Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support employment in the defence sector in Scotland.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We are developing the Defence Growth Deal for Scotland which will drive innovation, deliver support to businesses, boost local employment and ensure long-term sustainable growth.
Initiatives like the Defence Skills Passport and Destination Defence will make it easier for people in Scotland to access skilled employment in the defence sector.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that national security is prioritised in discussions on the future of the Eskdalemuir Seismological Array.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to safeguarding the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array, recognising its critical role in national and global security.
MOD officials regularly engage with the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Scottish Government to ensure that the Array’s capabilities are not affected by future wind energy deployment in the 50km zone of interest.
As a member of the DESNZ-chaired Eskdalemuir Working Group, the MOD continues to advocate for the protection of the Array, with all stakeholders aligned on its importance and the need for its safeguarding.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) discussions and (b) meetings officials in his Department have had with the Eskdalemuir Working Group on the Eskdalemuir Seismological Array.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Eskdalemuir Working Group (EWG) members include the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Scottish Government, and representatives from local planning authorities and the wind industry.
The EWG meets regularly, with the last meeting taking place on 3 September 2025.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) discussions and (b) meetings officials in his Department have had with Xi Engineering on the Eskdalemuir Seismological Array.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) engages with Xi Engineering through the Eskdalemuir Working Group (EWG), chaired by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, which includes the MOD, Scottish Government, local planning authorities and the wind industry.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to mark Armed Forces Day in Scotland.
Answered by Leo Docherty
Armed Forces Day provides the opportunity for the nation as a whole to pay tribute to our British Armed Forces and its supporting community for their hard work, dedication and efforts in assuring the UK's safety and security. Armed Forces Week 2021, including Armed Forces Day itself, is led by Local Authorities and is supported by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), across the whole of the UK. The ability to host physical events this year is again impacted by the pandemic, which is the case across all the Devolved Administrations, but the MOD continues to provide support to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in helping them pay tribute to our collectively valued Armed Forces, Reservists, Veterans and Cadets.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding has been provided to organisations in the Scottish Borders Council area as part of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has made two grants, totalling £44,900, to a charity registered in the Scottish Borders Council area. First Light Trust, was awarded a grant of £9,900 in August 2020 under the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust’s small grants programme ‘Forces Communities Together’, and an additional £35,000 in November 2020 under the Trust’s ‘Positive Pathways’ programme. There has been considerable further funding awarded to organisations with registered offices in Edinburgh, which have a wider remit for the delivery of services across Scotland, including in the Scottish Borders.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory has provided in tackling covid-19.
Answered by James Heappey
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is a world-class asset which has been supporting the UK's COVID-19 response since the outset, as well as supporting military readiness. This contribution has included laboratory-based research and testing, and the deployment of scientific staff across Government.
Dstl analysts have provided vital evidence to inform SAGE and its subcommittees, Cabinet Office decision making and local resilience planning. Dstl scientists have evaluated a number of prototype COVID-19 related products, identified suitable products to reduce turnaround time for disinfection of Ambulances, carried out diagnostic tests within NHS hospitals, and set up a Defence COVID Laboratory to provide PCR testing on Defence personnel under the national testing programme. Dstl research in a number of fields has been published, either to inform or as a basis for further research by other organisations. Dstl has also been involved in the establishment of the Joint BioSecurity Centre[1].
Dstl continues to provide support across Government and is now conducting longer-term research that will support the UK's ongoing response.
[1] The JBC brings together the UK's leading data analysis and epidemiological expertise with the aim of ensuring that outbreaks of coronavirus (COVID-19) are detected and brought under control quickly (link here)term research that will support the UK's ongoing response.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has offered assistance to the Scottish Government to help tackle the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by James Heappey
Defence is committed to supporting the entirety of the United Kingdom in the battle against COVID-19. Military personnel are active in each of the devolved nations and on standby to meet further requests from their Civil Authorities. Military planners are either already supporting or available to support each of the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive.
For instance, helicopters detached to Kinloss barracks are providing support as part of the Covid Support Force to conduct medical evacuations from remote areas and distribution tasks.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his plans are for marking VE Day in Scotland.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
The Ministry of Defence will be providing support to the Scottish Government's and Royal British Legion Scotland's joint commemorations in Edinburgh of the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Additionally, the British Army's 51 Brigade, in concert with the city's Lord Provost, will organise a People's Parade through Glasgow. Defence will provide Armed Forces bands, parading Service personnel and flypasts for the commemorations in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps she is taking to increase recruitment to the armed forces from rural areas.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Armed Forces recruit nationally. The geographic footprint of Armed Forces Career Offices across the UK is complemented by dedicated call centres and online recruiting operations, ensuring that members of rural or isolated communities have the same opportunity to join the Armed Forces as anyone else. In addition, the Services conduct outreach engagement programmes across the whole of the UK, delivering events such as career fairs, tactical campaigns and roadshows, supported by web-based information services and social media campaigns.