Frank McNally MP: speeches

Speeches

• 10 Sept 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My constituent Mrs McNeally moved from England to Glenboig in my constituency in January. However, a lack of compatibility between the medical records systems of Scotland and England means that all of her records have to be compiled and transferred by courier. As a result, nine months on, Mrs McNeally’s records are still not with the NHS in Scotland or with her GP practice. Does my right hon. Friend agree that when it comes to the NHS, both in England and in Scotland—where there has been a lack of digital records, which presents a major problem—we must work constructively to ensure these types of issues are avoided in future?

• 7 Jul 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T3. It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister for Energy to Bellshill for the opening of the new RES maintenance facility last week. RES’ partnership with Scottish Power will support 15 windfarm sites, ensuring clean power for more than 400,000 homes. Does my hon. Friend agree that partnerships like that are important for our energy security, and help to ensure that communities such as Bellshill benefit from skilled industrial jobs?

• 17 Jun 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q2. I am sure the whole House will want to congratulate Sir Kevin Sinfield on his knighthood, which is fitting recognition for his work on motor neurone disease.Another champion fighting for a cure for MND is my constituent Mark Sommerville, whom I have mentioned at Prime Minister’s questions in the past. Diagnosed in 2023, Mark fights with remarkable resolve and courage. I am supporting Mark and his foundation in pushing for a new national MND strategy, with an emphasis on finding effective treatments, enhancing access to trials and accelerating novel drug discovery. Will my right hon. Friend meet me to discuss the matter further, so that we can work to find a cure for this horrific condition?

• 16 Jun 2026 · National Strategy for Motor Neurone Disease · Hansard source

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  I rise to present this petition on a national strategy for motor neurone disease. I do so on behalf of my constituent Mark Sommerville, who was diagnosed with MND in 2023 and who, along with his foundation, has been doing tremendous work to identify new treatments and a cure. Following is the full text of the petition: [The petition of residents of the constituency of Coatbridge and Bellshill, Declares that motor neurone disease is a devastating, fast acting, terminal illness that currently has no cure; and further declares that the UK Government must act to create a national strategy for MND that: is led by clinical and research experts, in partnership with patients and their families, and patient organisations; introduces a national taskforce to drives forward delivery of key objectives; supports MND research with enhanced access to participation in clinical trials; accelerates novel drug discovery, drug repurposing, and access to innovative treatments; improves diagnostic waiting times and specialist multidisciplinary care; ensures equitable support, equipment, and palliative services across the UK; co-ordinates health, social care, and research through a single national plan. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to work in partnership with the devolved administrations to deliver a national strategy for motor neurone disease with emphasis on finding effective treatments and a cure, supporting research, enhancing access to clinical trials, and improving co-ordination of social care. And the petitioners remain, etc. ] [P003208]

• 10 Jun 2026 · Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech and has contributed so much to the Commonwealth games during her time as a Minister and councillor, and now as a Member of Parliament. She will know that for close to 20 years we have had a Scottish Government who have decimated local government revenue and capital budgets. That has had a significant impact on the fabric of many of our sports facilities and on our wider sports provision. Does she agree that a critical legacy from the games must be a Scottish Government who actually take grassroots sport seriously and support the next generation of athletes?

