Martin McCluskey
MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West · Labour · United Kingdom
“I am disappointed at the hon. Gentleman’s statement. We are making the case strongly and our pledge to reduce energy bills still stands. He will know that renewables are the quickest way to reduce our energy bills. He will also know that the warm home discount is providing significant support to people in his constituency right now.”
“We are preparing for every contingency and looking at the support that may be required in the autumn and winter. The significant increase in the warm home discount has obviously benefited households right across the country, not least in my hon. Friend’s constituency.”
“The hon. Gentleman will know that tackling the cost of living is this Government’s priority. We have already taken action at the Budget, and we have also expanded the warm home discount to nearly 6 million households.”
“My hon. Friend makes a really important point. If we are to reach our clean power targets, we need heat networks on the system to be providing significant levels of clean heat.”
“This is nonsense. That was set up by an arm’s length organisation set up by the previous Government. It is not something that the Government are funding.”
“I pay tribute to the work my hon. Friend is doing for her constituents on this issue. The most effective way to decouple our electricity prices from gas is to expand our renewable generation. Every wind turbine we turn on and every solar panel that we deploy helps to push gas off as the price-setter. We will continue to work in this way.”
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Every one of 511 lines we hold for Martin McCluskey, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 10 of 11.
“I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar (Graeme Downie) on securing this debate. As others have said, this is his second Adjournment debate in a matter of weeks, so the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) might have some competition. I represent a coastal constituency, so I am pleased to respond on behalf of the Government. I am sure the whole House will agree when I say that the UK is blessed with a wonderful coastline, and nowhere more so than in Scotland. As much as it might pain me as the MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West to admit that there are some beautiful stretches of coastline that are not in reach of Wemyss bay, Inverkip, Greenock, Gourock or Port Glasgow, I will grudgingly admit to my hon.”
“I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2024. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Harris. The draft order was laid on 21 October 2024. I welcome the new shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Andrew Bowie), to his place.”
“That is important, as the nature of extradition means that the individual may pose a substantial risk of absconding or failing to appear. The order ensures that sheriffs retain their discretion to decide whether those subject to an extradition request are remanded in custody while they wait for hearings.”
“The Extradition Act 2003, which applies across the whole UK, prescribes that the cases of individuals arrested, subject to an extradition request from an international partner, are to be overseen by a specialised extradition judge—in Scotland, that is the sheriff of Lothian and Borders. When hearing extradition cases, the sheriff has powers available in relation to bail as if the case were summary proceedings in respect of an offence alleged to have been committed by the person. Cases proceeding by way of summary proceedings in Scotland involve less serious crimes than extradition cases typically do. Under existing Scottish bail legislation, the sheriff considering bail in an extradition case can consider the question of flight risk from the outset of the case.”
“In particular, the amendments to section 23C include a new subsection that limits the extent to which a court may take into account any substantial risk of a person absconding or failing to appear when it is determining whether there is a good reason for refusing bail in summary proceedings. That would remove sheriffs’ ability to consider whether an individual may abscond from further proceedings, unless the individual has already failed to appear in a Scottish domestic criminal court case. It should be noted that the restrictions would not apply to judges who are considering whether to refuse bail in solemn proceedings, which are the equivalent of Crown courts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
“That would create a risk that the requested person absconds and evades justice. The Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament in June 2023. It seeks to ensure that, as much as possible, the use of remand for domestic criminal cases within the Scottish criminal justice system is a last resort, reserved for cases where public safety requires it, or where there is a significant risk of prejudice to the interests of justice. The Act amends sections 23B and 23C of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 to limit the circumstances in which the court, in summary proceedings in Scotland, can refuse an individual’s bail application.”
“It will ensure that courts in Scotland continue to be able to consider flight risk as a ground for refusal of bail in the context of extradition proceedings, in line with the rest of the UK. The order will ensure that a limitation on the court’s ability to remand persons at risk of failing to appear in court, under the new test for bail in Scottish summary courts, does not extend to extradition cases. That will mitigate the risk of a person wanted for extradition being granted bail under the new regime when it would not have been granted under the previous regime. Without the order, individuals accused of serious crimes who are wanted for extradition could be granted bail under the new regime because the courts would not retain their current discretion to consider flight risk.”
“Scotland Act orders demonstrate devolution in action, and I am pleased that this is the fourth Scotland Act order put to the House by this Government. I will explain the effect and provisions of the order. Extradition proceedings take place in summary courts, which are magistrates courts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and sheriff courts in Scotland. Were there changes to the legal framework for bail considerations in those courts, that might impact on extradition cases. That could happen in this instance, and both Scotland’s Governments agree that that would not be appropriate, so we using the order to prevent it. The order does not make changes to extradition law across the UK or affect policy and legal frameworks for extradition in any way.”
