Every parliamentary written question tabled by Dave Doogan this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 59 · Ministry of Defence
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
What the minimum number of available warships is that the Royal Navy requires to meet basic operational requirements.
To avoid compromising operational security, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose elements of the Fleet's long-term schedule and readiness profiles.The Royal Navy continues to meet its operational objectives and to work closely with the Government to ensure our maritime environment remains safe amid a changing threat environment.
How many Royal Navy surface warships are (a) available for deployment and (b) deployed.
To avoid compromising operational security, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose elements of the Fleet's long-term schedule and readiness profiles.The Royal Navy continues to meet its operational objectives and to work closely with the Government to ensure our maritime environment remains safe amid a changing threat environment.
What progress he has made on the Scottish allocation of the New Defence Growth Deals announced in September 2025.
The Defence Industrial Strategy committed £250 million to fund all five Defence Growth Deals across the UK. Work is ongoing to understand how the £250 million Defence Growth Deal fund will be allocated across the five locations. We continue to work with key stakeholders, including government, industry and academia, to identify opportunities for Scotland Defence Growth Deal investment.
What assessment he has made of the potential benefits of the development of a Regional Defence and Security Cluster in Scotland; and what progress has been made following early-stage discussions with potential partners in Scotland.
The Strategic Defence Review 2025 emphasised a cross-government initiative to develop regional clusters across the devolved nations. Regional Defence and Security Clusters, supported by the Ministry of Defence, are already bringing benefit across England, and lessons learned from the development of these clusters could also be applied to the development of defence and security clusters in Scotland. Initial and outline discussions have taken place with several stakeholders within Scotland in relation to a Defence and Security Cluster. These are progressing but remain early-stage at this moment in time. Expectations are that these will continue over the coming months. Until such times, there are currently a number of clusters and cluster-like organisations in Scotland that overlap defence such as the Scottish Government’s Innovation Centres, Space Scotland, West of Scotland Space Cluster, and Scottish Maritime Cluster.
How many projects have been (a) funded by the UKDI Defence and security accelerator and (b) of these how many were based in Scotland.
As of the end of January 2026, a total of 1,715 Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) projects had been funded, with 146 of these awarded to businesses or projects in Scotland, amounting to a total value of £30.6 million.Please note that, as of 2 February 2026, the DASA brand has been retired. All responsibilities and activities previously undertaken by DASA now fall under the remit of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI).
What discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Government on establishing a Defence Technical Excellence College in Scotland.
As part of the Defence Industrial Strategy, £20 million was allocated to skills initiatives in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Through the Scottish Defence Growth Deal framework, we are currently engaging with a wide range of stakeholders including government, industry and academia to understand the key skills gaps for Scotland’s defence sector and how this funding should best be used to address them. This includes exploring the concept of a Scottish Defence Technical Excellence College.
What progress his Department has made on (a) allocating funding and (b) identifying opportunities for investment by the Defence Growth Deal in Scotland.
The Ministry of Defence has been working with the UK Government, the Scottish Government, industry, academia and other key stakeholders to identify opportunities to invest in interventions that support defence priority sub-sectors that align with Scotland’s sub-sector strengths. Work is ongoing to understand how the £250 million Defence Growth Deal fund will be allocated across the five locations, including Scotland.
Pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 87832 on RAF Brize Norton: Palestine Action, what was the cost of returning the two damaged aero engines to a serviceable condition.
Whilst the engines damaged on 20 June 2025 have since been inspected and returned into service, their reduced cleared life will necessitate a significant overhaul within the next two years.The full financial impact of the incident will not be known until that overhaul is complete and it is known which parts will need to be replaced.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 October to Question 80377 on Armed Forces: Health, and the Answer of 17 November to Question 89590 on Armed Forces: Health Services, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of collecting these metrics for Wales.
Defence uses a Hospital Referral System (HRS) to make and track referrals to the NHS and private healthcare providers. The HRS was introduced in 2024 to centralise and manage all referrals generated by Defence Primary Healthcare (DPHC) Medical and Dental Centres. Currently not all DPHC Medical Centres in Wales use the HRS in order to make a referral. The Department is working to incorporate this data into the system to ensure there is accurate and consistent reporting across all four nations.
How many members of the armed forces serving in Wales who are considered not medically deployable are awaiting treatment; and how many have been waiting for longer than six months.
As of 8 November 2025, there were 2,375 UK Armed Forces personnel graded as Medically Not Deployable (MND), awaiting an NHS or private healthcare appointment following a referral from a Defence Medical Centre in England. Of these, 930 have been waiting longer than six months. Information on the number of UK Armed Forces personnel graded as MND awaiting an NHS or private healthcare appointment following a referral from a Defence Medical Centre in Wales or Northern Ireland is not held centrally.
How many members of the armed forces serving in Northern Ireland who are considered not medically deployable are awaiting treatment; and how many have been waiting for longer than six months.
As of 8 November 2025, there were 2,375 UK Armed Forces personnel graded as Medically Not Deployable (MND), awaiting an NHS or private healthcare appointment following a referral from a Defence Medical Centre in England. Of these, 930 have been waiting longer than six months. Information on the number of UK Armed Forces personnel graded as MND awaiting an NHS or private healthcare appointment following a referral from a Defence Medical Centre in Wales or Northern Ireland is not held centrally.
How many members of the armed forces serving in England who are considered not medically deployable are awaiting treatment; and how many have been waiting for longer than six months.
As of 8 November 2025, there were 2,375 UK Armed Forces personnel graded as Medically Not Deployable (MND), awaiting an NHS or private healthcare appointment following a referral from a Defence Medical Centre in England. Of these, 930 have been waiting longer than six months. Information on the number of UK Armed Forces personnel graded as MND awaiting an NHS or private healthcare appointment following a referral from a Defence Medical Centre in Wales or Northern Ireland is not held centrally.
What discussions he has had with his Ministerial colleagues on the £9.2 million Scottish Government funding for (a) skills and (b) training in BAE.
I welcome Scottish Government‘s support for this vital investment into skills and training in BAES and the contribution it will make to shipbuilding on the Clyde. The Ministry of Defence announced £182 million of skills funding as part of the Defence Industrial Strategy, which will be used across Scotland and the rest of the UK to support the growth of skills in the defence sector.