• 18 May 2026 · Backing Business to Create Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  I welcome the King’s Speech last week. In a volatile world, the question of domestic economic resilience is paramount. Whether it is the conflict in the middle east driving energy price instability, supply chain disruption or a rise in global uncertainty, Britain cannot afford inaction or simply to hope that global shocks will be contained or pass us by. We need an active concordat between Government, business and communities to strengthen our resilience and ensure our prosperity. The King’s Speech set out an agenda focused on growth, investment, infrastructure, innovation and economic security. Crucially, it recognised that growth must exist not just in Whitehall spreadsheets or the boardrooms of financial institutions in the City; it must be felt in communities like Coatbridge and Bellshill. For decades, businesses—particularly small and medium-sized ones—have felt that the Government work around them rather than with them, so one of the most important measures announced in the King’s Speech was the small business protections Bill on late payments. For too long, businesses have been pushed to the brink because they completed work and paid wages and suppliers, but waited months to be paid themselves. According to the Small Business Commissioner, late payments cost the UK economy £11 billion annually, with small business owners spending around 86 hours each year chasing unpaid invoices. That is time that is not spent innovating, hiring, exporting or growing. The proposed reforms include stronger powers for the Small Business Commissioner, mandatory interest on late payments and maximum payment terms, and they all represent a positive step. I also welcome the regulating for growth Bill and the plans being put in place to place a greater emphasis on innovation. That is particularly important for emerging sectors like AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and defence technologies. I certainly hope that the Government look to prioritise some of the R&D on clinical research for motor neurone disease—an issue that is very close to my heart. Innovation matters greatly for post-industrial communities in North Lanarkshire, Scotland’s fastest-growing economy. We are already seeing there the potential of advanced industry and digital infrastructure, with Scotland’s first AI growth zone and companies like Cairnhill Structures in my constituency, which is rebuilding bridges in Ukraine that have been destroyed by Russian forces. I welcome the support for clean energy investment and for securing domestic steel production, which reflects an understanding that modern economies cannot grow on weak foundations. Recent global events have exposed the dangers of over-reliance on volatile international energy markets, so expanding home-grown clean energy and supporting a new generation of nuclear power is not just sound environmental policy but sound economic security policy. Certainly in Scotland, the SNP should end its decades-long dogmatic opposition to new nuclear. Growth is strongest and most sustainable when working people are secure, skilled and fairly paid. We have made great progress through the Employment Rights Act and the uplifts to the national and living wages, but we must go further, particularly on apprenticeships. It is a national scandal that apprenticeship starts for advanced manufacturing dropped by 40% under the previous Tory Government and by 30% in Scotland under the SNP. We have to redouble our efforts to end the erosion we have seen under Opposition parties, but we also have a moral obligation to support the 1 million young people who are not in education, training or work to reach their potential. That will be a critical act for transforming our economy. This King’s Speech recognises that economic security, national resilience and living standards are deeply intertwined. It recognises that Governments have a responsibility not merely to observe the economy but to help to shape the conditions for growth, innovation and long-term prosperity. In a world that is becoming more uncertain by the day, that approach is not ideological—it is necessary.

• 17 Mar 2026 · Youth Unemployment · Hansard source

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  It was a pleasure to join my right hon. Friend at Bellshill jobcentre last year to hear about the need to support young people who are not in education, training or work. I greatly welcome this announcement, which will help transform life opportunities. Businesses in my constituency across a range of sectors highlight that despite their willingness to train the next generation of workers, intentions are often undermined by the failing apprenticeship system in Scotland. Can my right hon. Friend expand on how the positive actions of this Government will support young people in Scotland who have sadly and tragically been left behind by the SNP?

• 16 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  A new partnership between New College Lanarkshire and Cairnhill Structures—a steel-fabricating company in Coatbridge—begins today. The Engineering Futures programme aims to give local people a start in engineering trades such as welding, fabrication and computer-aided design, which are all essential to strengthen our skills base and increase the number of defence jobs. What steps will my right hon. Friend take to promote similar schemes across Scotland?

• 12 Mar 2026 · Scottish Industry: International Promotion · Hansard source

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  3. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to promote Scottish industry abroad.

• 12 Mar 2026 · Scottish Industry: International Promotion · Hansard source

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  With up to £8.2 billion of private investment, the Lanarkshire AI growth zone delivered by this Labour Government represents one of the largest industrial investments in the history of Scotland. At its heart is a partnership between Lanarkshire’s own DataVita and the American cloud computing company CoreWeave. Such partnerships are critical to supporting the industries of the future, so what further steps can my hon. Friend take to promote Scottish companies overseas to secure such high-quality jobs and deliver even stronger growth?

• 5 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My constituent Mr Fraser, a former prison officer, retired in 2020. He has been met with constant barriers and a lack of answers regarding his pension. I have sought clarity on this case, but have not received the reason for the unacceptable delay that there has been. Like many others, Mr Fraser is facing undisclosed barriers to receiving what he is entitled to. Will my right hon. Friend find time for a debate on the administration of civil service pensions, and on the McCloud remedy in particular, to ensure that Mr Fraser and others receive the pension that they worked so hard for?

• 2 Mar 2026 · Middle East · Hansard source

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  I thank the Prime Minister for his statement. Given the comments yesterday from the Iranian Foreign Minister that the IRGC is adopting a decentralised mosaic defence to fragment command and control structures and create even more unpredictable flashpoints, will my right hon. and learned Friend update the House on what steps he is taking with allies, including partners in the region, to mitigate such developments that threaten to escalate and prolong the conflict?

