Kenneth Stevenson
MP for Airdrie and Shotts · Labour · United Kingdom
“Investing in British bus manufacturing by supporting companies such as Alexander Dennis will not only get state-of-the-art buses on the road, but bolster national security, given the serious and widely held concerns surrounding where Chinese manufactured buses are controlled from and whether an action taken in China could bring electric b…”
“It was known for its ability to build and build well, and companies such as our bus manufacturers keep that reputation alive. Engineering has been critical to our country’s success, and small steps, such as including engineering in the name of the current Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, would show this Parliament’s collectiv…”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Euan Stainbank) and the hon. and learned Member for North Antrim (Jim Allister) for securing this important and timely debate. I also say “happy birthday” to my hon.”
“A modern industrial strategy is required, but it must not be in name only. Any strategy must have the creation of a skills-based economy at its heart.”
“Words must quickly turn into action in every part of the United Kingdom to get this industry back on its feet and contributing to our economy in the way we know that it can. That is why net zero emission bus funds, whether in Scotland or across the United Kingdom, must be accessible to British businesses.”
“Yes, of course I would. There is a major move towards making sure that cars in the future, such as Beetles etc, move to electric power. There is a move towards that in America, and we should make that move in the UK towards taking cars and buses that can be improved and moving them to batteries or even hydrogen—to non-fossil fuels.”
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“A modern industrial strategy is required, but it must not be in name only. Any strategy must have the creation of a skills-based economy at its heart. It must be cognisant of the impacts of deindustrialisation in constituencies such as mine in Airdrie and Shotts, and it must commit to utilising skills that exist here in the UK to get Britain building and to ensure that major employers such as Alexander Dennis have a role to play long into the future. This Government are committed to securing the future of industry and supporting bus manufacturers in their move to electric, but we must collectively go further.”
“It was known for its ability to build and build well, and companies such as our bus manufacturers keep that reputation alive. Engineering has been critical to our country’s success, and small steps, such as including engineering in the name of the current Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, would show this Parliament’s collective determination to highlight the role that engineering has to play in our future. That is a pet peeve of mine and something that the Tories and failed Reform have no idea about—in the past and in the future. The United Kingdom can have a booming, home-grown economy at its centre once again. As an engineer and former lecturer, I am passionate about the future of UK manufacturing and innovation, but I am well aware of the need to harness potential through timely investment and the right strategies.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Euan Stainbank) and the hon. and learned Member for North Antrim (Jim Allister) for securing this important and timely debate. I also say “happy birthday” to my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk—I know that he says he is 25, but I am not so sure about that. Bus manufacturing is a significant sector in both Members’ constituencies, through Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus. I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk and the hon. and learned Member for North Antrim for their dedicated efforts to support a highly skilled sector that employs more than 4,000 people across the United Kingdom and a further 13,000 in the supply chain. The United Kingdom has a proud industrial heritage.”
“Words must quickly turn into action in every part of the United Kingdom to get this industry back on its feet and contributing to our economy in the way we know that it can. That is why net zero emission bus funds, whether in Scotland or across the United Kingdom, must be accessible to British businesses. The potential to grow our economy through investing in British bus manufacturing is clear to see, and I hope to hear from the Minister how we will embrace that potential, deliver for UK industry, and protect and create jobs for years to come.”
“Investing in British bus manufacturing by supporting companies such as Alexander Dennis will not only get state-of-the-art buses on the road, but bolster national security, given the serious and widely held concerns surrounding where Chinese manufactured buses are controlled from and whether an action taken in China could bring electric buses here to a halt. Too many fossil fuel-powered buses—more than 36,000—remain on our roads. Bus manufacturers here in the United Kingdom are prepared to meet the demand to replace them. Manufacturers are calling for certainty and security, and they are asking for Government buy-in. To think that a company such as Alexander Dennis was at risk of going under, and that the jobs of people in my constituency were threatened, when such potential exists to invest in and grow the sector is deeply worrying.”
