Chamber and committees

I start by congratulating Collette Stevenson for securing the debate. She has mentioned me a few times and I will come on to that.

Earlier today, I was speaking to pupils on a school visit to the Parliament and I told them how I first got involved in politics when I was at school—a long time ago. When I was at school in 1980, a report known as the Brandt report came out, written by a group headed by Willy Brandt. It was all about international development, and we learned about the north-south divide. The message of the report was how important it is for developed nations to help less-developed nations and how that benefits us all. I read that report—all of it. I supported that message, and my views have not changed since.

I have been a supporter of international development for over 40 years, so I have felt a sense of pride that the UK’s international development programme was being delivered from the town that I have represented as a councillor and MSP since 2007. If I have a frustration, it is that what was DFID, and is now the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, reaches out to the world but does not reach out to its Scottish home very well. To my mind, it has a great story that it has not really sold.

In 2015—I think it was 2015 and not 2014—the HMRC threatened to leave East Kilbride and go to Glasgow, so that was a similar situation. As we have heard, a campaign was launched, which was called “Stay in EK”. I got involved in that, as all parties did. We worked with the trade unions; I have not heard from the trade unions on the current issue. I do not know whether it was a result of the campaign or something else, but that decision about HMRC was reversed in January 2022. Anyone who represents the town must have been delighted by that, as I was.

The announcement by the FCDO at the end of last year that it intends to move out of Abercrombie house and go to Glasgow came as a shock. It certainly came as a shock to me; I cannot stand here and say that I was delighted about that—of course I am not delighted. I would rather that it stayed in East Kilbride. The decision is a result of the lease ending on the current HMRC building at Queensway house. That lease is ending, HMRC—

It is good to see the cabinet secretary in Parliament today. I wonder whether, this year, he plans to beat his record of travelling to six countries in the first seven months of last year, which cost £5,500. The Scottish National Party Government’s budget for its overseas offices is increasing to £7.8 million. That is happening while budgets for transport, councils and housing are being slashed. What is the return on that investment?

No, I am not going to take any more interventions—unless I get loads more time.

Thank you very much.

We have both been in discussion with the FCDO. I have spoken personally to the minister, Andrew Mitchell. We will work—and I am quite happy to work with Collette Stevenson if she wants to do it properly—to do all that we can to see whether anything can be done for staff locally.

If staff are to move, the key thing is that they must be treated properly. I have been involved in an office move. There are issues such as parking, extra costs for transport, childcare and whether people can work from home.

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of its overseas offices. (S6O-02927)

You are being extremely generous, Presiding Officer.

Unfortunately, the only contact from within the constituency that I have had is the letter from Collette Stevenson that was previously referred to, which was, frankly, a stunt. I do not respond to stunts—[Interruption.] I am hearing lots of muttering from Kevin Stewart—[Interruption.]

If, at any point, Collette Stevenson wants to know what I think about anything, all that she need do is pop along to my office—our offices share the same corridor. I do not respond to stunts, which is why I have not responded to her letter. She could have just come to speak to me, as she has done on many other occasions.

Fortunately, I have spoken to the town’s Conservative MP, Lisa Cameron, who has not indulged in such antics. We have both been in discussion—[Interruption.] Members should do me the courtesy of listening.

I will bring my remarks to a close.

At the end of the day, more people will be employed. However, we must work with the staff. I encourage staff to get in touch with me; if they want to do so, I would be delighted to hear from them. I think that there is further to go on the issue.

I was merely making the point that I have not heard from PCS. We heard from PCS during the campaign to get HMRC to stay in East Kilbride, so there might be good reasons why it has not been in touch this time. I would encourage it to get in touch with everyone. That is what it should be doing.

That is an unfortunate intervention from Clare Adamson, because it shows that she has precious little knowledge of what is going on. No job losses are being suggested. In fact, there will be more jobs. The plan is not to get rid of jobs but merely to move them to Glasgow. Clare Adamson seems to be unaware of that.