Written questions by Doogan.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2025 to Question 49938 on Nuclear Submarines: Safety, what the Category (a) A and (b) B Nuclear Site Event Reports recorded at (i) Coulport and (ii) Faslane were.

Nuclear Site Event Reports are raised to foster a robust safety culture that learns from experience, whether that is equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcoming or near-misses. I cannot provide specific detail for the events as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of any relevant forces, I can assure the hon. Member that none of the events listed in Question 49938 caused harm to the health of any member of staff or to any member of the public and none have resulted in any radiological impact to the environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of (a) trends in population levels of West African migratory bird species over the last 10 years and (b) the potential impact of the use of mist nets in West African countries on those populations.

Defra has not made an assessment on trends in population levels of West African migratory bird species in the last ten years, nor has it made an assessment of the potential impact of the use of mist nets in Western African countries on these populations.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of competition for North Channel ferry crossings on economic growth in Northern Ireland.

The Competition and Markets Authority, the “CMA”, is responsible for competition investigations and enforcement within the UK, including Northern Ireland. It is therefore not appropriate for Government to make assessments on the impacts of conduct on competition. As an independent authority, the CMA has discretion to investigate competition cases which, according to its prioritisation principles, it considers most appropriate. The government has ensured that the CMA has significant powers to investigate and act to ensure markets remain competitive, and consumers are protected from unfair or exploitative market practices.

If he will make (a) an estimate of the number of radio teleswitch service meters in use in Scotland in the latest period for which data is available and (b) it his policy to delay the RTS signal switch off to avoid loss of service for customers who have not yet transitioned from RTS meters.

Data on the number of remaining RTS meters is collected by Ofgem. The latest data as of 18 April indicates that there are c.125,000 RTS meters remaining in Scotland. The industry-led RTS is reaching the end of its operational life and can no longer be adequately maintained. The switch-off will start from the end of June, and the Government and Ofgem have called on suppliers to rapidly increase the pace of RTS replacements, so that there is a smooth transition and consumers are protected. We continue to closely monitor progress.

What assessment he has made of contract for difference projects that have recently been cancelled due to increasing cost pressures; and whether he plans to reform the contract for difference scheme given increased volatility in global inflation.

We recognise the effect that globally high inflation and supply chain constraints are having on industry and we will work with Orsted to get Hornsea 4 back on track. We have a strong pipeline of projects, and our mission-led approach ensures we can steer our way through global pressures and individual commercial decisions to reach our targets. The Government has consulted on reforms to the CfD scheme, with the aim of moving towards energy independence and protecting against volatile global fossil fuel prices. A full response to the consultation will be published before AR7 opens in the summer.

What recent discussions he has had with Drax Group plc on the postponement of the Cruachan II pumped hydro storage project.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

What steps he is taking to help tackle postcode-based delivery surcharges that misclassify accessible regions such as Perthshire as (a) remote and (b) offshore.

The postcode is a routing instruction used by Royal Mail to sort and deliver mail quickly and accurately. Individual addresses are therefore not always a geographically accurate description of where a property is located.Royal Mail updates the Postcode Address File daily and a Code of Practice sets out the process for change requests. The Code of Practice is available on Royal Mail’s website: www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/PAF-Code-of-Practice-211118.pdf.Any concerns about the way in which a third party, including retailers and other postal operators, is using a postcode or applying a surcharge should be taken up directly with the company or organisation involved.

Whether any components of the (a) Mk4 and (b) Mk4A Holbrock warhead were (i) manufactured in and (ii) procured from the US, other than the (A) arming, (B) fusing and firing system, (C) neutron initiators and (D) gas transfer system.

In addition to the Mk4/4a components listed by the hon. Member, the UK acquires the Mk4 aeroshell from the US under the auspices of the 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement (as amended in 1982 for Trident). Utilising US non-nuclear warhead components brings significant cost benefits and ensures we remain compatible with the Trident missile, however, the requirements, design and manufacture of the Holbrook warhead are independent to the UK.

How many nuclear site events there were at (a) Coulport and (b) Faslane in the last 12 months.

The table below shows the number of Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) at Coulport and Faslane recorded between 22 April 2024 to 22 April 2025. These are shown according to agreed categorisation: Nuclear Site Events- 2024 22/04/2024 - 31/12/2024Category ACategory BCategory CCategory DBelow ScaleCoulport009251Faslane03225836 Nuclear Site Events- 2025 01/01/2025 - 22/04/2025Category ACategory BCategory CCategory DBelow ScaleCoulport00490Faslane127135 In line with Industry Good Practice and in common with other defence and civil nuclear sites, His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde has a well-established system for raising NSERs. NSERs are raised to foster a robust safety culture that learns from experience, whether that is of equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcomings or near-misses.

If he will make an estimate of the cost of increasing the number of full-time trained regular Army personnel by 3,000.

