Gregor Poynton MP: speeches

Speeches

• 2 Jul 2025 · Spending Review 2025: Scotland · Hansard source

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  I agree with the hon. Lady on that point; I think the oil and gas sector is vital. I am on the record saying that I support Rosebank and Jackdaw, and I think we should get on and do it. We need to invest in that sector, because ultimately, those are the people with the skills and supply chains that will allow us to transition to the green jobs of the future, at the same time as securing jobs now. I agree with much of what she said. The SNP Government have presided over an NHS in crisis, with one in six Scots on a waiting list and a generation of young people growing up in temporary accommodation. They have no plan and no urgency, and we have seen absolutely no progress. That is why next year’s Scottish Parliament election is so important. If Scotland is to make the most of this historic Labour investment, we need a Scottish Government we can trust, and that means voting for change. It means voting for a Scottish Labour Government. When Labour governs, we do not just talk about fairness; we fund it and deliver it. Let me turn to what the spending review means for my Livingston constituency. I am proud to represent a community with ambition and innovation at its core. Now, thanks to Labour’s investment, that potential has been matched by real support. The Falkirk and Grangemouth growth deal, with £100 million in joint funding for both the UK and Scottish Governments, is a huge vote of confidence in our region’s industrial future. Grangemouth, just down the road, is key to Scotland’s energy transition, and the Labour Government are stepping up where others have failed. The spending review also confirms £750 million for a new national supercomputer in Edinburgh, which places Scotland at the forefront of high-performance computing. That is not abstract. It means new opportunities for medtech, life sciences and clean tech industries in my constituency. These are well-paid, high-skill, high-quality jobs for my constituents. Scotland is also now benefiting from £8.3 billion for Great British Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, ensuring that we lead the world in clean, affordable and home-grown energy. For our communities, the spending review has delivered £234 million in new local investment funds, empowering towns and local councils to invest in what really matters to people: revitalising high streets, upgrading infrastructure and supporting jobs and investment. Let us not forget our role in global trade, too. Thanks to the Government’s leadership, new trade deals are opening doors for iconic Scottish products. In India, Scotch whisky, our largest export, is getting a tariff cut, boosting a £180 million market. US steel tariffs have come down, helping manufacturing jobs across the UK, including in Scotland. That is what serious government looks like: ambition backed by delivery, and investment guided by our values. The spending review represents a huge opportunity for Scotland, but only if we have a Government in Holyrood who can rise to the moment, and that means change. The SNP Government have had their chance, and after nearly two decades, frankly, if they were going to fix our NHS, deliver green jobs or improve education, they would have done it by now. They did not, they cannot and they will not. It is time for a Scottish Labour Government who will.

• 2 Jul 2025 · Spending Review 2025: Scotland · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John, and to speak in today’s debate; I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar (Graeme Downie) on securing it. This spending review marks a turning point for Scotland. After years of stagnation under two failing Governments—the Tories in Westminster and the SNP in Holyrood—this UK Labour Government are delivering the change that Scotland so desperately needs. This is the most generous funding settlement for Scotland in the history of devolution. Over the next three years, the Scottish Government will receive an extra £9.1 billion for public services in Scotland. That is not rhetoric—that is real investment. Labour is ending austerity and restoring fairness. That record money is a powerful opportunity to rebuild Scotland’s NHS, our schools, our transport system and our housing stock. The problem is that we cannot trust the SNP Government to use that money wisely. For too long, Scotland has seen taxpayers’ money squandered by a Government with no strategy and no clue what they are doing. After almost two decades in power, the SNP have lost their way and have now failed to deliver on the basic promise of competent government. They declared a housing emergency then slashed the housing budget. They promised 130,000 green jobs by 2020 and delivered almost none. They pledged £80 million for the Acorn carbon capture and storage project in 2022, and that money remains unpaid. Locally, residents, the local NHS and clinicians have all said that the East Calder medical centre needs to be replaced. The SNP Government have given warm words to that community, but they have nowhere near delivered anything. They have the money now to deliver a new medical centre in East Calder. They should get on and do it. Meanwhile, the UK Labour Government are investing in our clean energy future, with £2.3 billion for nuclear energy and SMRs, but the SNP’s ideological block to new nuclear power means Scotland is missing out on jobs and investment.

• 30 Jun 2025 · Welfare Reform · Hansard source

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  Does the Secretary of State agree that our welfare system must do much more to support and reward work, and also support people who are looking to re-enter or enter work? What difference does she believe that the right to try guarantee will make in achieving that?

