Written questions by Doogan.

When he plans to respond to the enquiry from the hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens, reference DD21808, submitted on 21/01/2026 on MyCSP service.

Awaiting answer.

When she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens with reference DD22592.

The correspondence from the hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens with reference DD22592 was sent to HMRC. HMRC will respond in due course.

What steps he is taking to a) investigate the recent leak of Civil Service Pension Scheme members Annual Benefit Statements and b) prevent further such breaches.

Awaiting answer.

When Capita will put additional resource in place to begin clearing the Civil Service Pension Scheme backlog.

Awaiting answer.

How many and what proportion of Civil Service Pension Scheme members have been provided with an Annual Benefit Statement for a) 2024-25, b) 2023-24, c) 2022-23 and d) 2021-22.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions she has had with the Financial Conduct Authority regarding its proposal to set compensatory interest for motor finance redress at the Bank of England base rate plus one per cent, in the context courts recently awarding eight per cent to compensate vulnerable consumers for consequential financial losses.

The Government wants to see this issue resolved in an efficient and orderly way that provides certainty for consumers and firms. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator, has consulted on proposals for a motor finance consumer redress scheme. The FCA has announced that it will set out its final approach to motor finance redress on 30 March: https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/timing-fca-motor-finance-announcement.

Whether he will discuss with Ukraine their deployment to the Straight of Hormuz with the two former Royal Navy Sandown-class minehunters which were gifted to Ukraine but which been prevented from transiting to the Black Sea owing to the 1936 Montreux Convention.

Decisions on employment of Ukrainian military assets rests with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment further on this specific issue.

What assessment she has made of the potential economic impact on Scottish communities of the estimated £551 million shortfall between the Financial Conduct Authority's proposed motor finance redress scheme pay outs and potential court awards as outlined in the APPG on Fair Banking Report on Car Finance redress published in November 2025.

The Government wants to see this issue resolved in an efficient and orderly way that provides certainty for consumers and firms. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator, has consulted on proposals for a motor finance consumer redress scheme. The FCA has announced that it will set out its final approach to motor finance redress on 30 March: https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/timing-fca-motor-finance-announcement.

How much of Scotland’s Defence Growth Deal funding derives from the Defence Industrial Strategy skills package.

The Defence Industrial Strategy committed £250 million to fund all five Defence Growth Deals across the UK, and announced an £182 million Defence Industry Skills Package. On 12 March, we launched the £50 million Scotland Defence Growth Deal, and from the £20 million of funding allocated to the Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, we committed a £10 million investment towards the creation of two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges (DTECs). This will include one in the East and one in the West of Scotland, working in consultation with Colleges Scotland to develop the colleges. I wrote with the Secretary of State for Scotland to the Scottish Government on 12 March asking them to match fund our DTEC commitment so we can deliver two not one DTEC in Scotland. I regret to report we have received no response from the Scottish Government so far.

What progress has been made on allocating a share of the £182 million Defence Industrial Strategy skills package to Scotland.

The Defence Industrial Strategy committed £250 million to fund all five Defence Growth Deals across the UK, and announced an £182 million Defence Industry Skills Package. On 12 March, we launched the £50 million Scotland Defence Growth Deal, and from the £20 million of funding allocated to the Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, we committed a £10 million investment towards the creation of two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges (DTECs). This will include one in the East and one in the West of Scotland, working in consultation with Colleges Scotland to develop the colleges. I wrote with the Secretary of State for Scotland to the Scottish Government on 12 March asking them to match fund our DTEC commitment so we can deliver two not one DTEC in Scotland. I regret to report we have received no response from the Scottish Government so far.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116959 on Taxation: Overpayments, if she will publish the average processing time for HMRC overpayment relief claims in each of the last 12 months.

HMRC does not produce an overall average processing time for overpayment relief claims. Processing times vary depending on the type of claim and the checks required to protect public funds. However, HMRC recognises that payments to customers are important, therefore claims are processed as priority post. HMRC aims to process 80% of priority post received within 15 working days. Customer correspondence performance is reported monthly and quarterly through HMRC’s published performance updates at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates

What support she will introduce to assist people with oil heating through the current kerosine price increases.