The Strategic Defence Review will determine the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century, including for the British Army. The Review has been considering all aspects of Defence, such as the future force design of the British Army. It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate due to the number of variables involved in the calculation, for example the role(s) any additional personnel would be undertaking.

If he will make an estimate of the number of Radio Teleswitch meters remaining in Scotland.

Latest figures from Ofgem state that as of 4 April 2025, there were 129,814 Radio Teleswitch meters remaining in Scotland.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the planned reduction in Official Development Assistance on intelligence gathering to facilitate aid provision in Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments, and value for money.

Whether US-owned nuclear weapons are permitted to be stationed at RAF Lakenheath.

It remains longstanding UK and NATO policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of recognising the State of Palestine.

The UK commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering.  We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact in achieving this reality and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace.UK bilateral recognition is the single most important action the UK can take with regard to Palestinian statehood. That is why it is important to get the timing right, so it creates genuine momentum and is not simply a symbolic gesture. We have noted President Macron's comments regarding recognition and are in constant dialogue with all partners on how we can best use the conference in June to achieve our shared objective of a two-state solution.We condemn the latest remarks by Minister Katz regarding the annexation of land in Gaza. Palestinian territory must not be reduced in the conduct of this war. On 21 March, the UK issued a Statement at the UN Security Council opposing any attempt to forcibly annex land in Gaza or expand settlements in the West Bank.

If she will require the Financial Conduct Authority to consider access to banking services when carrying out local access to cash assessments.

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 granted the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the responsibility and powers to seek to ensure the reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. Under the FCA’s regime, LINK, the operator of the UK’s ATM network, is responsible for undertaking access to cash assessments. When a cash service such as a bank branch closes, or if LINK receives a request directly from a community, LINK assesses a community’s access to cash needs and can recommend a new service, such as a banking hub. The criteria for access to cash assessments is a matter for LINK, the financial services sector and the FCA. We have no plans to change the criteria. The FCA is required by law to keep its access to cash rules under review and is monitoring the impact of these rules on an ongoing basis to ensure they deliver the right outcomes for businesses and consumers.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce a digitalised ID system for horses to (a) ensure effective enforcement of the ban on live exports for slaughter and (b) prevent illegal horse smuggling.

The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and of improving equine identification. We have no current plans to implement mandatory digital identification, but we remain in close touch with the industry. Exporting livestock and horses from Great Britain for slaughter is banned under the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024. We have put in place regulations to ensure that the ban is enforced robustly. The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Enforcement Regulations 2024 came into force on 1st January 2025 and provide a range of regulatory and enforcement powers to the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Local Authority Inspectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure enforcement of the ban on live (a) horse and (b) other animal exports for slaughter.

The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and of improving equine identification. We have no current plans to implement mandatory digital identification, but we remain in close touch with the industry. Exporting livestock and horses from Great Britain for slaughter is banned under the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024. We have put in place regulations to ensure that the ban is enforced robustly. The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Enforcement Regulations 2024 came into force on 1st January 2025 and provide a range of regulatory and enforcement powers to the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Local Authority Inspectors.

What estimate he has made of the Investment Fund for Scotland management fees paid to (a) DSL Business Finance, (b) FSE Group and (c) Maeven (i) to date and (ii) during the life of the Fund.

The British Business Bank routinely commissions independent evaluations of its programmes to quantify their impact and an overall assessment of performance and value for money. An interim evaluation of the Investment Fund for Scotland (IFS) programme is expected to be commissioned during the first five years of the Fund’s operation. Fees paid to individual managers is commercially sensitive information and therefore not able to be published.

How many Investment Fund for Scotland applications have been (a) received and (b) approved for each of the funds administered by (i) DSL Business Finance, (ii) FSE Group and (iii) Maeven; and what was the average time taken to consider a funding application by (A) DSL Business Finance, (B) FSE Group and (C) Maeven.

The £150 million Investment Fund for Scotland was launched in November 2023 and provides debt and equity finance to Scottish businesses. Similar funds are available in Wales, Northern Ireland, and three regions of England. As at November 2024, the Investment Fund for Scotland had provided over £10 million of finance to 26 businesses. Updated information will be published by September 2025. The British Business Bank does not publish information on numbers of applications received or hold information on time taken to review applications. All investment decisions are taken by the fund managers who analyse the application and complete due diligence.

How much has been allocated from the Investment Fund for Scotland to businesses to date; and what estimate he has made of the amount that will be allocated in each year of the Fund's operation.

A total of £150 million has been committed to the Investment Fund for Scotland. Three fund managers have been contracted to provide £110 million of this total in debt and equity finance to small businesses. The British Business Bank has retained the remaining £40 million in reserve, which will be allocated during the life of the fund depending on market conditions and fund performance. The funding has initially been split approximately 45% to equity and 55% to debt. The expectation is that the funding will be fully deployed during the first five years.