Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she plans to respond to correspondence of 30 June 2025 and 22 August 2025 from the Hon Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East with the reference SL02820/dw on Palestine Action Group.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I apologise for the delay in responding to the Hon. Member's correspondence. I issued a response to the Hon. Member on 12 September.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on reducing driving test wait times for test centres in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country.
Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.
DVSA continues to run recruitment campaigns for new driving examiners (DEs). From recent campaigns, DVSA has recruited four new potential DEs at driving test centres (DTCs) that serve the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency.
DVSA has just completed a further recruitment campaign and hopes to make offers to the successful candidates soon.
DVSA will also continue to strategically deploy examiners to ensure fair coverage across all DTCs in Aberdeenshire, including remote and outstation locations.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is considering a bespoke visa route similar to those in other European countries that could lead to settlement for Ukrainians.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government have always been clear that the Ukraine Schemes are temporary and do not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application.
We are fully committed to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Putin’s illegal war, while also providing a safe and secure haven for those fleeing the conflict. We have offered our extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families.
On 1 September, the Home Secretary announced in parliament that the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) would be extended for an additional 24 months to enable those eligible to obtain a further period of permission following their initial permission under UPE. More detail will follow in due course.
There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department plans to offer longer-term settlement for Ukrainians who (a) live in the UK and (b) cannot return to Ukraine.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government have always been clear that the Ukraine Schemes are temporary and do not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application.
We are fully committed to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Putin’s illegal war, while also providing a safe and secure haven for those fleeing the conflict. We have offered our extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families.
On 1 September, the Home Secretary announced in parliament that the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) would be extended for an additional 24 months to enable those eligible to obtain a further period of permission following their initial permission under UPE. More detail will follow in due course.
There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the additional £700 million of funding for Great British Energy announced in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, published on 23 June 2025 will be spent on.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Great British Energy (GBE) Supply Chain fund is £1 billion, as announced in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan published on 23 June 2025. This will help ensure the clean energy revolution is built in Britain.
Up to £300 million of the fund is committed grant funding for manufacturing offshore wind components.
GBE will invest a further £700 million in clean energy supply chains. Where this will be invested will be determined through market engagement and working alongside HMG Public Finance Institutions to develop the right delivery approach according to market needs.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
We will publish the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy later this year. This Strategy will be a first for the UK Government, and will set out how government, industry and trade unions will come together to address skills and workforce challenges to deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission, including Clean Power 2030.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she mas made of the number of women born in the 1950s who have died since the publication entitled Government response to PHSO’s Investigation into Women’s State Pension age, published on 17 December 2024.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department has made no assessment.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to establish an alternative disputes resolution process for people affected by changes in state pension age for women.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We have no such plans.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2025 to Question 53765 on Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, whether he has held discussions with his counterpart in the Scottish government on this fund.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The Fishing & Coastal Growth Fund will be investing £360 million over the next 12 years. Ministers are committed to working closely with the industry and local communities in order to ensure investment is targeted to where it is needed most. As part of that planned engagement we will work closely with Devolved Governments. We will look to provide more details on the fund, including devolution, at the earliest possible opportunity.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department is allocating to Darwin Plus grants; and whether this funding has changed since the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to support the UK Overseas Territories through Darwin Plus. This includes bringing the new biodiversity strategy to publication thereby improving the reach and effectiveness of not just the programme but also wider efforts to improve and protect biodiversity across the territories.
Following the Spending Review, the department has secured a multi-year funding commitment from HM Treasury. Whilst decisions have yet to be made in respect of the totality of future funding available to Darwin Plus, the department will continue to engage closely with stakeholders to ensure transparency and to support continuity wherever possible.
The department will provide updates in the usual way as soon as they are available.