“Yes, just in time. I also pass on the apologies of the Secretary of State for Scotland, who is appearing before a Select Committee. The order is the result of collaborative working between the two Governments, in Scotland and Westminster, and supports the Scottish Government’s decision to implement the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023. The order will be made under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998, in consequence of the 2023 Act. A section 104 order is the most common type of Scotland Act order, and is used to make technical amendments to UK reserved legislation to facilitate the policy aims of an Act of the Scottish Parliament or secondary legislation made by Scottish Ministers.”
“As part of resetting our relationship—as the Scottish and UK Governments are doing—we are having ongoing discussions on a whole range of issues to ensure that we have a close working relationship with the Scottish Government in future. We welcome the shadow Minister’s support for the order. This statutory instrument demonstrates the UK Government’s continued commitment to work with the Scottish Government to deliver for Scotland. On that basis, I commend the order. Question put and agreed to.”
“I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his contribution and welcome his support for the order. Obviously, I agree about the need to maintain the integrity of the UK extradition system. On the hon. Gentleman’s question regarding how we avoid such circumstances in the future, there has been quite a collaborative process between the Scottish and UK Governments, and it was started under the previous Government, in which he served. It is important that the consultation that happened at the time was robust. This is not something that would ordinarily be relevant for a public consultation. I do not necessarily agree with the shadow Minister that there is a problem here; there was a robust discussion before, and the issue was flagged and discussed. We came to the conclusion that the order was the way to proceed.”
“The devolved power will be similar to the power of the Secretary of State under section 105 of the Building Act 1984, as amended by the Building Safety Act 2022, to introduce a building safety levy in England. This follows a request from the Scottish Government last year to devolve such a power. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government, and I am pleased that in this case the Governments have worked together to make sure that this issue can be addressed in Scotland.”
“That suggests that around 382 buildings above 18 metres and around 500 buildings between 11 metres and 18 metres require remediation; that is close to 900 buildings in total. The UK and devolved Governments have stepped up and committed public funds to help to remediate life-critical building safety problems. Industry has also assumed its responsibilities and taken ownership of the remediation challenge, but buildings remain for which a responsible party cannot be identified. It would be unfair on the taxpayer for the costs of remediating those buildings to fall on the Government, but it would be unfair on the homeowners for the costs to fall on them. The order will devolve power to the Scottish Parliament to enable it to legislate for a Scottish building safety levy to fund building safety expenditure in Scotland.”
“Scotland Act orders are a demonstration of devolution in action, and I am pleased to say that the Scotland Office has taken through more than 250 orders since devolution began. The Grenfell Tower fire was a heartbreaking tragedy that sent shock waves across the UK and overseas. As the Prime Minister said, it was entirely avoidable. It uncovered the fact that many homeowners across the UK lived in buildings with serious fire and building safety defects. Our thoughts today remain with the victims and their families. The remediation challenge is significant. The Scottish Government estimate that around 49% of high-rise buildings above 18 metres and 10% of those between 11 metres and 18 metres require some level of remediation.”
“I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Specification of Devolved Tax) (Building Safety) Order 2024. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Huq. I am grateful for the opportunity to debate this order, which is the result of collaborative working between the two Governments and supports the Scottish Government’s request last year to devolve powers for the Scottish Parliament to establish a Scottish building safety levy. It also builds on work done by the previous Government before the election. The order will be made under section 80B of the Scotland Act 1998, which provides for devolving additional tax-raising powers to the Scottish Parliament by way of statutory instrument.”
“The risk of divergence would be greater were there not to be a building levy in Scotland too. As with a number of these areas, I expect the Scottish Government to keep the effects of this tax under review, but that is a decision for them. This instrument comes in the year of the 20th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament, which the last Labour Government delivered. It is in this spirit of devolution that this Government set out to reset relationships with the Scottish Government to deliver for the Scottish people. This instrument demonstrates the continued commitment of the UK Government to working with the Scottish Government to deliver for Scotland. Question put and agreed to.”
“I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his contribution, and I echo his comments both on the work of officials and on his own work before the election on progressing the order. It is important to remember that this debate is purely on a constitutional order and the devolution of power to the Scottish Parliament to make a building levy; these decisions will be made by the Scottish Government. Many of the hon. Gentleman’s questions would be better answered by a representative of the Scottish Government. He will be aware that there was a joint UK Government-Scottish Government consultation that addressed many of these questions, and it gave us the assurance that there would not be the sort of impact to which he alluded. On the risk of divergence, there are already proposals for a building levy and a consultation in England.”
