Written questions by MacCleary.

How many consultancy contracts with his Department have overrun or required extensions within the last five years.

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

How many missions flown by VIP-configured RAF aircraft since 2019 have been classified as operational, diplomatic, or domestic travel.

The Ministry of Defence does not categorise Command Support Air Transport (CSAT) missions under the classification of operational, diplomatic or domestic travel.The majority of CSAT tasks are operational or in support of operations with Operational Command Support activity being the top priority.Separately, RAF Voyager aircraft can be utilised in a VIP role under Op VESPINA though their primary role remains air-to-air refuelling. Op VESPINA is undertaken subject to availability.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91714, whether his Department has had recent discussions with RUK Advance Systems Limited.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 March 2024, to Question 91714.https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-11-17/91714

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91714 on ERCAS BV and RUK Advanced Systems, if he will list any meetings and communications his Department has had with ERCAS BV.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 March 2024, to Question 91714.https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-11-17/91714

When he plans to publish the Defence Investment Plan.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) will determine how Defence intends to realise the vision of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). We are working flat out to finalise the Defence Investment Plan and we will publish it as soon as it's ready. I’m sure the hon. Member will appreciate the scale of the decisions that we need to make. He will also appreciate the scale of the problems that we face, including those to do with a programme of the last Government’s that over-committed, and was underfunded and unsuited to meeting the threats that we will face in the future.

How many notices to quit have been issued by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to service families in Service Family Accommodation properties in the UK in each month since January 2023.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation does not issue Notices to Quit to Service families living in Service Family Accommodation. Instead, it issues Notices to Vacate to Service personnel. Notices to Quit are only issued – where and when appropriate – to civilian sublet tenants, Afghan Resettlement Programme tenants, and farming tenants occupying Ministry of Defence properties and land.

The total number of assessed MoD data breaches since July 2025.

201 personal data breaches were assessed between 1 July 2025 and 23 November 2025 by security personnel and subjected to an initial security risk assessment. Any further action would be taken on a proportionate basis. No data incidents between those dates were assessed as meeting the threshold for reporting to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure accountability for flood risk considerations in the planning process.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 81948 on 14 October 2025.

Whether his Department has made a recent assessment on the potential merits of allowing the use of prescribed medical cannabis within NHS buildings.

National Health Service trusts have a duty of care to both staff and patients, as outlined in the NHS constitution, to ensure a safe working and care environment. This will include local policies concerning the use and administration of a patient’s own medicines.The law was amended in 2018 to permit specialist doctors to prescribe unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. While smoking these medicines is banned, vaping and other forms of administration are not prohibited. Regardless of the form of administration, it is always advisable for patients to declare any medicines prescribed, whether on the NHS or privately, and discuss them with their clinical team upon admission.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the domestic wine sector.

The Government is committed to supporting the UK domestic wine industry which is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors. This growth, in both the domestic and international markets, is testament to the high-quality wines being produced and the hard work and vision of those working in the sector. Defra officials regularly engage with WineGB and producers to support the sector’s ambitions, drive growth and exports and find ways in which the Department can help support further expansion. Defra is considering possible reforms to the UK wine regulations to deliver better results for consumers and industry.

What steps his Department is taking to help support the export of domestic wine.

DBT is committed to helping domestic wine producers grow through exports. DBT provide tailored export support and advice for businesses via business.gov.uk. This includes access to expert-led sessions via our Business Academy and country-led expertise from our international market teams. DBT regularly provides showcase opportunities for the UK’s award-winning British wines, such as at embassy tastings, trade missions and global trade shows that connect producers directly with buyers and distributors. Vineyards and wineries of all sizes can also access UK Export Finance (UKEF), which offers a wide range of financial products to support exporters and export-ready businesses.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the arrangements between local planning authorities and advisory Lead Local Flood Authorities on decision making in the planning system.

Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) are statutory consultees within the planning system and provide expert advice on surface water drainage for major planning applications, supporting local planning authorities in the decision-making process. Local planning authorities must take into account comments raised by LLFAs when determining whether to grant planning permission.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of agri-food attachés on the domestic wine sector.

Defra has 16 agri-food attachés across the world who resolve market access barriers and support export growth for the UK agri-food sector, including wine. So far in 2025, the attachés have helped resolve 41 trade barriers, worth nearly £100m in export opportunities for the agri-food sector. The UK wine sector, as one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors, is an area that continues to attract domestic and foreign investment. UK wine exports increased by 35% in 2024, accounting for 9% of total sales, which shows a growing interest in the product. To support this interest, UK wines are now served in a number of embassies across the world, from Paris to Tokyo, with attachés playing a key role in their promotion. They also help by working across Governments and with industry partners to resolve practical issues that UK companies face when exporting. In addition to supporting wine export outcomes (their primary focus), attachés also advance broader Defra objectives, including monitoring global wine supply chain risks and contributing to G20 discussions, COP30 and other multilateral engagements.

How many Afghan nationals have been offered sanctuary under (a) the Afghan Relocations and Resettlement scheme, (b) ARAP and (c) ACRS; how many of those remain in Afghanistan; and what assessment he has made of the risks to those Afghans following the recent data breach.