• 25 Jun 2025 · Online Safety: Children · Hansard source

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  The National Crime Agency and other law enforcement agencies have highlighted the growing prevalence of AI-generated child sexual abuse material as one of the biggest threats to public safety. It is a growing threat to us online. That is why I was astonished last week to see the Tories and Reform vote against the Crime and Policing Bill, which contains world-leading measures to tackle this horrific crime. Does the Minister agree that it is frankly disgusting to see the Tories and Reform using this issue for party politics?

• 25 Jun 2025 · Online Safety: Children · Hansard source

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  2. What steps his Department is taking to keep children safe online.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T7. Does the Minister join me in welcoming the ceasefire between Israel and Iran announced by President Trump, and although the situation clearly remains fragile, does he see an opportunity to restore stability and develop a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear programme—one that ensures that Iran never has access to nuclear weapons?

• 23 Jun 2025 · Child Poverty · Hansard source

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  2. What steps she is taking to reduce the number of children in poverty in the Livingston constituency.

• 23 Jun 2025 · Child Poverty · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for that response. One of the best ways of reducing child poverty is helping parents into good, stable and well-paid jobs, which the SNP Scottish Government are failing abjectly to do. For example, the SNP manifesto in 2021 promised to double investment in the paternal employment fund to £15 million over two years to help low-income families get into work. However, in 2023 that pledge was scrapped. Will the Secretary of State call on the Scottish Government to put some of their record funding into employability funds, to help my Livingston constituents get into work and to provide good jobs right across Scotland?

• 19 Jun 2025 · UK Infrastructure: 10-year Strategy · Hansard source

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  I welcome the UK Government’s bold 10-year infrastructure plan, and the swift action they have already taken to green-light projects such as the third runway at Heathrow. However, sadly for my constituents, infrastructure policy and delivery in Scotland is in the hands of the failing SNP Government—a Government who cannot dual a road or build a ferry. We are in the grips of a housing emergency in West Lothian, and they are not building the homes that we need. Does the Minister agree that there is much that the SNP Scottish Government can learn from the UK Government about getting the country building again?

• 19 Jun 2025 · Warm Home Discount · Hansard source

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  I think all Labour Members warmly welcome today’s statement, particularly those in Scotland, where 240,000 families will benefit from £150 off their bills this winter. That includes thousands of working families across my constituency. Does the Minister agree that this is another case of the UK Labour Government making a manifesto commitment and delivering on it?

• 12 Jun 2025 · Industrial Strategy · Hansard source

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  I echo the comments of the hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper) about working across the parties—this is about growth—and about the Chair driving this forward. The 10 tests we have outlined are about how the document has a real-world impact. For me, two of the tests are clear. First, how does an industrial strategy galvanise action across the Government? With previous industrial strategies, good as they may well have been, Departments other than Business did not see it as their responsibility to deliver. We must make sure that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Transport and so on have ownership too and responsibility for delivering the strategy. I am keen to get my right hon. Friend’s comments on that. Secondly, how does this industrial strategy create a positive operating environment so that boardrooms in the UK and across the world see the UK as a place to invest and do business? Again, I am keen for his comments on that.

• 11 Jun 2025 · Spending Review 2025 · Hansard source

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  I thank everyone for staying. I warmly welcome the Chancellor’s statement, which shows that this Labour Government are investing in Scotland’s renewal. I particularly welcome the funding allocation for the Acorn carbon capture and storage project, which will unlock billions of pounds of private investment and create high-quality jobs in Scotland. May I ask the Chancellor how the project will create jobs in my constituency and support sites such as Grangemouth to thrive?

• 10 Jun 2025 · Nuclear Power: Investment · Hansard source

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  I warmly welcome the Secretary of State’s statement today. Unfortunately, it is not for viewers in Scotland. Scotland was once a pioneer in nuclear energy, and it should be again, but due to the SNP Scottish Government’s outdated, backward and frankly bizarre opposition to nuclear energy, they are turning away billions of pounds of investment and thousands of high-skilled jobs. Does he agree that this is yet another way that the SNP Scottish Government have lost their way?

• 22 May 2025 · UK-EU Summit: Policy Priorities · Hansard source

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  Our Committee’s report covered how we can help agrifood businesses export to the EU, and I was delighted to see Salmon Scotland and the National Farmers Union Scotland come out in support of the deal this week. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it was baffling to see the SNP stand with Reform and the Tories in opposition to the deal?