“The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Ministry of Defence on supporting Scotland’s defence sector, which makes a vital contribution to growth in both Scotland and the UK, and helps the UK remain safe in the face of current and future threats. The Secretary of State was pleased to visit the Babcock site at Rosyth dockyard recently with my hon. Friend, where he saw at first hand the fantastic work done there.”
“My hon. Friend has been a champion for the defence sector in his constituency since his election, and I commend him for that work. I agree that it is essential that any Government engage with the defence sector, not just because of the jobs created across Scotland, but because of the vital technology that the sector is developing. There is a real opportunity to create and retain skilled work in Scotland, and all of us have a responsibility to promote that as much as possible. I am happy to reassure my hon. Friend that the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Government will continue to champion the defence and manufacturing sectors in Scotland.”
“The Scotland Office is committed to championing Scottish arts, and regularly showcases the sector’s significant cultural and economic contributions to UK and Scottish Government Ministers. In the Budget later today, the Chancellor will set out her spending decisions, and those will allow the Scottish Government to make their own spending decisions on devolved matters, including arts funding.”
“The hon. Lady has a background in performing arts, and brings her experience to this House. I agree with her: Scottish artists are world-renowned, and it is important to them and to promoting Scottish culture around the world that they can perform internationally. We are supporting Scottish artists, and continue to work to help our musicians tour, including through the Government’s successful music export growth scheme, the international showcase fund, and the Department for Business and Trade’s internationalisation fund. We are engaging across Government with the EU and member states on how best to improve arrangements for touring in Europe without a return to free movement.”
“I welcome my hon. Friend’s comments, including those about my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh (Chris Murray). I was pleased to attend his debate in Westminster Hall, at which those issues were discussed. The UK Government have supported creative industries across Scotland, including in the city of my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh North and Leith (Tracy Gilbert), with £8.6 million for the Edinburgh festivals, £2 million of capital funding for the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh, and £5 million of capital funding across Scotland for the Burrell Collection. Millions more have been committed to Falkirk arts centre through the Falkirk and Grangemouth growth deal. We will continue to support arts and culture across Scotland.”
“My hon. Friend will know that the House recently gave the Employment Rights Bill its Second Reading. Shamefully, the Conservative party opposes the Bill, which is the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. The Government are taking a joined-up and collaborative approach to the delivery of the plan to make work pay, which has been developed with businesses and trade unions. We are committed to continuing that approach through consultation on the plan’s implementation, to ensure that the changes we are making work well for both employees and businesses.”
“I send our congratulations to my hon. Friend the Member for High Peak (Jon Pearce) on the birth of his daughter, and I agree with what my hon. Friend the Member for East Renfrewshire (Blair McDougall) said. That is why we are making immediate changes to paternity leave through the Employment Rights Bill. We are making paternity leave available from day one in a new job and enabling it to be taken after shared parental leave. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for his vigorous campaigning on this issue. I am sure that, like me, he was delighted to vote for the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation, which the Conservative party shamefully opposes.”
“We will take absolutely no lessons on employment rights from the Conservative party, which left us with a £22 billion black hole in the public finances that we are having to pick up. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will address that in a moment.”
“The Government will work closely with the Migration Advisory Committee. We welcome the contribution that migrants make to the economy, but we will take no lessons from a party that has consistently said that the positive destination for people in Scotland is a zero-hours contract, and whose Members sat on their hands last night when we dealt with the Great British Energy Bill.”
“We have committed to Scottish representation on the Migration Advisory Committee, which would go a long way to dealing with these issues, but it is for the Scottish Government to do things like build houses in areas where we need more migration in order to encourage people to come to live in Scotland.”
“Friend the Member for East Kilbride and Strathaven (Joani Reid) about the importance of industrial strategy, and how it is not just dry, but something that really makes an impact on people’s lives.”
“That inheritance means tough decisions for the Government, but it is better to be honest and up front with people about the choices that we face. That is why my right hon. Friend the Chancellor will set out in her budget how we will fix the foundations of our economy so that we can tackle poverty, rebuild our public services and begin a decade of national renewal. The economic inheritance we face is not just fiscal. It is also structural. My right hon. and learned Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor have made clear that the No. 1 priority of this Government is growth. To achieve that, the foundations of Scotland’s industrial economy need to change significantly. That is why we published our industrial strategy Green Paper yesterday. We heard from my hon.”
