Written questions by Doogan.

Media and Sport, what funding is available to communities across the UK under the Pitching In programme; which body administers that funding in Scotland; and under what criteria is it allocated.

Awaiting answer.

With reference to Norfolk Vanguard East & West, whether his department has received RWE's supply chain plans.

Awaiting answer.

If he will meet with me to discuss sub-sea cement applications with regard to offshore wind within Scottish supply chains.

Awaiting answer.

If he will publish a timetable for implementing any recommendations arising from the Competition and Markets Authority's heating oil market study within three months of receiving the final re

We welcome the CMA’s comprehensive examination of the heating oil industry. The Government will work closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protections in this sector.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on the UK pig meat sector; and what steps she is taking to support that sector through the consequences of China's ban on EU pig

Ministers meet with representatives of the pig industry as part of wider engagement with the farming sector, and we continue to work closely with stakeholders while monitoring market impacts, including how shifts in global trade flows may affect UK prices...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the ban on EU pig meat by Asian markets on the (a) number of UK imports of EU pig meat in percentage terms over the last 12 mont

(a) In the 12 months to March 2026, UK imports of pig meat from the EU fell by 12.9% by value and 6.7% by volume. (b) The UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), formed by Defra and the Devolved Governments, has routinely followed changes in pigm...

What steps he is taking in response to the recent leak of Civil Service Pension Scheme members Annual Benefit Statements.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to ...

How many additional staff have been deployed to clear the administrative backlog in relation to the Civil Service Pension Scheme; when the full complement of additional staff will be in place; and when the backl

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to ...

What estimate she has made of the potential impact on food prices caused by the proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on imported fertiliser for UK agriculture.

The Government does not expect the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to have an impact on food prices. The CBAM will take effect from 1 January 2027. It will ensure that highly traded, carbon intensive goods which are imported into the UK face ...

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.

I can confirm that your letter to the Prime Minister, dated 21 January 2026, has been passed to me as the Minister responsible for this policy, and I have replied to your letter. Please accept my apologies for the delay. The Government is committed to tra...

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.

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.

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.

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