Speeches by Jones.

“I rise in support of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill. This Bill is not only timely, but essential for our national security, our international obligations and the strategic future of the United Kingdom. To be clear, Diego Garcia is not just an isolated atoll in the Indian ocean, b…”

“Could the right hon. Lady tell me why the US and the Five Eyes have backed this deal?”

“9. What steps he is taking to increase the number of cadets.”

“As one of the first female cadets in Scotland during the mid-1980s—I know I do not look old enough—I am aware of how transformative the cadet experience can be, but now, in 2025, girls make up only a third of our cadet force. What more can my hon. Friend do to ensure that joining the cadets is seen as an exciting oppor…”

“The SNP Government have awarded public contracts to China, Turkey and Poland to build Scottish ferries and buses. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the SNP Government should accept the offer from the UK Government to rewrite Scottish procurement rules—as they have previously in a range of other areas, including regu…”

“I welcome the progress this UK Labour Government have made in reducing A&E waits in England. That sadly contrasts with a crisis in Scotland, where recent figures revealed 2,472 Scots waited over eight hours to be seen. Jackie Baillie rightly warned that “Lives are being put at risk” under the SNP, and it has been y…”

“1. What steps he is taking to help reduce waiting times at A&E departments.”

“Your predecessor, Mr Petticrew, said that Ferguson Marine should pivot away from building ferries and focus on smaller vessels. Do you agree with that?”

“Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa were initially viewed as a lifeline for the shipyard. To what extent do you think those projects have impacted the yard's ability to secure future contracts?”

“You are the fifth CEO in 10 years, and you have inherited a struggling shipyard with a damaged reputation. How confident are you that you can turn things around for Ferguson Marine?”

“Susie, from your perspective, who is ultimately responsible for implementation of the homelessness prevention pathway?”

“Are you satisfied with the way that local authorities have approached the homelessness prevention pathway?”

“Kirsteen touched on my question slightly, but it was really just to ask what the main barriers are to implementing a consistent national approach to homelessness prevention among veterans.”

“On NOVA Scotland, when VALOUR is rolled out into Scotland, could that then support NOVA Scotland in bringing all that data together with all the essential services that it will be signposting for veterans who need support? Obviously, the justice system is completely different to the health system, but these are the are…”

“Based on the funding pressures of the third sector charities that support veterans, how sustainable do you think that support for veterans is from those services?”

“To come back to the Veterans First Point, would you like to see a requirement as part of the Armed Forces Covenant that all health boards provide a Veterans First Point service given the complex needs of veterans and that it is vital that veterans have peer support in these areas, notwithstanding the comments about the…”

“Thank you for that clarification.”

“Emma, can you describe the role the third sector plays in supporting veterans with mental health problems?”

“Are these third sector services well-funded?”

“This is for both witnesses. Where are the gaps that veterans are most likely to fall through when attempting to access mental health support?”