“However, we have also heard about the problems in the Scottish economy, and it is no secret that—along with the UK economy as a whole—it is underperforming. This has been identified by many Members, including my hon. Friend the Member for Livingston (Gregor Poynton) and the hon. Member for Mid Dunbartonshire (Susan Murray). Fourteen years of mismanagement by the previous Government has resulted in persistently low levels of investment, poor productivity growth and rising inequality. That has led to this Government facing the worst economic inheritance since the second world war—a £22 billion black hole in the public finances. The Treasury reserves were spent three times over in three months, which is absolutely astonishing, and financial commitments were made by the previous Government that they knew they could not keep.”
“It is a pleasure, Mr Dowd, to serve under your chairmanship and speak on behalf of the Government for the first time. I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow East (John Grady) on securing this debate on Scotland’s economy and congratulating all hon. Members on their contributions. We have heard a lot about the positives and the potential of Scotland’s economy, such as the strength of Brand Scotland and our thriving biosciences sector; we have even heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Bathgate and Linlithgow (Kirsteen Sullivan) about our thriving film and TV sector. I am sure the crowds here today are just as great as that which turned out to welcome Colin Firth to Bathgate.”
“I thank the hon Member for his intervention, and for the points he made about the importance of working together—not just between the UK and Scottish Governments, but across these islands. I will ensure that officials write to him on that point. Our industrial strategy calls time on short-term economic policy making, and establishes a UK industrial council on a statutory footing, to provide expert advice and long-term thinking.”
“Together with the establishment of GB Energy in Aberdeen, which the hon. Member for Aberdeen North (Kirsty Blackman) highlighted in her speech, and the creation of a national wealth fund, we will bring investment, jobs, and growth to Scotland.”
“I welcome that comment from my hon. Friend, and also congratulate him on his election to the Treasury Committee, where I am sure he will make a great contribution. He has set out exactly what the plans the Government have set out will do for Scotland, and the aspirations and ambition of those plans for our country. Returning to the UK industrial strategy council, this body will work with specialist sectoral taskforces, and bring together the expertise of businesses, academics, and trade unions to help drive economic growth in all parts of our country. That will allow us to build on Scotland’s strengths and huge potential in key sectors, including advanced manufacturing, life sciences, financial services, clean energy, defence, and creative industries—all areas where Scotland is already beginning to thrive.”
“Ports are essential to the future of our country, and coming from a constituency with an important and thriving port, I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. We are taking tough decisions, but change is under way and investment is now flowing into the country. Just yesterday, as many hon. Members have mentioned, the international investment summit brought the chief executives of hundreds of the world’s biggest companies to the United Kingdom. They announced £63 billion of investment and 38,000 jobs for the UK. The companies included Scottish Power and its parent company Iberdrola, which doubled their investment in the UK from £12 billion to £24 billion, and Greenvolt, which announced a £2.5 billion investment in Scotland. That will benefit the whole country.”
“The Secretary of State for Scotland has already begun working with the Energy Secretary, Gillian Martin, and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes on a range of issues since coming to office. One of those issues, which was mentioned by both my hon. Friends the Members for Glasgow East and for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur), was universities. I would agree with them that universities are a jewel in the crown of the Scottish economy. They drive innovation, create jobs and new businesses and deliver world-leading research and education. I know that the universities sector will be crucial to the future of the Scottish economy.”
“I understand the importance of the Highlands and Islands development board. My partner’s grandfather arrived in Scotland only because he was the chief engineer in the Cruachan power station. That part of my family is here because of the work of the Highlands and Islands development board, so I make the commitment to the hon. Member to speak to the Secretary of State about those issues. Delivering significant change to Scotland’s economy means working in partnership across areas of policy, not just industrial policy and employment rights but planning, housing, skills and access to health services. Many of these areas are devolved, and we are committed to resetting the relationship between the UK and Scottish Governments. That does not mean that we will never disagree, but where we have shared goals, we should be able to work together.”
“I would say that it does have a great future. I am not dismissing the fact that there are issues within the Scottish universities sector, which many of my hon. Friends laid out during the debate, but there is huge potential for the future of the sector and it is for not only the Scottish Government but the UK Government to make sure that it is realised. In terms of our relationship and working together, what we saw from the previous Government was a stand-off, and I do not think that works to the benefit of the people of Scotland. What the majority of Scots want to see are their two Governments working together to deliver better results.”
“I agree. I know from experience in my own constituency with James Watt college in Greenock—now part of West College Scotland—that there have been issues with investment in colleges. That largely impacts on opportunities for working-class young people, and for people who perhaps did not get the results that they wanted at school and need a second chance. The college sector always provided that for people, but at the moment it is struggling to do so in many places across Scotland.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for welcoming the launch of the industrial strategy yesterday. It is important that we ensure that any opportunities from the university sector are spread right across the country, and that is what my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is trying to do with the national wealth fund. Our university sector in Scotland is also trying to make sure that the opportunities from universities and those start-ups are pushed out beyond universities’ borders. My hon. Friend’s point about access to finance is important. The Government are trying to provide a stable economic environment, which we did not have under the previous Government. That gives investors confidence, as we saw yesterday when we doubled the amount that was invested in the UK at the global conference last year.”