“Yes, of course I would. There is a major move towards making sure that cars in the future, such as Beetles etc, move to electric power. There is a move towards that in America, and we should make that move in the UK towards taking cars and buses that can be improved and moving them to batteries or even hydrogen—to non-fossil fuels. In Scotland, the Scottish Government’s procurement is so deeply flawed that contracts are handed to Chinese bus manufacturers when the skills exist in our central belt.”
“After years of increases to the cost of living, my Airdrie and Shotts constituents are understandably impatient for change, and want to see the benefits of economic growth in their communities and in their pockets. Can the Secretary of State provide further detail on how this Government are supporting the growth of local economies in North Lanarkshire, and what role does he see AI, advanced manufacturing and life sciences playing in that growth by helping to develop supply chain resilience locally?”
“While passengers are experiencing short-term pain of long waits as the EU entry-exit system becomes fully operational, can the Minister confirm his Department is working to ensure that the agreement obtained by this Labour Government to allow British access to e-gates will, in the long term, cut queues and improve the travelling experience for my constituents in Airdrie and Shotts and other Members’ constituents?”
“T6. As a faithful, I commend the Secretary of State for reaffirming his commitment to driving forward digital innovation in the NHS. Does he agree that Scotland should mirror the UK so that we do not fall behind the pace with developments that could be game changing in terms of outcomes for patients and staff alike?”
“Thanks to this Government embracing AI, constituencies such as Airdrie and Shotts are seeing substantial investment in data centres, which will create jobs and reindustrialise former industrial heartlands. On National Engineering Day, does the Minister agree that this Government’s commitment to vocational training and apprenticeships will open more doors for young women in towns and cities across the country to join the STEM workforce and lead the AI revolution?”
“T7. My constituents in Airdrie and Shotts, along with many others across the country, will be impacted by the decision of Maiden Life Försäkrings to withdraw family protection plan cover. I understand that the Chancellor may be aware of this issue, so will her Department investigate this matter and consider what assistance might be available to those affected?”
“In less than 18 months, this Government have delivered defence contracts that will support Scottish jobs for years to come; invested in the pride of place scheme, which will see Scottish town centres rejuvenated, including those in North Lanarkshire; and committed record funding to the Scottish Parliament to invest in Scottish public services. Does my right hon. Friend agree that that stands in stark contrast to the priorities of the SNP in government in Holyrood, which has just wasted more taxpayers’ money on producing yet another tired paper on independence, while one in six Scots wait on NHS waiting lists?”
“That was always the change that devolution was intended to make, and it is pretty telling that even though significant time has since passed, the policies I mention remain to this day some of the most significant achievements of the Scottish Parliament. The reality is that the SNP, Conservatives and now Reform UK thrive when Scotland is divided. Their record of poor delivery, incompetent governance, money wasted and vanity projects is clear to see, yet they are all as comfortable as one other in hiding behind the constitutional question.”
“Indeed, in those formative years, £3 million of initial funding was set aside for international development, particularly in Malawi. That developed an already strong relationship between the people of Scotland and that country, and committed the Labour-Liberal coalition to tackling global health and wealth inequality, reducing infant mortality rates in Malawi and improving educational standards. The delivery of free personal care for the elderly was a transformative domestic policy that set Scotland on a path to being a more compassionate society, and it secured dignity for our elderly population. It was us putting the principles of devolution into action.”
“I thank the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Jamie Stone) for securing this debate. As a Labour politician, I am immensely proud of my party’s commitment to devolution and our delivery of the Scottish Parliament, and I will always be grateful to those who have gone before us, such as my constituency predecessor John Smith, who fought tirelessly to bring the decision-making process closer to home. In the formative years of the Scottish Parliament, it was the Labour-Liberal coalition that delivered the smoking ban—an innovative policy that considerably improved the public health of the Scottish population and reduced the number of primary-aged children inhaling second-hand smoke by 39% within a year. The same coalition oversaw an education system that was recognised as being one of Europe’s best.”