• 25 Feb 2026 · Ukraine · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is entirely right. In the High Coats area, the way in which the Ukrainian community are supporting those who are fighting on the frontline is admirable. In Coatbridge, the Ukrainian population have celebrated their national holiday, organised kids’ clubs, and formed a tenants’ association and walking groups. There is now a flourishing community of Ukrainians who are celebrating their own culture and thinking about how they can contribute and what they can offer to the wider community. Sadly, that open celebration of their culture by Ukrainians in Coatbridge stands in stark contrast to the experience of Ukrainians thousands of miles away in Ukraine, where the Russian occupying forces have sought to erase Ukrainian culture and identity in the territories that have been devastated by those forces over the past four years—by the boundless terror, kidnap and murder that we have seen, and the monstrous stealing and indoctrination of thousands of children, which has already been mentioned. The first person to draw my attention to the scale of that was my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter), who, as the Defence Secretary mentioned, is at this moment in Ukraine receiving the Order of Merit, and deservedly so. The other defining image that I recall from the early days of the war followed the liberation of Bucha, particularly when President Zelensky walked through what had been left after the brutal massacre and war crimes perpetrated by Russian forces, for which there must be full accountability. Despite Bucha—and, indeed, Mykolaiv, Mariupol and Kharkiv—the Ukrainians fight on. It is, of course, vital for our own security, as well as being our moral obligation, that we continue to have their backs. I greatly welcome the Government’s action on defence spending across the UK, and it is important that we build on that. Defence spending is worth £2 billion a year to Scotland and supports 12,000 jobs, from the Clyde and Rosyth to Coatbridge and Bellshill and across the country. In addition to implementing the strongest possible sanctions, we must continue to support those Ukrainians who have settled here and built a life over the course of the past four years. For many it has not been by choice, but our communities have become their home, and we must always keep that at the forefront of our minds. However long this war has left to run, we must remain resolute in supporting the Ukrainians to find a just peace that satisfies their terms and ensures that the depredations of Putin’s regime are ended in Ukraine and never visited upon anywhere else in Europe.

• 25 Feb 2026 · Ukraine · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this afternoon’s debate. I wholly welcome the remarks made by my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary and by Members from across the House, including the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Lewes (James MacCleary), and the shadow Minister, the right hon. Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Wendy Morton). This is a debate we would rather not be having, but the actions of the Kremlin have led us to this place and to the untold death, injury, suffering and displacement of millions of Ukrainians. Up to 2 million people have been killed or injured or are missing on both sides, 3.7 million Ukrainians have been displaced internally, and there are close to 6 million refugees—men, women and children ripped from their homes, their work, their schools, their families and their very way of life. All that has happened at the hands of a Russian aggressor whose intransigence towards this conflict means that it will continue into its fifth year, despite the catastrophic losses that the Russians themselves have experienced. There is no doubt that the invasion of Ukraine was a defining moment of our time, although in many ways it was inevitable, given Putin’s rhetoric and actions over the last 25 years. However, the arrogance and the hubris of Russia also resulted in a vast overestimation of its might and a failure to account for the gallantry of the Ukrainian forces, as well as the robust leadership of President Zelensky and the stout resistance and resilience of the civilian population. Far from taking Kyiv in two weeks, Putin has resorted to terrorising the citizens of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities from a distance with frequent deadly air raids. The comments made earlier about air defence, and the Government’s actions in that regard, are therefore to be welcomed. There are so many enduring and stark images from this conflict, but two of them stand out for me, the first being the evacuations on the platforms of Lviv railway station. Ukrainians were forced to flee for their lives, never knowing whether they would return. A significant contingent—nearly 400—made passage to North Lanarkshire, and many of them still reside in the High Coats area of Coatbridge in my constituency, joining a long legacy of successful settlement in North Lanarkshire over the years by people fleeing crisis and danger from across the globe.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for what my right hon. Friend has said today in response to a number of Members regarding Capita. Many retirees have not received payments, including my constituent Mrs Costello, a former civil servant who retired in April 2025. Despite submitting all paperwork on time and receiving approval, she has yet to receive any confirmation of her lump sum or her annual pension. Will the Leader of the House make time for a statement or debate on this matter, given the unacceptable delays and uncertainty affecting Mrs Costello and many others like her?

• 19 Jan 2026 · Arctic Security · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary for her statement, as well as to the Government for their commitment to Arctic security and recognition of the threats that we face. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the partnership with Norway—that includes the £10 billion contract for Type 26 frigates secured by this Government and set to be delivered on the Clyde, including by some of my constituents—makes clear that, beyond the rhetoric we are hearing at present, the Government are absolutely committed to playing their part within NATO to uphold our collective global responsibilities?

• 17 Dec 2025 · INEOS Chemicals: Grangemouth · Hansard source

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  Is it not the stark and inconvenient truth for the Opposition parties that for years the Tories and the SNP sat on their hands and allowed the industrial needs of Scotland to go to the wall? Does my hon. Friend agree that, with this £120 million package, this Government are serious about backing our strategically vital industries as well as protecting thousands of jobs on the site and through our supply chains?

• 8 Dec 2025 · Child Poverty Strategy · Hansard source

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  I greatly welcome the child poverty strategy. More than 2,000 children in my constituency and close to 100,000 children in Scotland will benefit from the abolition of the two-child benefit cap. However, it is a shocking reality that 10,000 children in Scotland are languishing in temporary accommodation this Christmas. The SNP has declared a housing emergency but has done very little to address it. Will my right hon. Friend outline what steps she can take to work with the Scottish Government if necessary to try to tackle this crisis head on?

