Speeches by Lamont.

“Extending the Borders railway line to Hawick and Newcastleton and then on to Carlisle will boost jobs, help the local economy and improve social mobility. The funding for the feasibility study was agreed by the last Conservative Government with the SNP Administration in Edinburgh, but the new Labour Government seem to …”

“5. What steps he is taking to improve transport connectivity between Scotland and England.”

“5. What diplomatic steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.”

“The horrors endured by the 97 Israelis and foreign nationals held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza for over 13 months are unthinkable. Given that the efforts to secure their release have not yet been successful, what further steps is the United Kingdom taking to bring home Emily Damari, a 28-year-old British citizen…”

“Storm Bert affected many parts of my constituency in the Scottish Borders, and I pay tribute to the volunteers and emergency services who kept local residents safe. Many farmers have been particularly badly affected. Have the Government made an assessment on crop yields, not just in Scotland but across the UK, as a dir…”

“Doctors from Duns, Galashiels, Selkirk, Kelso and across the Scottish Borders have contacted me about the impact that this national insurance hike will have on their practices. They tell me that the decision will be a huge retrograde step for primary care, will have a huge financial impact on their practices, and will …”

“The money was there.”

“I have long campaigned for the Borders railway to be extended from Tweedbank to Hawick, Newcastleton and on to Carlisle. The last Conservative Government, with the SNP Administration in Edinburgh, committed through the Borderlands growth deal to fund the feasibility study to look at that extension. Shockingly, the new …”

“This week, the president of the National Farmers Union of Scotland, Martin Kennedy, said: “The new UK Government’s first budget…hammered hard-working family farms and crofts with crippling tax bills”. The Minister has accused the Conservatives of scare- mongering about Labour’s family farm tax. Is the National Farmers …”

“1. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the autumn Budget 2024 on farming communities.”

“It is a privilege to follow the maiden speech of the new hon. Member for Stirling and Strathallan (Chris Kane). I am sure he will make a significant contribution to this place, and as a fellow Scot I wish him well. I am lucky to represent the Scottish Borders, the place I call home. We have wonderful towns in the borde…”

“The trade union Unite has issued a joint letter from political leaders across the United Kingdom’s nations and regions opposing Labour’s cut to the winter fuel payment. That letter has been signed by every party at Stormont and by parties in Wales, and the Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay also signed it. Wa…”

“The Secretary of State said at the weekend that the Labour Budget “will herald an era of growth for Scotland”, but what is going to grow? Is it the tax burden on hard-working Scots, the number of pensioners choosing between heating and eating because they have not got their winter fuel payments, or the number of Labour…”

“There were no answers in that response. Not so long ago, the Secretary of State said that a national insurance rise would have “an enormous impact” on businesses. He also said that “under Labour, National Insurance wouldn’t go up”. Tax rises, economic damage and broken promises—are this Labour Government not just the s…”

“It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Dr Huq. I am happy to confirm that the Conservatives support this order. As we heard from the Minister, this order originates in a recognition that both the UK and Scottish Governments face a common challenge in the fixing of historical building safety defects, such as d…”

“1. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of visitor levies in Scotland and Wales on inbound UK tourism.”

“Imposing taxes on tourists will only discourage people from enjoying the best of what the Scottish Borders and Scotland have to offer. Many small, rural businesses are struggling to sustain themselves, so I fear the extra tax proposed by the Scottish Government will be the last straw. Does the Minister share my concern…”

“I totally agree. We need to invest in the skills we have; otherwise they will be lost, particularly for more traditional industries. If the skills are lost there, they might never return. I do not often agree with the hon. Member for Aberdeen North (Kirsty Blackman), but she highlighted an important point about the gap…”

“The hon. Gentleman makes an important point about Scotland’s universities and the role that they play, particularly regarding investment in our universities. So does he agree that it was a mistake by the UK Labour Government to reverse investment in the supercomputer in Edinburgh?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Glasgow East (John Grady) for bringing forward this important debate on the state of Scotland’s economy. As he highlighted, there can be no doubt that Scotland’s economy has suffered from 17 years of SNP rule. It is impossi…”