Though in previous responses to Parliamentary Questions the Department have released internal ARAP data, as the Home Office now publish Afghanistan Resettlement Programme (ARP) data on behalf of the Government, the number of Afghan nationals who have been offered relocation and have resettled in the UK can be found in the Home Office statistics linked below. Information relating to the number of Afghans who remain in Afghanistan who have received an offer of relocation has been withheld as release would risk revealing the identity and the safety of those relocating. Furthermore, this release would be likely to damage UK interests abroad. Link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release The UK made an ambitious and generous commitment to help at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 38,700 people to safety, including thousands of people eligible for our Afghan schemes. Afghanistan Resettlement Schemes operational data is published quarterly with the last publication on the 21 August 2025. The data published within the immigration system statistics release (year ending June 2025, published 21 August 2025) provides a breakdown of arrivals by quarter. The number of individuals resettled under the schemes is as follows:19,048 under ARAP. 10,160 individuals under ACRS Pathway 1, 1,406 individuals under ACRS Pathway 2 and 1,679 individuals under ACRS Pathway 3. As recognised by the Rimmer Review, the human rights picture in Afghanistan was dire, prior to and regardless of the data loss incident. However, while Afghanistan remains a dangerous place, the Rimmer Review does conclude that it is “highly unlikely” that merely being on the dataset would be grounds for targeting, and that it is unlikely that family members will be targeted simply because the principal appears in the dataset. It also concludes that the dataset is unlikely to substantially change an individual’s existing exposure given the volume of data already available to the Taleban and the fact that links to the former Government are widely known.

If he will list the meetings and communications his Department has had with (a) ERCAS BV and (b) RUK Advance Systems Limited in each of the last three years.

I can confirm that the Ministry of Defece (MOD) hold no direct contracts with ERCAS BV or RUK Advance Systems Limited. A list of the meetings held with each company is not held centrally by MOD and the information could only be gathered at disproportionate cost.

Pursuant to the response of 21 October 2025 to Question 81717, what the level of funding per service user was for (a) Defence Transition Services, (b) Personal Recovery Units and (c) the Veterans Welfare Service in each year since 2023.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold this information. Each case is unique, and the MOD spends as necessary to support each individual.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 80538 on Teachers: Workplace Pensions, whether Teachers' Pensions plan to inform retired teachers of the timeline for receipt of rollback statements.

Recalculating benefits for retired members is a complex process, requiring adjustments for tax, interest, and system functionality once a member has received their Remediable Service Statement (RSS) and responded with their remedy period choice.Although the administrator resumed issuing Remediable Service Statements earlier this year, not all cases could be completed within the original timeframe. The administrator will keep affected members informed of revised timelines through established channels, including ‘My Pension Online’ and the Teachers’ Pensions website. The latest update is available here: https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/news/public-news/2025/07/remediable-service-statement-rss-choices-payments.aspx. As responsibility for this work transitions to the new administrator of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in summer 2026, the department is working with Tata Consultancy Services to finalise the timeline for issuing all RSSs. Once the timeline is confirmed, it will be communicated to relevant members.The department continues to monitor progress and is working closely with the scheme administrator to streamline processes and introduce automation where possible. Any pension adjustments arising from members’ choices will be backdated with interest to ensure members are not financially disadvantaged.

When members of the NHS Pensions Scheme will receive McCloud remedies.

The Department recognises the importance of providing NHS Pension Scheme members certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remediable Service Statements.An independent review of the NHS Business Service Authority’s (NHSBSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members is underway. This will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHSBSA’s delivery plan and the timetable for the remaining statements.I expect to be able to update the House on the review’s progress and the remedy delivery timetable before Christmas recess.In the meantime, the NHSBSA continues to provide Remediable Service Statements to affected members, prioritising those who may be experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the discrimination highlighted by the McCloud judgment. Additionally, members who meet specific criteria can request to receive a prioritised Remediable Service Statement. Further information is available at the following link:https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-29429/en-usThe Government is committed to ensuring that affected members are not subject to financial disadvantage due to these delays. Pension arrears arising from the McCloud remedy are paid with 8% interest, and a compensation scheme is available for members who have experienced other direct financial losses.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to increase the accessibility of specialist housing-with-care to older people.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 61360 on 30 June 2025, UIN 61666 on 30 June 2025, UIN 59953 on 23 June 2025, and UIN 40972 on 1 April 2025.

What information his Department holds on the number of call-outs for urgent repairs to single living accommodation for military personnel since 11 October 2025.

Nine in 10 military homes (over 40,000 houses) will be modernised or upgraded to new, higher standards, with 14,000 homes rebuilt or substantially refurbished, funded by the Government’s record uplift in Defence spending and the Strategic Defence Review’s £1.5 billion extra investment into military housing in this parliament.The table below shows data held by the Ministry of Defence on the number of call-outs for urgent repairs to Single Living Accommodation for military personnel and the average time taken to complete these call-outs since 11 October 2025, split by region.RegionThe number of call-outs for urgent repairsThe average time taken to complete call-outsSE1,28415 hours 57.6 minsSNI15832 hoursCEN168428hrsSW92029hrs 36 mins