• 22 May 2025 · Diego Garcia Military Base · Hansard source

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  Does the Secretary of State agree that it is telling that one of the many Tory Prime Ministers that we had over their 14 years in Government, the right hon. Member for Richmond and Northallerton (Rishi Sunak), said in 2023 that he wanted to conclude a deal soon. Is it not the case that the bluster and the red faces that we have seen from the Conservative party today is nothing more than the worst type of political hypocrisy?

• 20 May 2025 · UK-EU Summit · Hansard source

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  When it comes to evaluating the merits of the deal, who would the Prime Minister suggest my Livingston constituents listen to? Should it be the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, NFU Scotland or Salmon Scotland, all of which have welcomed the deal, or should they listen to John Swinney, who is lining up with the Leader of the Opposition and the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) in a desperate, misguided attempt to create a constitutional grievance over a deal that the Deputy First Minister of Scotland has called “important progress”?

• 13 May 2025 · Mansion House Accord · Hansard source

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  Innovation is one of Britain’s great strengths, with fast-growing firms driving over £1 trillion into the UK economy and supporting 3.2 million jobs. However, many of those firms, many of which are based in my constituency, still face stubborn barriers to scaling up, particularly around accessing long-term finance. How will the Mansion House accord help channel greater investment from pension funds into those scale-ups to help them grow?

• 12 May 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I have been asked by many of my Livingston constituents for reassurance on the Government’s proposed welfare changes. Can the Secretary of State assure the House that these reforms will genuinely help people into decent, secure work, all the while protecting those who clearly cannot work due to ill health or disability?

• 8 May 2025 · Fly-tipping · Hansard source

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  12. What steps he is taking to tackle fly-tipping.

• 8 May 2025 · Fly-tipping · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for that answer. I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the West Lothian Litter Pickers, who are doing so much in my Livingston constituency to reduce the causes and symptoms of fly-tipping and littering, but it is scandalous that their work is needed. In Scotland, the latest figures show that only 1.2% of fly-tipping incidents have resulted in a fixed penalty notice and a mere 0.2% in a criminal prosecution. Does the Minister agree that, in sharp contrast with this UK Labour Government, who are taking a zero-tolerance approach and cracking down on fly-tipping, the Scottish Government’s record in this area is, quite frankly, rubbish?

• 6 May 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Lung cancer causes more deaths in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK. In England, early detection programmes are under way, and by 2028 every patient is likely to gain access to screening. In Scotland, doctors tell me that that programme is a distant dream. Does my hon. Friend agree that the SNP is failing Scottish patients and Scottish healthcare professionals? This UK Government are getting on with the task of fighting this deadly cancer.

• 6 May 2025 · Trade Negotiations · Hansard source

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  The conclusion of the negotiations on this free trade agreement is a major win for Scotland’s economy and for my Livingston constituency in particular, given that we bottle Glenmorangie whisky and bake Paterson’s shortbread. We also have a strong and growing digital services sector, particularly with small and medium-sized enterprises. Can the Minister say a bit more about how this deal will help those businesses, too?

• 28 Apr 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T2. The exam season is well under way in Scotland, and I think the whole House will join me in wishing pupils in Livingston and across Scotland luck over the coming weeks, and in thanking teachers for preparing during the academic year. Closing the attainment gap between the richest and poorest pupils in Scotland was the SNP Government’s “defining mission”, but the latest statistics show that it is increasing year on year, and 1,351 pupils are leaving Scottish schools without any qualifications at all—

• 28 Apr 2025 · Child Rape Gangs · Hansard source

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  I strongly welcome the Home Secretary’s commissioning of Baroness Casey to conduct the national audit. Further to the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes Central (Emily Darlington), can the Minister confirm whether the growing prevalence of online group-based sexual exploitation of children will form part of the report, and will she provide an update on the Home Office response to that growing crime?

• 23 Apr 2025 · North Sea Oil and Gas Licences: Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  The Secretary of State rightly outlines how important the oil and gas sector is to Scotland, and to the workers and businesses that rely on it, but if we are to have a truly just transition, we need to invest in new technologies such as hydrogen. Will he, therefore, join me in welcoming the shortlisting of the Selms Muir hydrogen project in Livingston for UK Government support, and outline how that will benefit my constituency?