“Indeed, with the opportunities now afforded to young people as a result of this Government embracing the potential of artificial intelligence, the SNP’s political choice to neglect our further education and vocational sector becomes increasingly inexcusable. This is not the Scotland we envisaged when we held the devolution referendum and the first set of Scottish parliamentary elections. This is a Scotland that has been stopped in its tracks, due to the lack of ambition shown by its SNP Government, and their unwillingness to do anything about growing the economy, increasing investment or showcasing Scotland as a proud part of the United Kingdom.”
“I want the people of Scotland to look at their Parliament and recognise it as a place where good things get done in the interests of working people. However, under nationalist leadership, it has increasingly become a talking shop, where blame gets passed and responsibility and accountability are avoided. It saddens me to say it, but through no fault of our public sector workforce—it is a consequence of SNP incompetence—those who live in Scotland have a one in six chance of being on an NHS waiting list. GP appointments in towns such as Shotts in my constituency are hard to come by. Rail fares are exorbitant. Those who are educators, as I was, are working with diminishing resources, and pupils from poorer backgrounds still face greater barriers to educational and vocational success.”
“My hon. Friend makes a very good point. Devolution opened the door for the delivery of good legislation. It was an opportunity for devolved Assemblies and Parliaments, whose politicians were closer to home, to deliver positive change for the people they represented. However, for almost two decades, Scotland has been held back. Eye-watering amounts of public money have been wasted, our once-great education system has seen standards plummet, and the poverty-related attainment gap remains stubbornly wide, with the gap between pupils achieving an A to C grade at higher level sitting at 17.1 percentage points this year. Like my Labour colleagues, I want devolution to succeed. I want the Scottish Parliament to deliver for Scottish people.”
“The people of Scotland will have the opportunity to elect a Scottish Labour Government next year, to invest in our NHS and to grow our economy, so that it works once again for working men and women.”
“The whole further education system across Scotland needs to be looked at rather rapidly. Things are moving quickly, and we are now becoming a skills economy, with skills not just in AI, but in other things. A lot of companies want to move into Scotland, and they want a good, well-funded further education college close to the place they locate to. I am immensely proud of the investment that this Labour Government have put into Scotland. The largest financial settlement in the history of devolution is being delivered to improve the lives of working Scots in Airdrie and Shotts and beyond. This reaffirms Labour’s commitment to devolution, and its pride and passion for Scotland’s potential. This debate has reflected on the past and the progress of devolution, but this historic settlement could define its future.”
“T5. In his letter to GB Energy’s CEO last month outlining his strategic priorities, the Secretary of State rightly stated that reindustrialising our industrial heartlands“with good jobs and strong trade union representation”goes hand in hand with tackling the climate crisis. Will he take the opportunity to reiterate that our investment in tackling the climate crisis and producing clean energy will deliver secure, long-term employment, and will be to the benefit of working people in Airdrie and Shotts and across the UK?”
“Although I share the Government’s ambition for a modern, vibrant and digital society, I question whether a service with such significant reach and reliability needs to be taken away before the 2040s. I thank the right hon. Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale for securing this debate and look forward to the Minister’s response. Terrestrial television has great value and impressive reach, and provides a safety net where there is a risk of gaps in internet provision. We can be a modern society that embraces technological advancement and change, while also protecting the sort of provision that has served and continues to serve us well.”
“It is thought that across the United Kingdom there remains a socioeconomic aspect to this that Ministers will need to consider, with the percentage of those without access to the internet being over seven times as high in our most deprived areas than in our most affluent. Reliance on the internet in a world without terrestrial television would be hugely significant. We know that there are still gaps in progress, that almost one in five people uses the internet solely via a smartphone and that our elderly population, particularly in rural areas, feels digitally excluded. In the town of Shotts, the villages of Salsburgh and Harthill, and the villages that surround Airdrie, the elderly population in those villages still relies on terrestrial television for the news, weather and entertainment.”
