Written questions by Robinson.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the number of Davies Group claims handlers with authority to negotiate resolutions for managing the volume of outstanding civil compensation claims, including noise-induced hearing loss claims.

The Ministry of Defence and Davies Group continue to monitor closely and flex resources in response to surges in the number of NIHL claims. Davies Group staffing levels have increased over the past twelve months, and a further recruitment campaign is underway. The situation is dynamic and under constant review during frequent and regular communications between the Department and Davies Group.

How many Davies Group claims handlers with authority to negotiate and settle Ministry of Defence compensation claims were assigned to each UK jurisdiction in each of the last five years.

The resourcing of the contract is a matter for the Davies Group. The Ministry of Defence maintains regular engagement with the Davies Group to provide support as required and to discuss resourcing matters.

How many people served in the Armed Forces as Reservists between 1997 and 2015.

Statistics on UK Reserve Forces are published on gov.uk at the following links: UK Regular Reserve Forces figures between 1 April 1995 - 1 April 2011 have been taken from the UK Reserves And Cadets Strengths available at the following link: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140116145334/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/personnel/military/reserves-and-cadets-strengths UK Volunteer Reserves figures between 1 April 1995 - 1 April 2011 have been taken from the UK Defence Statistics Compendium available at the following link: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140116145634/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/UK-defence-statistics-compendium UK Regular Reserve Forces and Volunteer Reserves figures between 1 April 2012 - 1 April 2015 have been taken from the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics, the latest edition of the publication is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2025

How many people served in the Armed Forces as Reservists between 2000 and 2015.

Statistics on UK Reserve Forces are published on gov.uk at the following links: UK Regular Reserve Forces figures between 1 April 1995 - 1 April 2011 have been taken from the UK Reserves And Cadets Strengths available at the following link: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140116145334/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/personnel/military/reserves-and-cadets-strengths UK Volunteer Reserves figures between 1 April 1995 - 1 April 2011 have been taken from the UK Defence Statistics Compendium available at the following link: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140116145634/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/UK-defence-statistics-compendium UK Regular Reserve Forces and Volunteer Reserves figures between 1 April 2012 - 1 April 2015 have been taken from the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics, the latest edition of the publication is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2025

What assessment he has made of the implications for his pension policy of the ruling of the Advocate General for Scotland v Mr Charles Milroy [2026] EAT 25; and what steps he intends to take.

Due to the ongoing legal process, it is not possible to provide a substantive comment on the case. The Ministry of Defence is reviewing the judgment in detail to understand its implications fully and a further update will be provided once that assessment is complete.

How many people served in the Ulster Defence Regiment on a part-time basis between 1970 and 1992.

Electronic data is only held going back to 1984, prior to this the only information held is on the 1975 and 1980 strengths. This information can be found below.The Ulster Defence Regiment Part Time Strength as at 1 April 1975, 1 April 1980 and from 1 April 1984 - 1 April 199201-Apr-922,99001-Apr-913,12001-Apr-903,30001-Apr-893,42001-Apr-883,51001-Apr-873,72001-Apr-863,77001-Apr-853,73001-Apr-844,09001-Apr-804,82001-Apr-756,280Notes:· Figures have been rounded to 10.· Figures are absolute numbers.

How many people served in the Royal Irish Regiment Home Service Battalions on a part-time basis up to and including disbandment in August 2007.

The number of part time personnel who served in the Royal Irish Regiment Home Service Battalions from its formation on 1 July 1992 until August 2007 is shown below: 01-Apr-07-01-Apr-061,17001-Apr-051,21001-Apr-041,30001-Apr-031,39001-Apr-021,50001-Apr-011,68001-Apr-001,78001-Apr-991,91001-Apr-981,96001-Apr-972,01001-Apr-962,12001-Apr-952,26001-Apr-942,48001-Apr-932,70001-Apr-92- Notes: Figures recorded at 01 April of each year so data for 1992 is captured in the 1993 data.By April 2007 all part time personnel had been phased out.Figures have been rounded to 10.Figures are absolute.Figures may not match UK Data Service (UKDS), which is an archived statistical publication preserved on the National Archives web archive and is not revised when data quality improvements are made to the underlying data. Therefore, there may be small differences between the historic Royal Irish (Home Service) figures published in the UKDS archive and those provided in this response.

What performance metrics the Davies Group are held to; and how frequently those metrics are evaluated.

The Davies Group claims management contract requires Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to be reported quarterly. These reports are supplemented by regular fortnightly progress and performance meetings between Ministry of Defence officials and the Davies Group to discuss aspects of contract delivery and formulation of strategies for dealing with claims including the extremely high volumes of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss claims.

How many hearing loss cases are pending with the Davies Group.

Ministry of Defence (MOD) Claims statistics are published annually. The next MOD common law compensation claims statistics will be published this summer. Previously published Annual reports can be found at the following link.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mod-compensation-claims-statistics

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.

