begg, based in my Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency, are a great example of quality Scottish exports, and it has a great reputation in leading fashion houses across the world. Like many businesses, Alex Begg is happy to see that good UK trade deals are back in fashion. Will the Minister join me in visiting Alex Begg in Ayr to hear about the importance of trade deals to local businesses with global ambitions?

• 12 Jun 2025 · Trade Agreements Programme · Hansard source

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  17. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK’s trade agreements programme.

• 11 Jun 2025 · British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme · Hansard source

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  Time is of the essence. While colleagues across the House may differ on these issues, we represent constituents who continue to suffer from the historic injustice created by the hon. Member’s former Tory Government. Thousands of miners have died without justice, with 2,000 passing every year. This is about fairness, and the Government have acted, but does he agree that they are right to resolve this swiftly so that no more families wait in vain for their money?

• 7 May 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q11. Last month’s data showed that NHS waiting lists in Wales fell for three months in a row. In England, the waiting lists have fallen for six months in a row. In Scotland, after nearly 20 years in charge, the SNP Government have left our NHS on its knees. Instead, remarkable acts of charity from rock legend Rod Stewart are helping people to get the care they need. Does the Prime Minister agree that Scotland needs a new direction so that my constituents in Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock do not rely on charity for their healthcare?

• 6 May 2025 · Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary · Hansard source

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  On VE Day, Captain Harry Richardson of the RAF, from Ochiltree in Ayrshire, was half a world away. VE Day did not mean the end of all conflict. The war with Japan continued, and despite extensive service in Europe, Captain Richardson was still on active duty in India as a bomber pilot. While the country celebrated, Captain Richardson and many others fought on to keep the peace. He flew 62 bombing missions over Germany, Europe, Burma and Malaysia until 1947, when Japan surrendered. Leaving the RAF as a flight lieutenant, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the war Star, the Air Crew Europe medal, the Burma Star and the Defence medal. This year, Captain Richardson celebrated his 107th birthday and will travel to London for the VE Day commemorations. Not all veterans reach 107, so it is also important to pay tribute to those who have fallen. This week I will visit “Untold Stories”, an exhibition at Girvan library, where Richard and Loran Conaghan of the Girvan and District Great War Project present local stories from the war, aiming to inspire our younger generation. One story is of Corporal Norman Nicholson Campbell. He joined the Pioneer Corps, leaving behind his wife Mary and four-year-old son Malcolm. In Dunkirk, 1940, Norman was taken as a prisoner of war to Stalag VIIIB in Lamsdorf, Poland. By August 1940, his wife had passed away from cancer, and eight months later, his son died. Corporal Campbell died of a cardiac arrest in 1943, two years before VE Day, and was laid to rest in Krakow in 1948. This story is a stark reminder of the sacrifices made by so many and their loved ones during the war. As we celebrate VE Day 80 years on, it is right to remember everyone who made that possible. We thank them.

• 24 Apr 2025 · Co-operation with Devolved Governments · Hansard source

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  17. What steps he is taking to strengthen co-operation with the devolved Governments.

• 24 Apr 2025 · Co-operation with Devolved Governments · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister agree that this Labour Government’s plan for change has helped to deliver 1,500 more GPs to help stop the 8 am rush and that the Scottish Government should work with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to look at how the SNP-run health service in Scotland could learn from such action?

• 24 Apr 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My constituents John and Evelyn Preston contributed to Digital’s pension scheme before 1997. They expected discretionary increases to counter inflation, but since Hewlett-Packard took over in 2002, their pensions have stagnated—in some cases, people have experienced 60% losses. Thanks to the Pre-97 Alliance, we know that this issue affects hundreds of thousands of people across the UK. Will the Leader of the House find time to discuss how this injustice can be addressed?

• 22 Apr 2025 · Coalfields Regeneration Trust · Hansard source

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  I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests; I was a manager at the CRT. Every week, I see at first hand the positive impact that the CRT has had in our communities. It has been instrumental in developing after-school care and breakfast clubs in Drongan, one of the most deprived areas in East Ayrshire. It has helped to support families into work and provided healthy food options. Does my hon. Friend agree that, with the support of the UK Government, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, which is already embedded in our coalfield communities, is well placed to provide health and wellbeing projects, particularly for young people, such as after-school care clubs, employability schemes and weekend support sessions?

