Written questions by Campbell.

Whether consideration is being given to granting Critical National Priority status to ports across the United Kingdom.

Ports play an essential role in the supply chain and in enabling energy developments. The advancement of Critical National Priority (CNP) projects will stimulate ports to meet demand. In practice CNP projects will bring about a demonstrable need for port capacity, and in conjunction with the strong weight attached to the need to service such demand in the National Policy Statement for Ports (NPSP), will provide sufficient priority for port development.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 104634 on Global Combat Air Programme, whether he expects the posts in the UK to be filled from existing staff in his Department or external applicants.

Currently, posts for the UK in the Global Combat Air Programme – International Government Organisation (GIGO) are filled primarily by staff from the Ministry of Defence, or other Departments when specific skills are required. The GIGO Treaty states that Personnel for the GIGO shall primarily be composed of Government officials drawn from the Parties.

What change has there been in diagnosis rates for genetic haemochromatosis during the past three years.

NHS England requires the NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs) to report Patient Level Contract Monitoring data, to understand capacity and activity volumes, to ensure that they deliver a comprehensive testing offer. As of December 2023, National Health Service genomic testing activity data has been published on the NHS England website, at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/genomic-testing-activity/NHS England is continuing to work with the NHS GLHs to develop this dataset, including routinely reporting outcome data, to understand changes in diagnosis rates. The most recent data between 2024/25 and 2025/26 shows that the diagnosis rates for genetic hemochromatosis have been consistent. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of this outcome data, including the reporting requirements and improving the informatics systems that support the data collection.

With reference to the transparency data entitled Returns from the UK and illegal working activity from 5 July 2024 to 4 January 2025, published on 12 January 2026, how many of the enforced returns of people with no legal right to remain in the UK were located in Northern Ireland.

Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

How many of the matured Child Trust Fund accounts which were unclaimed in September 2025 have since been claimed.

HMRC does not hold monthly data on the status Child Trust Fund account holders, therefore the requested breakdowns cannot be provided.

What co-ordination there is between Veterans Commissioners and VALOUR support centres in providing easier access to essential care and support for veterans.

The competition for round one development funding for VALOUR Recognised Centres is currently underway. Once VALOUR Recognised Centres are established, they will be expected to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including Veterans’ Commissioners.

When she expect to publish details of each implementation project arising from the publication of the cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce.

The cross-government taskforce’s final report highlights the wider range of areas in which government is taking action; including taking steps to address vehicle theft and the cost of repairs. The government will continue to deliver against the actions set out in this report. The departments leading on specific actions are responsible for providing updates on the work being undertaken.

How much expenditure has been incurred on the Ajax programme since the decision was taken to pause it in 2025.

The Ministry of Defence has paid £46 million, in line with contractual obligations, for the Ajax programme between 23 November 2025 and 14 January 2026. It is not possible to release a breakdown of these payments as this information is considered commercially sensitive.

Pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2025 to WPQ 94153, what steps she is taking to help reduce insolvencies in Road Freight Transport companies.

Department for Transport officials regularly meet representatives of the road haulage industry, including through the Freight Council and the Road Freight Industry Engagement Group. These discussions are wide ranging and include the market conditions for road freight and cost pressures. Government measures that support the road freight sector include the extension of the 5 pence cut in fuel duty until the end of August 2026 and for Great Britain, discounts of up to £120,000 on new electric trucks are available thanks to an additional £18m to increase the Plug-in Truck Grant until the end of March 2026. Existing rates apply to Northern Ireland. The Small Business Plan outlines how the Government will support small and medium sized businesses to grow and thrive across the UK through reforms to tackle late payments; finance to support start-ups and scale ups; removing unnecessary red tape and delivering growth boosting support for Digital and AI Adoption. The new Business Growth Service makes it easier for SMEs to access the right support for any stage of their growth journey.

Communities and Local Government, if he will hold discussions with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council on additional UK Government support for the Coleraine Future Town Fund.

The government’s flagship Pride in Place Programme will provide up to £20 million each to 244 places over the next decade, including Coleraine. As part of the Pride in Place Programme, the Coleraine Future Town Fund board, and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council as the Accountable Body, are receiving dedicated support from the Communities Delivery Unit in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Communities Delivery Unit will work with other government departments to identify relevant programmes, data and support for the Coleraine Future Town Fund board, and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, as they develop and deliver their local plans.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 92954 on Connect Fund: Northern Ireland, whether the unsuccessful applicants to the Connect Fund were offered a meeting to discuss their applications.

Unsuccessful Connect Fund applicants can request feedback on their applications, with the aim of supporting them to re-submit a successful application in a future round of the Connect Fund. The Northern Ireland Office is running roadshows across Northern Ireland, starting on 12 January and running until 19 January, to promote Year 2 of the Fund, which opened on 7 January and will close on 12 February. The roadshows offer guidance on applications and budget preparation, and provide an opportunity to receive advice on potential application ideas. Roadshow materials will be available on the Connect Fund's webpage in due course.

What was the approximate value of the 758,000 matured but unclaimed Child Trust Fund accounts as of September 2025.

