Seamus Logan MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 7 Jan 2025 · Access to Primary Care · Hansard source

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  Is the Secretary of State aware that the increase to employer national insurance is actually reducing patient access to primary care? I met GP representatives in Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen recently, and they told me of two ways in which that is happening: first, they are having to let staff go; and secondly, some GPs are considering meeting these costs from their own pockets. Will he consider an exemption for GP practices from these charges?

• 7 Jan 2025 · Employer National Insurance Contributions: Charities · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Ms Vaz. I thank the hon. Member for Isle of Wight East (Joe Robertson) for securing this important debate and for his excellent contribution. If the Labour Government thought that the national insurance controversy would die away as we moved into 2025, I am afraid they will be very disappointed. They have offered Scotland an additional £300 million to meet the additional costs, but the Scottish Government estimate that the actual cost is in the region of £750 million. This past week, 48 organisations from across civic Scotland have joined with First Minister John Swinney and president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities Shona Morrison to call on the Chancellor to cover the additional costs and to ensure that that is extended to the full range of organisations delivering public services. They are all facing a huge rise in their costs. According to the Scottish Government, the UK Government did not even bother to consult with them on this change. How is this change contributing to growth? It is reducing services for vital support at a dark time in people’s lives.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Employer National Insurance Contributions: Charities · Hansard source

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  The Minister mentioned a number of mitigations for charities, and she said that she thinks that virtually all charities will benefit from those, so where are the Government actually obtaining the resources to fill the hole in the public finances?

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  No, I am not giving away—in retaliation. Hinkley Point reactor 1 has now been delayed until 2029 or maybe 2031, we have no date for reactor 2, and as for reactor 3—

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  I was not going to speak, but seeing as you have asked me to, Ms Vaz, I will speak briefly. I am grateful to serve under your chairmanship. I thank the hon. Member for Livingston (Gregor Poynton) for securing this important debate. I have only one point to make, because we are short of time. Labour Members continually mention to us the ferries—I have heard the ferries mentioned more times than I heard Slade played over Christmas, and that was quite a lot—but they never mention High Speed 2. The people of Scotland are paying for that. They are also paying for Trident and for Hinkley Point.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman speaks about the ending of austerity, but how can he say that when we have seen the removal of the winter fuel payment and a refusal by the Labour Government to end the two-child cap?

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  On that point, will the hon. Gentleman give way?

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  The Minister speaks of broken promises and Labour keeping their promises, but what about the promise not to attack the whisky industry and the promise not to raise national insurance as a tax?

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  On that point, will the hon. Member give way?

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  The point I am trying to make is that Labour Members continually refer to fiscal mismanagement, when in fact I have described examples of fiscal mismanagement that the people of Scotland are paying for. I will leave it there, Ms Vaz; thank you very much for inviting me to speak.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  Will the Minister give way?

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  I will finally give way.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Budget: Scotland · Hansard source

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  Will the Minister give way?

• 6 Jan 2025 · Health and Adult Social Care Reform · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement, and for writing to the leader of my party. I am sure that the Scottish Government will co-operate and engage fully with Baroness Casey as she does her work. The Secretary of State spoke of failure. One such failure—the elephant in the room, in fact—is the labour shortages that the NHS and social care are experiencing as a result of Brexit. I ask him not to pass the buck, but to tell me what steps he will take, after consultation with Cabinet colleagues, to address those shortages by making it easier for migrant workers to come to this country and fill the vacancies.