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, with reference to the contribution by the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs of 23 October 2025, col 1111, on the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, whether her intention to apply Pride in Place principles to the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund in the future will result in the allocation of additional funding to Scotland.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
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 assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund on fishing exports from (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
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 evidential basis underpinned her decision to apply Barnett consequentials to the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
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 assessment she has made of the adequacy of Scotland's allocation of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
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, when Scotland's allocation of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund will be made available to the Scottish Government.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce the new safe and legal routes set out in Restoring Order and Control, updated on 21 November, and what estimate they have made of the number of refugees who will be able to enter through those routes.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK has a proud history of providing protection and we continue to welcome refugees and people in need through our safe and legal routes.
As announced in Restoring Order and Control, we are developing new capped sponsored refugee pathways across education, labour and community routes. This transformative change to safe and legal routes will revolutionise the way in which we offer opportunities to refugees. Policy development is underway, and the Home Office is working at pace with partners to design and operationalise these routes as soon as practicable.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the protection work and study visa proposed in Restoring Order and Control, updated on 21 November, what the fee level will be; what criteria will be used to govern entry through that route; and how soon asylum seekers will be able to earn settlement on that route.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The full details of the Core Protection offer, and the Protection Work and Study route, remain subject to further policy development which will be set out in due course. Settlement requirements will also be considered as part of our consultation. We are currently consulting on how the settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the estimated total cost of scrapping compensation caps for unfair dismissal for businesses in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government will be publishing an Enactment Impact Assessment on the impacts of the Employment Rights Act. This assessment can be found here when published: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the asylum policy in Restoring Order and Control, updated on 21 November, whether asylum seekers who are awaiting a decision after 12 months will be able to apply for jobs.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Asylum seekers are eligible to apply for permission to work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own. There are no current plans to change this policy.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the research by the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors in its letter to Ofcom published on 1 August, what plans they have to issue regulatory guidance for telecoms companies on best practice governance and oversight.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government, working with Ofcom, closely monitors the financial health of the telecoms market. Ofcom have powers to request financial information from providers where appropriate.
We recently held a public consultation on proposed updates to the Telecommunications Security Code of Practice, which provides guidance on how public telecoms providers can meet their statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements relating to reviews, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce these requirements.
In response to the consultation, the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors raised the matter of independent assurance arrangements. We are now carefully reviewing all feedback to the consultation to ensure that any updates to the Code of Practice are appropriate and proportionate.