The value of funds held in matured Child Trust Fund accounts that have not been claimed or transferred to an ISA can be found in the Child Trust Fund tables of the Annual Savings Statistics. The latest published data is up to 5 April 2025.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2025

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will hold discussions with her Irish counterpart on undertaking joint efforts to identify Russia, Iranian and Venezuelan registered oil tankers in British and Irish waters that may be avoiding sanctions on oil.

The UK and Ireland continue to discuss how we can improve our security cooperation, including maritime and cyber security. On 3 December, the Foreign Secretary spoke to her counterpart Helen McEntee, Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence, about defence, security and other matters.That follows the commitments made by the Prime Minister and Taoiseach at the UK-Ireland Summit in March 2025 to deepen defence cooperation.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on linking America250 initiatives to transatlantic tourism promotion focused on Ulster migration and maritime heritage in the North West of Northern Ireland.

DCMS recognises the significant cultural and historical ties between Northern Ireland and the United States as we approach the America250 in 2026. While tourism is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive, DCMS maintains a regular dialogue with Ministerial counterparts through the Interministerial Group for Tourism. This forum will provide a valuable opportunity to discuss how America250 can be leveraged to drive economic growth and tourism across all parts of the United Kingdom. VisitBritain is the national tourist board for Britain, it has a statutory duty to promote England, Scotland, and Wales as a destination to international visitors. As set out in the Good Friday Agreement, tourism is an area of North-South co-operation, as such the promotion of destinations across the Island of Ireland, including Northern Ireland, falls under the remit of Tourism Ireland. VisitBritain has a strong relationship with both the travel trade and tourist board in Northern Ireland, and regularly work together on joint funded projects and activity such as trade missions.

How many (a) UK and (b) overseas military and civilian personnel will be routinely employed at the Global Combat Air Programme International Government Organisation in Reading when it is fully operational.

The Global Combat Air Programme International Government Organisation (GIGO) is validating and refining its organisational design. Tri-nation planning for the Organisation includes a workforce of around 500 employees when fully operational. Exact numbers will fluctuate based on the programme requirements. A third of employees will come from each of Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, there will be a mixture of military and civilian employees from each nation.

If he will hold discussions with Londonderry and Strabane Council on potential support for programming at the Londonderry North Atlantic (DNA) Maritime Museum.

Responsibility for museums is a devolved matter and support for Northern Ireland’s museums is a matter for the Northern Ireland Communities Minister. I would therefore encourage Derry City and Strabane District Council to discuss support for the programming of the North Atlantic Maritime Museum in Derry/Londonderry with the Minister for Communities.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of people whose ongoing living is in unconventional accommodation such as a vehicle or shed between 2020 and 2025.

Housing and homelessness is devolved. This government inherited a homelessness crisis in England. Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out a credible plan to get back on track to ending homelessness in England. Our strategy will address the root causes of homelessness by building more homes, reforming renters’ rights, and tackling poverty. We will support councils and public services to shift from crisis to prevention setting cross government targets, record levels of investment with £3.5bn for homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next 3 years, and new duties on services to work together to prevent homelessness. And we will tackle the worst forms of homelessness by ending the unlawful use of B&Bs for families and halving long term rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament. Local authorities are responsible for delivering homelessness services in England. The government works closely with local authorities to share and develop good practice in response to changes in patterns of homelessness. This includes the development of new services to assess and support people in unconventional accommodation to resolve their homelessness.

What discussions he has had with the (a) Northern Ireland Executive and (b) US Semiquincentennial Commission on how Northern Ireland’s status in the America250 programme will be used to promote economic opportunities in areas beyond the Greater Belfast area.

The British Embassy in Washington DC is working with the Northern Ireland Bureau (the Northern Ireland Executive’s diplomatic mission to the US) regarding plans to celebrate the America250 commemoration and the economic opportunities for Northern Ireland within that.

What estimate she has made of how much fuel lifecycle Greenhouse Gas emissions will be reduced within the next four years.

The Department for Transport does not hold overall forecasts for lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of fuels. Projections for the lifecycle emissions impact of individual low carbon fuels policies are primarily set out in their associated cost-benefit analyses such as that published in 2024 before the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate was introduced or published in March 2025 for the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. The Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, published 29 October, included detail on policies in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fuels used in surface transport and aviation, and estimates of the emission reductions they would achieve. These projections are on the basis of the carbon accounting protocol used to produce the Greenhouse Gas Inventory, rather than lifecycle GHG emissions savings. For surface transport, this analysis estimated an 18.0 MtCO2e reduction in emissions between 2025 and 2030 (17% reduction). For aviation, this analysis estimated a 3.3 MtCO2e reduction in emissions between 2025 and 2030 (9% reduction).

Since the introduction of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, how many breaches have been detected.

We will not be providing a running commentary of breaches of FIRS identified or numbers of registrations received. This is because doing so runs contrary to our policy on publication of information, which centres around an annual report as the key mechanism for providing transparency on the running of the scheme.The annual report will set out, among other things, the number of registrations, the number of information notices issued, the number of persons charged with an offence and the number of persons convicted of an offence. The first report will be published as soon as practicable after 30 June 2026.Where evidence of a criminal offence has been committed, including failure to register with FIRS, the Government will refer the matter to the police.