Speeches by McAllister.

“You recently announced that the Glen Rosa is expected to be delayed again, with the original target of September this year pushed back until April of next year. I appreciate that you came into the post on 1 May. It has been delayed for some years now. What went wrong?”

“But they knew about it?”

“And they had no issues with that contract, given their position on government-funded munitions work?”

“You do not need to be humble.”

“You bring with you a real wealth of experience from Babcock, as I understand it, and perhaps modesty may forbid you from making the obvious comment. Do you think your wealth of experience and arrival on 1 May have helped to secure this contract with BAE Systems? Do you have autonomy in that, or was there any Scottish G…”

“Should you not get the Lord of the Isles work, what are the implications for the future of the yard?”

“When will the island communities enjoy the use of that ferry?”

“Can the hon. Member confirm that the unlawful nature of the legacy Act meant that investigations into the deaths of more than 200 Operation Banner soldiers were shut down, against the wishes of soldiers’ families?”

“I recently met a group of Ukrainian families who have settled in my constituency—it was a privilege to hear their individual stories at first hand. After three years, Putin’s war still rages on. The UK Government operate the Ukraine permission extension scheme, allowing participants an 18-month extension to remain in t…”

“5. What support the Church of England is providing to Christians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”

“The UK Government have begun to issue visas for critically injured and sick Gazan children in need of specialist expert medical treatment, but only a handful of children have been granted visas and brought to the UK for urgent treatment. What support can the Church provide to not just Christian children, but all childr…”

“I fully understand that the Government decision announced in December last year was not about the changes to state pension age from 1995 onwards, but rather about how decisions made by the Department between 2005 and 2007 led to a 28-month delay in sending out letters to people affected by those changes. In March 2024,…”

“I wish to ask about the Government’s awareness of the Grangemouth refinery closure, whether they could have intervened earlier, and whether Project Willow could have launched a considerable time sooner. When were the UK Government first informed of the owner’s plan to close the refinery, and for that matter, when were …”

“Do you feel that Project Willow could have launched sooner? If so, who do you think is responsible for that lack of progress before you took office?”

“Due to factors such as struggling with mental and physical health, PTSD, homelessness and potential addiction issues, veterans can become involved in the criminal justice system. If veterans are quickly identified as such, they can access or be referred for specialist intervention. What factors or barriers are preventi…”

“It is my experience that the bench in Scotland can be very understanding, supportive and sympathetic to those who have served our country, but it is often left to the defence to flag that up effectively in mitigation. In my view the system in Scotland is failing our veterans. You have mentioned that in England there is…”

“Statutory funding is the answer?”

“The spending review announced a £250 million investment in HM naval base Clyde—or Faslane—which is on the boundary of my West Dunbartonshire constituency. Some 6,500 civilian and service personnel are employed there directly, with over 10,000 jobs across the wider economy, the vast majority of which are in my constitue…”

“You mentioned the AUKUS agreement, which will of course support defence jobs right across Scotland. Is there any fear at Government level that the US will review this agreement, which would obviously be concerning for Scottish defence sector jobs?”

“You would not necessarily regard it as a requirement of the UK Parliament to legislate to split the role; you see that resting with the Scottish Parliament to instigate.”