“Earlier in the year, I had the opportunity, at the invitation of Arqiva, to visit the Black Hill transmitter station at Kirk o’ Shotts, near Salsburgh, a great industrial village in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency. To say I was impressed with the transmitter’s range of coverage, the number of people reliant on it and the skills on show by those who operate it would be an understatement. The Black Hill transmitter provides DTT coverage to approximately 940,000 households across the central Scotland region, serving Glasgow and Edinburgh and everything in between. It is an excellent resource that delivers a vital public service. Indeed, according to Ofcom data from 2025, more than a quarter of Scots rely solely on terrestrial television, with no other means available to them. The figure goes as high as almost 50% in Northern Ireland.”
“It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank the right hon. Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (David Mundell) for securing this debate and giving Members the opportunity to highlight the continuing impact and importance of terrestrial television in the modern day. While there is undoubtedly a growing reliance on digital television and streaming services, a significant number of people across the United Kingdom remain reliant on terrestrial television. I look forward to the Minister’s response on how the Government plan to keep those people in mind when decisions are made in the coming months and years.”
“They need us to raise awareness of them so more people know they exist. They need partnerships with local employers to set up payroll deduction schemes, helping workers save effortlessly each month. And they need help modernising their digital services, because in this day and age we should be able to access these great community services from our phones as easily as we can from a high street bank. When credit unions succeed, they are not just about finances; they provide dignity, security and opportunity to people in Airdrie and Shotts and across North Lanarkshire. Let us celebrate them, talk about them and, most importantly, use them. Together, we will build a stronger, fairer community for all.”
“Credit unions are run by people who know your name, who listen, and who guide you through difficult times, whether by helping with a loan for urgent car repairs or assisting a family with a funeral grant in their time of grief. More widely, credit unions circulate money locally. It is not siphoned off to faraway shareholders; it stays in the community, helping neighbours and strengthening the local economy. Credit unions are democratically run on a one member, one vote basis, so every decision is about what is best for the community, not what is best for a balance sheet. At a time when many face barriers to accessing mainstream banks, credit unions are a lifeline. They offer financial inclusion, ethical lending and real human support. We must not take credit unions for granted. They need our support.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch (Katrina Murray) for bringing this important matter to the attention of the House. In my constituency we are lucky to be served by organisations such as the North Coatbridge credit union and the Newmains credit union. These are not distant financial giants; they are member-owned, community-run mutuals that put people before profit. For decades, they have quietly gone about their work, offering people a safe place to save, fair and affordable loans, and practical help with budgeting. They make a world of difference to someone who might otherwise be driven into the arms of high-cost lenders or high-cost credit cards.”
“It is refreshing to have a UK Government so committed to investing in and developing AI, in comparison with John Swinney and the Scottish Government, who are stuck in an analogue age, unable even to provide patients and staff with a functioning NHS app. Does the Minister agree that the towns of Airdrie and Shotts and the former industrial heartland of North Lanarkshire are incredibly well placed to serve as an AI growth zone and capture the Government’s clear ambition?”
“Having been in the region and met Palestinian men and women who live with a genuine fear of settler violence, I will always be of the view that we must be unequivocal in our support for a free and secure Palestinian state. I again thank my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow North for securing this debate and look forward to the Minister’s update on the Government’s work to end illegal and violent settlement in the west bank.”
“The treatment of the Palestinian people has rightly been called out by the UK Labour Government and we remain fully supportive of a two-state solution where Palestinians and Israelis can live freely and peacefully. I believe that recognition of Palestinian statehood is critical to achieving that. Illegal settlement in the west bank has been a serious issue for a long time. According to UN figures, the issue is as challenging now as it ever has been. Tens of thousands have been displaced from refugee camps as a result of intense Israeli operations and thousands more Palestinians have been displaced in recent months and years as a consequence of settler violence and demolition of housing. Ignorance will never be an acceptable response.”