• 2 Apr 2025 · Onshore Wind and Solar Generation · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for explaining why this motion is so important, and how it will unblock the system and unlock potential. The move to cleaner home-grown energy demands nationwide delivery of our critical infrastructure, yet the current planning system is holding that back. Without home-grown energy we will not have control over energy prices in the UK, and we need the infrastructure to deliver that. There will always be a degree of opposition to the development of wind farms—that is democracy—but it is how we respond to local concerns that makes a difference. Burying our head in the sand, as the Conservatives chose to do for 14 years, is simply not an option. It is important to share some experiences of the development of wind farms from my constituency, and to be clear that Scotland is on a different track, as wind farm developments fall under national planning framework 4. I want to share two lessons from my constituency. People across the country understand and see the natural benefits that the infrastructure covered by motion will unblock. Those include local employment opportunities through construction and maintenance, a boost to the local economy, increased local spending and, of course, a legacy of endless clean energy. However, experience from my area shows that those natural benefits should be topped up by community benefits. Lesson No. 1 is that there is a need for community benefits and a fair and transparent model of distributing them. The Nine Community Council Group in my constituency represents nine Cumnock and Doon Valley communities, which manage and distribute community benefits from multiple wind farm developments across the area. They embody a collaborative community approach to wind farm benefit, and that must be the way forward for the country. Lesson No. 2 is to consider the impact of building this crucial infrastructure on other crucial infrastructure, such as roads. By their very nature, wind farms are often in rural areas where transport links are already under-resourced. In rural areas people use roads more to go to work, to shop, and for basic living. Building wind farms is a great boost to the local economy, but it can take its toll on the roads. That means that we need to do more to support and invest in maintaining good road links in those communities. Those lessons are about taking people with us when it comes to the transition to clean energy. Ayrshire’s story is about making the move from coalfields to clean fields. It is one to be replicated, but we must ensure that our communities are onside in the process.

• 27 Mar 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As part of the East Ayrshire Youth Awards, pupils in Bellsbank primary school in my constituency won the intergenerational champion award. Ellie, Sienna and Lacie recently joined the Bellsbank Project sewing group and made fouter blankets. They donated these to elderly residents suffering from dementia in a local nursing home. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating pupils from Bellsbank primary school on their award and their enthusiasm for learning from older people?

• 18 Mar 2025 · Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  We are only partway there on the pension injustice for miners. The British Coal staff superannuation scheme has around 40,000 members who formerly worked in mining industries, including a number of my constituents. They include many women who were among the lowest paid in the coal industry—my own mum worked in the pit canteen. Can I assure my constituents enrolled in the BCSSS that transferring the £2.3 billion investment reserves to its members is a priority for this Government?

• 18 Mar 2025 · Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  11. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the mineworkers’ pension scheme on the living standards of the recipients of that pension.

• 17 Mar 2025 · Women’s Changed State Pension Age: Compensation · Hansard source

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  It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Sir Edward. Petitions are powerful tools for democracy that amplify people’s fight for a cause. Listening to these voices is just as important. My sister is a WASPI woman, and I rise to voice my support for all WASPI women. These courageous and resilient women have faced an injustice. They have toiled throughout their lives, often battling against societal disadvantages. They are not just campaigners; they are our mothers and grandmothers—the pillars of our families and communities. The sudden and unexpected change to the state pension age plunged some women into financial despair, forcing them to struggle during what should be their golden years. I am immensely proud to support a Labour Government who have tirelessly worked to rectify historic wrongs, from addressing mineworkers’ pensions to supporting LGBT veterans and compensating victims of the infected blood scandal. This Government have consistently stood against injustice, but they failed to recognise this one. The WASPI women were not given adequate notice, nor time to prepare for these changes. Many had planned their futures based on the original pension age, only to have their lives disrupted without proper consultation or consideration. The Government must confront this injustice and provide fair compensation to those affected. It is time to right this wrong. We must learn from the past to ensure that no other generation endures this unfair treatment. The DWP claims that 90% of women were aware of the changes to the state pension age, which means that 10% were left in the dark due to the DWP’s failure to provide timely information. The DWP’s communication failures affected the lives of WASPI women, particularly the most vulnerable. The parliamentary ombudsman found that the Department for Work and Pensions committed maladministration by failing to effectively communicate the changes in the state pension age and recommended that the Government provide compensation to the affected women. It is impossible to quantify the financial hardship and emotional distress that these women have endured. But we must also recognise that this Government inherited a £22 billion financial deficit from the Conservatives, and we must consider the most judicious use of taxpayers’ money. Having said that, I implore the DWP and the Minister to revisit this issue with the urgency and compassion it deserves. Standing here, I am reminded of Margaret, a constituent from Cumnock. She was a devoted single mother who worked tirelessly to provide for her children and uphold her responsibilities to society. In her words, “I paid my way.” I promised Margaret that I would fight for justice on her behalf. When the decision was made not to compensate, I returned to visit Margaret and reaffirmed my commitment to her. Now, by standing here, I want to amplify the voices of Margaret, Lynn, Francis and countless others like them. We need to share the story of the WASPI women, and in doing that, we need to push for justice.