The government recognises the pressures facing households who rely on heating oil. This is why we are providing an additional £53 million of targeted support for vulnerable households, largely in rural communities.

(a) what the current average processing time is for HMRC overpayment relief claims; and (b) what steps her Department are taking to reduce times in processing those claims.

HMRC recognises that payments to customers are important, therefore claims are processed as priority post. HMRC aims to process 80% of priority post received within 15 working days. Customer correspondence performance is reported monthly and quarterly through HMRC’s published performance updates at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates. HMRC continues to invest in automation and to review their internal processes to ensure overpayments relief claims are issued in a timely manner.

With reference to Written Question UIN 77563, answered on the 13 October 2025, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that Ministers are adequately briefed when they present to Parliament.

Ministerial briefings are a matter for individual departments. There are a number of resources available to ministers to assist in preparing for parliamentary activity: the Ministerial Code has expectations for Ministers in Parliament, the Cabinet Office Parliamentary Capability Team offers training for Ministers and officials, and the Guide to Parliamentary Work provides broader guidance for officials on working with Parliament.

A) what assessment he has made of the extent to which legacy pension disputes currently being pursued by the Ministry of Defence and Equiniti arise from historical administrative or management errors by the Department or its contractors; and b) what steps he is taking to help support impacted veterans and service personnel.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) seeks to recover overpayments regardless of the reason they occurred because it has a legal and financial obligation to protect public funds. This principle applies universally to ensure consistency, fairness, and accountability in the management of taxpayers' money. Allowing overpayments to remain unrecovered, regardless of the circumstances, could set a precedent that undermines the MOD's duty to manage public resources responsibly and equitably. The MOD, in collaboration with its contractors, is committed to supporting those affected by incorrectly calculated payments. A dedicated helpline has been established to provide technical and administrative advice, while a bespoke leaflet outlines available support, including repayment options and appeal processes. Veterans Services (VS) also offer free, one-to-one support to veterans, their families, and dependents through a national network of welfare managers across the UK and Republic of Ireland. VS staff, who are fully briefed on members' rights regarding overpayment recovery, can assist with completing Income and Expenditure forms in cases of hardship, provide guidance on submitting defences against recovery and conduct holistic welfare reviews. They can also advise on additional benefits or support available from the MOD, other Government Departments, or the Third Sector.

How many legacy disputes relating to incorrectly calculated Armed Forces pension entitlements are currently being pursued by Equiniti and the Ministry of Defence; and what the total monetary value of these claims is.

This information is not held in the format requested. A manual review of all overpayments would be required in order to identify if there is a dispute relating to the pension entitlements being incorrectly calculated which would incur a disproportionate cost to obtain.

What discussions he has had with his Norwegian counterpart on finalising the number of Global Combat Ships which BAE will build in Glasgow for that country.

Our Type 26 deal to provide at least five Norwegian frigates is a significant economic boost which will deliver jobs and drive growth in Scotland. We are working closely and meeting regularly with our Norwegian allies to progress the new partnership, with the Defence Secretary most recently meeting with his counterpart this month and agreeing to step up our security commitment. Our bilateral strategic partnership is more important than ever to the security of the Arctic and High North. We are safer and more prosperous together.

If he will immediately release the vetting advice the Prime Minister received prior to the appointment of Matthew Doyle to the House of Lords.

As a matter of policy, the Government does not publish information relating to individuals' peerage nominations.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on the recruitment of young workers in Scotland.

A detailed assessment of the policy has been published by HMRC in their Tax Information and Impact Note. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) also published the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO), which sets out a detailed forecast of the economy and public finances. Accounting for policies that will materially affect the forecast, the OBR expect that employment levels will rise in every year of the forecast, and that they will be higher in every year compared to March, reaching 35.5m in 2030-31. The UK Government is committed to providing young people with the best start to their working lives. That is why we have committed to a Youth Guarantee to support young people across Great Britain to earn or learn. This includes a Jobs Guarantee, which will provide a six-month paid work placement for every eligible 18- to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months.

What procurement priority has been awarded to the replacement of the Royal Air Forces Hawk T1 and T2 aircraft.

Flying training will continue to be a sovereign priority. All future platform procurements will be made as part of the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.