“I commend the UK Government for sanctioning Israeli Ministers who have repeatedly incited violence against Palestinians. The Foreign Secretary was absolutely correct to say that severe acts of violence by extremist Israeli settlers threaten a future Palestinian state. We must redouble our efforts to highlight a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live peacefully side by side. More widely, while focus has turned recently to the conflict between Israel and Iran, it must not be forgotten that Palestinians are being bombed in Gaza. They are dying in pain. They are being starved—thousands have lost their lives as a result of malnourishment.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow North (Martin Rhodes) for securing time for Members to consider this important matter. Before coming to this place, I was an engineer and senior lecturer at Anniesland College in Glasgow. While there, I had the privilege of undertaking British Council work in Hebron, Nablus and Ramallah, and I have seen at first hand the challenges facing the Palestinian people. I have always supported the right of Israel to exist as a democratic, free and peaceful state. However, illegal settlement in the west bank and the associated forced displacement of Palestinians. The rights of Palestinian people to live and travel freely and not have their land occupied by often violent settlers must be central to any long-lasting route towards peace.”
“Do the Secretary of State and the Minister agree that the industrial towns and villages that make up Lanarkshire must be central to any modern industrial strategy? Will they meet me, potentially in Airdrie and Shotts, to hear more about the excellent skills and potential that exist throughout the constituency that could undoubtedly contribute to their and this Government’s ambitious work?”
“The Minister will be aware of last week’s historic UK Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman being based on biological sex, which provided important legal clarity. It is critical now that the UK and Scottish Governments work in a co-ordinated manner to ensure that the practical impacts are understood. How does the Minister plan to ensure that this co-ordinated approach delivers for women in Scotland and across the United Kingdom, and does he agree that the ruling must be a lesson for the SNP Government to stop wasting Scottish taxpayers’ money on flawed legislation and court cases?”
“Q7. I commend the Prime Minister and his Government for the action taken to reform the NHS in England and make it fit for the modern day, with improved technology, more GPs and appointments, and waiting lists cut for consecutive months. However, it is deeply unfortunate that in Scotland the SNP Government have made the political choice to waste taxpayer money on vanity projects, flawed legislation and failed court cases rather than focus on improving our health service. Does the Prime Minister agree that the people of Airdrie and Shotts, who have been promised a new hospital for almost a decade, deserve far better than to suffer in pain while on waiting lists or to receive treatment in crumbling buildings as a direct consequence of SNP incompetence?”
“I thank the hon. Gentleman for that. Can he tell me how many people in Scotland actually work, and how many are employed by the state? Where are these jobs that he is talking about, in which people are going to be employed? His Government cannot really get people employed just now. They have not been able to do that. They have not provided it. I do not see where the jobs are, but I am happy to listen to where they are coming from.”
“The hon. Gentleman is talking about the care sectors, and I take it that that includes palliative care as well. St Andrew’s Hospice is in my area; it costs £10 million to run it, and £3 million comes from his Government. That is an incredible shortfall. The hospice is talking about cutting numbers and not having as many staff as it would normally have, so where does the hon. Gentleman see all of these wonderful vacancy figures in care?”
“5. What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the national minimum wage and national living wage on families in Airdrie and Shotts constituency.”
“I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. Just yesterday, Parliament approved Labour’s new deal for working people—the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. This will see a pay rise for more than 200,000 working Scots, many in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency, and a marked improvement to terms and conditions, which will be beneficial to our young workforce. Does he agree that with a Government committed to improving the pay, terms and conditions of workers across the country, the working people of Airdrie and Shotts will always get a better deal with Labour?”
“I reiterate my support for the repeal of the Rwanda scheme and look forward to supporting this Government’s plans for restoring control to our borders and delivering on the priorities of the British people.”