• 3 Dec 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  9. What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.

• 3 Dec 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  The UK and Welsh Governments are rightly prioritising the next generation through apprenticeships and engineering opportunities linked to the Wylfa SMR project. Does my right hon. Friend agree that young people in Scotland deserve access to the same world-class training pathways as those in Wales, and will she work with colleagues to ensure that Scottish businesses can participate fully in the UK-wide nuclear skills pipeline, despite the ideological opposition of the SNP, which prevents similar investments from being realised in Scotland?

• 1 Dec 2025 · Budget Resolutions · Hansard source

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  The actions of this Government will make life easier for thousands of my constituents and millions across the country, and let us be clear: action is needed. The Conservative party decimated our public services, entrenched austerity to push millions into poverty, and engaged in acts of fiscal vandalism that crashed the economy. Let us also be clear about what this Budget means. I am absolutely pleased that it will save the average family £150 by cutting levies on energy bills for all my constituents, and the extension of the warm home discount to a further 3 million of the poorest households in the country will save thousands of my constituents a further £150. The Budget has also delivered an additional £820 million for Scotland, on top of the record £5.2 billion delivered to the Scottish Government last year. It is a sad reality that the Scottish National party Government have failed to make use of last year’s investment to fix Scotland’s public services, particularly the NHS, where one in six people—that is 1 million—are stuck on waiting lists; in fact, more people are waiting for two years or longer in my health board area of NHS Lanarkshire than in the whole of NHS England. It is imperative that the Scottish Government get off their hands and act in the short time that they have before, hopefully, being removed from office next May. In the remaining time that I have, I want to focus on the important steps taken to eliminate the two-child benefit cap. In my constituency, one in four children are living in poverty, and in some areas the figure is as high as 50%. For far too long, parents have been forced to take decisions that no parent should have to take. They have been forced to choose between feeding their kids and turning on the heating, or forced to go without meals themselves. I recall, when I was a councillor, having a conversation with a lone parent who told me that she was often forced to decide which child would have a small lunch and which child would have a small dinner. It is unacceptable that children in my constituency leave school on a Friday having had lunch in the canteen, but do not eat a proper meal again until they return to school on the Monday. That is a shocking reality, which intensifies over holiday periods.

• 1 Dec 2025 · Budget Resolutions · Hansard source

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  I am more than happy to respond to the hon. Gentleman. This Government made it clear that when we had the economic ability to remove the cap, we would do so. It is the prudence of the Chancellor that has allowed it to be removed in full, and that has been done within 18 months. The hon. Gentleman’s Government could have done it eight years ago, and refused to do so. This decision will lift 2,000 children in my community, 95,000 across Scotland and 450,000 across the UK out of poverty. As Gordon Brown observed last week, the Chancellor has done more in this Budget to transform the lives of children in poverty and their families than any of the seven previous Tory Chancellors. This action, combined with significant uplifts in the national minimum wage by 8.5% and the national living wage by more than 4%, will help to tackle the scourge of poverty—and that represents a pay rise for more than 200,000 Scots. This is a fair Budget, which builds on the Government’s efforts to grow the economy, tackle the cost of living crisis and fight poverty. It puts more money in our constituents’ pockets, and I am proud to support it.

• 1 Dec 2025 · Budget Resolutions · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree. Let me also say, in response to some of our colleagues across the House, that the SNP Government could have eradicated the two-child cap eight years ago, but refused to do so. They chose to play politics with the cap; this Government have acted after 18 months to remove it. The two-child cap is the savage reality of austerity. It is the embodiment of cruelty, and it pushed children into the depths of poverty.

• 18 Nov 2025 · ExxonMobil: Mossmorran · Hansard source

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  This is devastating news for the Kingdom of Fife. May I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) for her diligent work today and over a period of time on this issue? Does the Minister share my frustration that despite attempts to fully engage with ExxonMobil over recent months, including through multiple ministerial engagement sessions, the Government were presented with no viable plan to save the plant by the company—despite, as has been highlighted, a £25 billion profit having been made by ExxonMobil last year? Will he outline what steps he will take, working with colleagues both in Scotland and other Government Departments, to ensure that the workforce receives all necessary support through the Department for Work and Pensions rapid response service and Partnership Action for Continuing Employment?

• 27 Oct 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T9. Many of my constituents are experiencing delays in migrating to universal credit, due to years of Tory mismanagement of our welfare system. This is a stressful time for claimants and a very busy time for the Department. Will my right hon. Friend outline what steps the Department is taking to ensure it is fully resourced, so that delays are reduced and claims are processed?