Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, steps he is taking to support community-owned and co-operative businesses to have a leading role in high-street renewal.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Our Plan for Small Business, published in July, places high streets at the centre of economic renewal, recognising them as vital centres of growth, employment and local identity. This plan, alongside MHCLG’s Pride in Place Strategy, reflects the role of communities and local leaders in shaping their high street environments.

Co-operatives, Mutuals and the wider social economy combine entrepreneurial drive with a commitment to supporting workers and communities. That is why we are committed to doubling the size of the Co-operative and Mutuals sector; benefitting both high streets and other business environments.

At Budget 2025, DBT launched a Call for Evidence on business support for Co-operative and Non-Financial Mutuals that runs until 18 February: Business support for co-operatives and non-financial mutuals - GOV.UK.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to build energetics and munitions factories, particularly in Ayrshire.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

We are committed to ensuring the Defence industry is a powerhouse for economic growth through strengthened industrial relationships and domestic investment. As published in the UK Defence Footprint Scotland has seen £2.1 billion of Defence spending in 2024-25. We have committed £6 billion this Parliament towards munitions, as outlined in the Strategic Defence Review 2025, which supports defence capacity whilst generating local jobs and economic prosperity. This investment includes £1.5 billion for building six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK to deliver an 'always on' pipeline, locations and arrangements of which are being assessed through ongoing work. Whilst the secretary of state announced a list of sites under consideration on 19 November, it is currently premature to finalise specific site proposals and their assessment, more detail will be available once the necessary preparatory work has been completed.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on reducing clinical trial set-up times.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Reducing clinical trial set-up times is a priority across government, and the Department of Health and Social Care and Department of Science, Innovation and Technology are working closely together to fulfil the Prime Minister’s target of achieving study set-up in under 150 days by March 2026.

Cross-departmental monitoring takes place via the UK Clinical Research Delivery (UKCRD) programme, a cross-sector programme that brings together delivery partners and key stakeholders, and through the joint-ministerial Life Sciences Delivery Board, which provides strategic oversight of progress on the Government’s ambitions for the Life Sciences sector, including targets to reduce set-up times for clinical trials.

Domestic Energy Efficiency (Call for Evidence) Bill

Found: in attendance were: • Patricia Ferguson MP (Chair) • Maureen Burke MP • Dave Doogan MP • Lillian Jones

Found: Freeman Tan Dhesi REFERRED TO COMMITTEE 80 Martin Wrigley Lauren Edwards Lillian Jones

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Patricia Ferguson (Chair); Lillian Jones; Mr Angus MacDonald; Douglas