“It marks a welcome shift from wasting taxpayers’ money on projects such as the Rwanda scheme to a plan that genuinely aims to smash criminal gangs and stop small boat crossings at the source, with a consistent approach of respecting the vulnerability of the human lives involved. That is why we must reject Conservative attempts to continue their failed schemes. For those now in Opposition, one would have thought the lessons of July last year were to look outwards, consider what went wrong and reassess their positions on key matters such as immigration, but clearly, they are carrying on as they have done for years, insistent on making the same mistakes that cost the public purse millions that could have been spent on supporting the working people of the United Kingdom.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. I rise to put on the record my support for the Government’s decision to repeal the Safety of Rwanda Act. It is important to remember that this Act was passed by a Conservative Government who knew that they were on their way out—a Government who had run out of road and run out of ideas. The Safety of Rwanda Act was nothing more than a gimmick, as has been pointed out many times this morning. It was a waste of taxpayers’ money and only reaffirmed the widely held view that the Conservative Government had lost control of our borders. The Bill brought forward by the Labour Government aims to tackle an extremely challenging issue—one made far more challenging by the incompetence shown by the previous incumbents.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart. These steps have been taken following discussions with law enforcement to be as thorough as possible in our attempts to smash the criminal gangs and disrupt an organised activity at the very source, particularly in relation to endangering another during a sea crossing, but also when it comes to supplying and handling articles for immigration crime. We must allow enforcement every opportunity to identify the causes of such crime and use the findings of any investigation to deter further crossings. If he allows me a little bit of leeway, I will refer to the hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire, who spoke about piloting boats.”
“Q We have heard from Dr Walsh about how the small gangs operate. They are very difficult to work against. What engagement have you had to better understand the Government’s position? Would you outline your evidence directing us to an alternative approach? It has been very interesting to hear about what does not deter people from coming across, but it would also be very interesting to hear about anything that does deter them. Could you outline that too?”
“Can you answer my original question about the engagement you have had with the Government? You are saying that small gangs are very flexible, but obviously the Government are saying that they are going after those gangs—”
“Q This might be a lag question, which is quite engineering-based, but you mentioned proactive, pre-emptive and disruptive, and those are engineering terms as well. I am really interested in how they react and would work within the Bill, how they would help the Bill and how the Bill would help them. Could you give us some idea of that? Rob Jones: In relation to the powers in clauses 13 to 16?”
“When you are looking at the commissioning of the offence, and you are living with somebody who is involved in serious organised crime, you are seeing that play out in front of you. These clauses allow us to take elements of their business model—as they are meeting people, as they are researching, and as they are taking the preparatory steps to the section 25 offence—then go to the CPS and say, “We think we’ve got enough; we think we could go now.” That gives you more momentum, more speed and more agility. It is the same mindset as trying to prevent attacks in the CT world. You would not choose to reactively investigate a terrorist attack; we would not choose to reactively investigate highly dangerous crossings in the English channel during which people get killed.”
“Yes. I apologise—I think I have cut across the Minister, because she asked a very similar question, but, if you could give us an idea of how those three things that you spoke about before could be helped by the Bill, that would be really helpful. Rob Jones: When we identify somebody from the UK who is involved in organising small boats crossings, for instance, we have to get very good, sophisticated surveillance control over that individual to get enough evidence to be able to produce a full file submission to the CPS for a section 25 facilitation offence. That could mean months of surveillance, or covert activity, in terms of eavesdropping and audio recordings. In the meantime, we are seeing that individual with a public profile on social media, researching crossings, communicating with people overtly and meeting people.”
“Do you agree that that has to start with the gangs who are starting this and are pulling—or pushing—people across? Dame Angela Eagle: Yes. There are many genuine asylum seekers, many of whom are granted asylum when they are finally processed, who have come in that way. There are also people who are trafficked, who are in debt bondage, who go into sex work in nail bars, say from Vietnam, or who end up—as the police chief told us—growing cannabis in hidden farms in all our communities or being involved in serious crime. Some of them are victims of modern slavery, and some of them are the perpetrators of all that kind of evil.”