• 6 Mar 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Last week, I kicked off the annual Hillbilly 10k in my home town of Dalmellington in my constituency. Hundreds braved the weather to race and to support Cancer Research UK. By organising events such as that for more than 20 years, my constituent, Lorna Dempsey, has helped to raise £500,000 and more. Like many other fundraisers, she was inspired by the loss of a friend, who died of breast cancer at the age of 32. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking fundraisers such as Lorna, and make time for a debate in Government time on how we fund research into saving lives from that cruel disease?

• 4 Mar 2025 · Economic Growth: Scotland · Hansard source

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  11. What steps she has taken to help increase economic growth in Scotland.

• 4 Mar 2025 · Economic Growth: Scotland · Hansard source

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  In Scotland, we have seen almost two decades of wasteful spending while public services get worse. Does the Minister agree that good public services are essential to economic growth, and that Scottish taxpayers are not getting good value for money under the SNP Government?

• 6 Feb 2025 · Coalfield Communities · Hansard source

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  I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee) on securing this most important debate. First, I need to declare my interests: I am a former communities manager at the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in Scotland, and I am the proud daughter of a miner and a canteen worker who worked in the pits from an early age, Ellen and John Orr. I am delighted that support for coalfield communities is on the agenda again in this House. Those communities, once thriving hubs of industry, have faced decades of decline and hardship since the rapid closure of mines in the mid-80s. They are the communities that we live in and represent. Despite the resilience and determination of the people in these areas, the lack of meaningful action from previous Governments has left them struggling to rebuild and prosper. Throughout that time, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust has been a beacon of hope. Over the past 25 years, it has invested hundreds of millions of pounds in community projects. However, funding has significantly diminished in recent years in Scotland and across the country. Reviving our former coalfield sites means reinstating the support that the Conservatives took away, and increasing the support that the SNP is cutting yearly. The Labour Government rightly highlight the importance of the growth agenda. That growth needs to be for everyone, everywhere. I urge the Government to look at the CRT’s investment plans. They are about investing to reverse the left-behind legacy in coalfield communities. One challenge is poor health. People living in coalfield communities still die one year earlier than the national average, and three years earlier than they would if they lived in south-east England. Economic inactivity is also an issue, with 600,000 people in the coalfield areas claiming disability living allowance or personal independence payment. Those figures are significantly higher than the national average. There is a brain drain from coalfield communities; many young people move away to study and never return. The situation is particularly dire in areas of my constituency. The numbers sadly speak for themselves. In the coalfield communities of Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, there are only 41 jobs per 100 residents of working age, and one in four people claim out-of- work benefits. One in 13 claim the personal independence payment or disability living allowance, and one in three have no qualifications. One in 12 people are in bad or very bad health. However, every week, I see at first hand the positive impact that the Coalfields Regeneration Trust has in my community; for example, it is delivering and developing after-school and breakfast clubs in Drongan to address child poverty and support families. It is also looking to replicate that in a small coalfield village called Dalrymple. Much more needs to be done, with the support of the UK Government. I will work with colleagues to make the case to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for increased funding for projects that focus on our community wealth-building model. Unlike previous Governments, we need to leave a lasting and positive legacy for our coalfield communities. We need to end the left-behind legacy once and for all.

• 20 Jan 2025 · Local Growth Funding · Hansard source

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  22. What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on using local growth funding to help increase economic growth.

• 20 Jan 2025 · Local Growth Funding · Hansard source

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  The Ayrshire growth deal, worth over a quarter of a billion pounds, has the potential to stimulate growth and create jobs across the region, yet local delivery of the ambition is slow and stagnant. What message would the Minister send to spark action from the three Conservative-SNP run administrations in the region so that Ayrshire can realise its potential as a world-class business region?

• 7 Jan 2025 · NHS Waiting Times · Hansard source

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  6. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce NHS waiting times.

• 7 Jan 2025 · NHS Waiting Times · Hansard source

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  Almost one in six Scots is stuck on an NHS waiting list. People are borrowing money and remortgaging their homes to go private, because they cannot bear the pain. With an SNP Government who have abandoned the principles of an NHS free at the point of entry, does my right hon. Friend agree that Scotland’s health service needs a new direction?