Speeches by McAllister.

“Will the Minister join me in congratulating my constituent Audrey Mutongi-Darko, founder of the No. 1 Befriending Agency? It was announced in the new year’s honours list that she is to receive the British empire medal for services to tackling loneliness and isolation in older people in Scotland. Will the Leader of the …”

“My question is to Hayley. BBC Scotland’s flagship news programme “The Nine” was cancelled at the end of last year. I understand that you were the editor when it was originally launched back in 2019. What had you hoped that it would achieve at that stage? Did you consider at the time that it was necessary, when we alrea…”

“On your priorities for the coming years, I have noted that you have indicated in your evidence that one of the three aims or objectives of BBC Scotland is to bring people together. Nothing brings people together like major sporting events, and you made reference to that, Hayley. What are your plans over the next couple…”

“This year has started with a horrific intensification of Israeli air strikes raining down on civilians and children. Israel has intensified its assault on the already decimated healthcare services in Gaza, to the extent that there are no fully functioning hospitals remaining in Gaza. It is a humanitarian crisis, so I a…”

“The naval base at Faslane and companies such as BAE Systems support thousands of jobs in my constituency. Does the Minister agree that we need to grow an integrated, innovative and resilient defence sector that will address problems such as skills shortages and the need for strategic long-term partnerships?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. As far as the petition before us is concerned, I will make the obvious point that other Members have made before me. We had a general election six months ago and the nation spoke; it delivered a landslide victory for the Labour party. We made it perfectly clea…”

“How does the Secretary of State envision the future of jobcentres in my constituency and across Scotland, and what role will technology play in that?”

“Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to speak in this Backbench Business debate on detained British nationals abroad. I commend the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith) for securing it, and for his relentless campaigning on the important cause of arbitrarily detaine…”

“Thank you, Sarah. Finally, climate change: how big a risk is that to the sector’s future?”

“Some 100,000 Scots are on zero-hours contracts, with no guarantee of secure hours. Labour’s Employment Rights Bill will address that. Does the Secretary of State agree that 100,000 Scots being in insecure work is a damning indictment of the state the Tories left our economy in and shows that we need a new direction in …”

“My question is to James. What opportunities does the UK Government’s Brand Scotland programme present for Scotland’s salmon producers?”

“You do not recognise that comment then, that the UK is falling behind?”

“Can I follow up on that point? The RSPCA advised in its written submission to this Committee that it maintains that mortality in salmon farms is too high at around 25% annually. Now, in fairness to the sector, the report also goes on to advise us that salmon farming is one of the most transparent industries reporting i…”

“One in five have failed, so what are they failing on?”

“If all these additional licence conditions imposed by SEPA do not address seabed and sea quality, what do they address and what have you failed on?”

“Can I follow up on one of those answers, because I did not fully understand one of the answers? If SEPA is saying that one in five of Scotland’s farms fail the statutory environmental standards, if I understood your answer correctly, you were saying that that does not relate to impact or harm. What do SEPA’s standards …”

“11. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve living standards in Scotland.”

“My questions are to Sarah. Sarah, I noted in your earlier answers that you said that the farms are only as good as their locations. I want to ask you what your principal concerns are in relation to future expansion of the salmon farming industry in Scotland. Is it possible for the industry to expand in a sustainable wa…”

“It is again on the point of welfare. My question is to Sean. Notwithstanding potential suspension from the accreditation scheme, if any member of the industry breaches welfare standards, what enforcement action do you take? What is the frequency of sanctions imposed, for instance, over the year 2023? I am not asking yo…”

“In Scotland, 242 people died while homeless last year. Those deaths are a travesty for our country and a damning symbol of Scottish Government failure. My local authority of West Dunbartonshire declared a housing emergency this year. Does the Secretary of State agree that as we head into winter, it is more urgent than …”