“However, as a clear sign of how we can work together for the Scottish people, the UK and Scottish Governments have announced a joint £100 million package to help to secure Grangemouth’s industrial future and protect its skilled workforce. Scotland has a proud industrial past, as we have heard from many hon. Members this morning, and, as part of the transition to net zero, it will have a bright industrial future, and one that will guarantee jobs and wealth for families for generations to come.”
“The food and drink sector will play a crucial role in the future of the Scottish economy. I am referring not just to the whisky sector, which my hon. Friend has mentioned and which I know he plays a key role in championing through the Scotch whisky all-party parliamentary group, but to other sectors, such as our great salmon sector. There are a lot of other opportunities in food, drink and tourism whereby the Scottish economy can thrive in years to come. One area of Scotland’s economy on which the Governments have worked closely together in recent months has been the response to the commercial decision of Petroineos to end oil refining at Grangemouth. The oil refining operation has played an important role in Grangemouth’s economy for more than 100 years.”
“Although funding decisions and details will be presented at the upcoming Budget, the UK Government are committed to retaining the Barnett formula and funding arrangements agreed with the Scottish Government in the fiscal framework. The framework provides the Scottish Government with greater certainty and flexibility to manage devolved public services, as well as higher per person spending. That does not remove the need for both Governments to take tough decisions to look after the public finances and stabilise the Scottish economy.”
“That is all part of our plan to deliver economic growth for workers, businesses and local communities, right across the UK. As we have heard from others this morning, this Labour Government are pro-worker and pro-business, so these reforms will not just help Scottish workers but boost Scottish businesses of all sizes. We are going to tackle head-on the low pay, poor working conditions and job insecurity that have been holding our country back. Our plan will grow our economy, tackle in-work poverty and raise living standards for all. We recognise that rebuilding our public services and economy will require investment, and the Chancellor has been clear that there will be no return to austerity. I want to emphasise that point: she has said numerous times that there will be no return to austerity.”
“The previous UK Labour Government oversaw huge falls in poverty levels across the UK. It is what Labour Governments do—it is in our DNA—and we will do it again. The vital work of the taskforce comes alongside the Government’s commitment to make work pay. Last week, we published the Employment Rights Bill, the biggest upgrade of workers’ rights in a generation. I welcome the comments from a number of hon. Members, including my hon. Friends the Members for Coatbridge and Bellshill (Frank McNally) and for Edinburgh North and Leith (Tracy Gilbert), supporting this agenda and how it will impact on their constituents. This Government are calling time on unfair employment practices by ending exploitative zero hours contracts, introducing day-one employment rights and establishing a new fair work agency to enforce workers’ rights.”
“We saw last week the Government’s commitment to carbon capture and storage. I am happy to take those points away and ensure that they are communicated to the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Chancellor. The Government’s focus on growth is in the service of our mission to tackle poverty, remove barriers to opportunity and put the country back in the service of working people. It is appalling that under the previous Government, child poverty in the UK went up by 700,000 since 2010. Today, more than one in five Scots and one in four children are trapped in poverty, trying to get by on less than they need. The child poverty taskforce, which this Government have established, is developing a strategy to reduce child poverty that will be published in the spring of next year.”
“We have listened to the views of businesses and communities across the country, and we have set out a clear path to create the change that we were elected to deliver.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. Since he arrived here in July, he has been a significant champion of the creative industries and the arts. The example he gave of 10 strategies in nine months illustrates the kind of short-term uncertainty that has reduced investment in our economy. People did not get the certainty they required during the previous Conservative and SNP Holyrood Governments. It is clear that Scotland’s economy faces challenges, but it is also brimming with potential. We are up to tackling those challenges and unleashing that potential. In our first 100 days, we have made significant progress in resetting the relationship with the Scottish Government.”
“I congratulate the Secretary of State on his new position. He was lucky enough to visit my constituency during the election campaign and to visit the port of Greenock, where he saw the great potential that exists for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West to contribute to the Government’s clean energy mission. What plans does he have to ensure that every part of the country, including in Scotland, can make a contribution? What message does he have for my constituents who are looking to the Government to make an investment in our ports and our marine assets?”
“In everything I do in this place, I will work to live up to their example and to the values of the people and community that raised me.”