Written questions by Robinson.

To provide the costs of Hearing Loss Claims in last 5 years to the MOD, including damages, costs and costs per case.

Statistics on the number of common law compensation claims and financial settlements including Noise-Induced Hearing Loss are published annually at the following link.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mod-compensation-claims-statistics The next report will be published this summer, covering financial year 24-25, however it would be disproportionate to calculate the costs per case.

To outline the average turnaround time for resolution in Hearing Loss Cases in each of the four regions of the United Kingdom.

It is not possible to outline the average turnaround time for the resolution of Hearing Loss claims in each of the four nations of the United Kingdom. This information is not currently held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost as it would require extensive research across the claims handlers and litigation services providers who manage claims in the various jurisdictions across the UK.

To provide the annual cost of the contract with the Davies Group for the last 5 years for managing all MOD civil claims.

The fees paid to the Davies Group for the management of claims for the last five financial years (FY) are as follows: FY2020-21: £223,614FY2021-22: £461,521FY2022-23: £577,131FY2023-24: £482,598FY2024-25: £4,119,197 The significant increase in FY2024-25 is largely driven by the unprecedented high numbers of NIHL claims being received by the Department which has impacted costs as a management fee is applied per claim.

What steps he is taking to increase the defence footprint in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland plays a vital role in defending the UK, from building the new Fleet Solid Support ships that will enable carrier group operations across the globe, through to manufacturing advanced weaponry used by our Armed Forces and allies, as demonstrated by the £1.6 billion contract with Thales the for Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM). Defence and security requirements dictate the defence footprint in Northern Ireland and we review this regularly. More broadly we are working to launch a Defence Growth Deal that will invest in targeted interventions to support the defence industry in Northern Ireland.

What maritime and aerial support has been provided to the Republic of Ireland in the last 5 years; and at what cost.

Over the past five years, the only UK support to Ireland has been Search and Rescue assistance provided on five occasions. There was no additional cost identified for this activity. We have not provided maritime support to Ireland.

How many sites earmarked for disposal in Better Defence Estate 2016 have been sold; and when those sites were sold.

Of the sites earmarked for disposal under Better Defence Estate 2016, 31 sites were released for alternative use between 2016 and 2025.

Which sites earmarked for disposal in Better Defence Estate 2016 remain unsold.

Following the 2020 Integrated Review, Spending Reviews, and Future Soldier announcements, 32 of the sites earmarked for disposal under Better Defence Estate 2016 are awaiting disposal following completion of reprovision works.

Whether he plans to conduct a further assessment of potential site disposal across his Department.

On 27 March 2025, the Government announced a new taskforce to deliver thousands of homes on surplus public land, with Defence land becoming a ‘trailblazer’ for the new partnership approach to development. This is an opportunity for all parts of the country, helping meet the Government’s ambition for 1.5 million homes. As part of this, the Defence Secretary has identified the long-term capacity on surplus Ministry of Defence (MOD) land for at least 100,000 homes. Trailblazer sites include a site in Ripon, which was transferred from MOD to Homes England to allow construction at Deverell Barracks to start within 12 months to expedite the delivery of 1,300 homes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 63307 on Ministry of Defence: Belfast, if he will provide a timeline for a decision being made on his Department's site at Dunmore.

Decisions on future modernisation and optimisation of the Volunteer Estate are subject to the Defence Investment Plan which is currently under consideration.

What progress he has made on the appeal with the Employment Appeals Tribunal on Armed Forces Pensions for people who served in the Territorial Army.

In reference to the Employment Tribunal of Milroy versus Ministry of Defence. The Ministry of Defence did not agree with the judgment of the Employment Tribunal in this matter, and an appeal against the decision was lodged with the Employment Appeals Tribunal. An appeal hearing date has now been set and is due to convene on 4 December 2025. As this is an ongoing legal process we are unable to comment further at this time.

What plans he has for his Department's site at Dunmore in Belfast.

The Reserve Forces and Cadets Association Estate Optimisation Programme is an ongoing joint programme to optimise and improve the defence volunteer estate. This includes the Reserve Estate in Northern Ireland and the use of Army Reserve Centre Dunmore. No decisions have yet been taken.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of supporting a public inquiry into the 1994 Chinook Helicopter Crash on the Mull of Kintyre.

I want to extend my sympathies to the families of those killed in this tragic accident. Having lost personnel on operations myself, I know the pain that they feel. We have received a pre-action protocol letter from the Chinook Justice Campaign and are considering our response. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further.

What recent discussions his Department has had with the families of people killed in the 1994 Chinook Helicopter Crash on the Mull of Kintyre.

The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died. The Chinook Justice Campaign, who represent many of the families of the Mull of Kintyre accident, have indicated their intention to bring legal proceedings against the Ministry of Defence. Given this ongoing situation, I am unable to comment further.

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for the defence industry in Northern Ireland.

The UK Government, through the Strategic Defence Review will make defence an engine for growth ensuring that our defence spending boosting prosperity, jobs and security for working people across all nations and regions. This includes in Northern Ireland, where companies like Thales are at the forefront of both advanced manufacturing and our enduring support to Ukraine. In March, we announced a £1.6 billion deal to supply thousands of advanced air defence missiles to Ukraine, whilst creating 200 new jobs in Northern Ireland. It is the largest contract ever received by Thales in Belfast. We are committed to working with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that we have a thriving defence sector which supports jobs, skills and growth in Northern Ireland.

What his Department's budget is for armed forces (a) uniforms and (b) protective clothing in the 2024-25 financial year; and what the value is of orders placed with companies in Northern Ireland to provide (i) uniforms and (ii) protective equipment for the armed forces in the same period.

The Logistics Commodities and Services Transformation (LCST) budget for all Clothing Raw Materials and Consumables purchases in the 2024-25 financial year (FY) is £79.839 million. The value of orders placed with companies based in Northern Ireland for FY 2024-25 to date totals £16,441,905. We are forecast to spend an additional £11,755,371 for the remainder of the FY2024-25. It has not been possible to identify which items are classed as uniform or which are protective clothing within the timeframe permitted. Notes:This budget amount covers all uniforms and protective clothing purchased by Defence Equipment and Support through the LCST contract with Leidos Supply Limited across all Front Line Commands.This excludes items purchased directly by the Front Line Commands.