How the Davies Group is tracking and reporting costs associated with delays in case progression.

The Davies Group provide regular statistics and other information to support the management of Ministry of Defence (MOD) claims. Both the MOD and Davies Group have increased resources to manage the unprecedented high volume of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss claims.

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 detail the longest outstanding case with the MOD/Davies group relating to Hearing Loss.

The oldest open Noise-Induced Hearing Loss claim dates back to 30 June 2016. This claim was left inactive by the claimant’s legal representative, until a new firm of solicitors reissued the claim on 8 May 2025.

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.

How many requests have been (a) made by the ICRIR to An Garda Síochána since their establishment and (b) answered.

The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) is an independent body. As such, the Government does not hold this operational information and the Right Honourable Gentleman may wish to request it from the Commission directly.

Which police constabulary referred the (a) highest and (b) lowest number of candidates across the UK to the College of Policing’s Executive Leadership Programme since 2023.

The Government is committed to ensuring there is strong and consistent leadership across policing and a pipeline of diverse and talented candidates for chief officer appointments. The College of Policing’s Executive Leaders Programme aims to open up access to a wide pool of officers, who have the skills, experience and potential to become chief officers, ready for substantive appointment to a chief officer role.Neither the Home Office nor the College of Policing issues guidance to police forces on the specific number of candidates they should recommend to the Executive Leaders Programme. Recruitment is managed locally by individual police forces, following national guidelines and the application, assessment, and selection framework set by the College of Policing.The Home Office does not collect data on the number of candidates attending and completing the Executive Leaders Programme.The College of Policing has undertaken a review of the effectiveness of the Executive Leaders Programme, which was carried out in 2023-2024 on the first two cohorts. Based on the recommendations of the review, further improvements were communicated to forces and implemented in subsequent cohorts of the programme by the College of Policing.

Whether any guidance exists for each Constabulary on the number of candidates they recommend to the College of Policing’s Executive Leadership Programme in any given year to assist with professional development and succession in leadership.

The Government is committed to ensuring there is strong and consistent leadership across policing and a pipeline of diverse and talented candidates for chief officer appointments. The College of Policing’s Executive Leaders Programme aims to open up access to a wide pool of officers, who have the skills, experience and potential to become chief officers, ready for substantive appointment to a chief officer role.Neither the Home Office nor the College of Policing issues guidance to police forces on the specific number of candidates they should recommend to the Executive Leaders Programme. Recruitment is managed locally by individual police forces, following national guidelines and the application, assessment, and selection framework set by the College of Policing.The Home Office does not collect data on the number of candidates attending and completing the Executive Leaders Programme.The College of Policing has undertaken a review of the effectiveness of the Executive Leaders Programme, which was carried out in 2023-2024 on the first two cohorts. Based on the recommendations of the review, further improvements were communicated to forces and implemented in subsequent cohorts of the programme by the College of Policing.

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 assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the College of Policing’s Executive Leadership Programme.

The Government is committed to ensuring there is strong and consistent leadership across policing and a pipeline of diverse and talented candidates for chief officer appointments. The College of Policing’s Executive Leaders Programme aims to open up access to a wide pool of officers, who have the skills, experience and potential to become chief officers, ready for substantive appointment to a chief officer role.Neither the Home Office nor the College of Policing issues guidance to police forces on the specific number of candidates they should recommend to the Executive Leaders Programme. Recruitment is managed locally by individual police forces, following national guidelines and the application, assessment, and selection framework set by the College of Policing.The Home Office does not collect data on the number of candidates attending and completing the Executive Leaders Programme.The College of Policing has undertaken a review of the effectiveness of the Executive Leaders Programme, which was carried out in 2023-2024 on the first two cohorts. Based on the recommendations of the review, further improvements were communicated to forces and implemented in subsequent cohorts of the programme by the College of Policing.

How many candidates from Police Service Northern Ireland have attended the College of Policing’s Executive Leadership Programme since 2023.

The Government is committed to ensuring there is strong and consistent leadership across policing and a pipeline of diverse and talented candidates for chief officer appointments. The College of Policing’s Executive Leaders Programme aims to open up access to a wide pool of officers, who have the skills, experience and potential to become chief officers, ready for substantive appointment to a chief officer role.Neither the Home Office nor the College of Policing issues guidance to police forces on the specific number of candidates they should recommend to the Executive Leaders Programme. Recruitment is managed locally by individual police forces, following national guidelines and the application, assessment, and selection framework set by the College of Policing.The Home Office does not collect data on the number of candidates attending and completing the Executive Leaders Programme.The College of Policing has undertaken a review of the effectiveness of the Executive Leaders Programme, which was carried out in 2023-2024 on the first two cohorts. Based on the recommendations of the review, further improvements were communicated to forces and implemented in subsequent cohorts of the programme by the College of Policing.