Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate the Government has made of a) the annual cost to UK port operators of dredging and disposing of dredged material required to maintain navigational access, b) the proportion of those costs arising from disposal levies and monitoring fees, and c) how those costs compare with equivalent charges in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
a) Information relating to the annual cost to UK port operators of dredging and disposing of dredged material required to maintain navigational access is not held centrally.
b) The costs arising from the disposal levies and monitoring fees for last three years are shown in the table below:
Calendar Year | Total Tonnes Disposed | Chargeable Tonnage | Fees |
2024 | 17,564,239 | 12,363,054 | £114,025 |
2023 | 25,410,859 | 17,679,722 | £89,322 |
2022 | 32,147,787 | 25,476,658 | £89,332 |
c) The equivalent information for France, Belgium and the Netherlands is not held centrally.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of Damen to deliver as a subcontractor under the Defence Marine Services Next Generation Contracts following Damen's receipt of an emergency loan from the Dutch Government.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Marine Services Next Generation procurement was carried out in accordance with the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 (DSPCR), under which Serco, as prime contractor, was free to select its own supply chain. The Procurement Act, which came into force in February 2025, offers greater flexibility to prioritise British companies in strategically important areas.
The Ministry Of Defence (MOD) is aware of ongoing legal proceedings against Damen in the Netherlands, it continues to monitor proceedings and will take appropriate action should a conviction occur.
The MOD is aware of the loan provided by the Dutch Government to Damen. Serco, as prime contractor, has undertaken its own analysis of Damen’s financial position and has advised that there is no immediate risk to delivery of the Vessel Replacement Programme. Both the MOD and Serco will continue to monitor the situation as part of routine contract management.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what investigation they have undertaken into the award to Damen under the Defence Marine Services Next Generation Contracts following the prosecution of Damen in the Netherlands for bribery.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Marine Services Next Generation procurement was carried out in accordance with the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 (DSPCR), under which Serco, as prime contractor, was free to select its own supply chain. The Procurement Act, which came into force in February 2025, offers greater flexibility to prioritise British companies in strategically important areas.
The Ministry Of Defence (MOD) is aware of ongoing legal proceedings against Damen in the Netherlands, it continues to monitor proceedings and will take appropriate action should a conviction occur.
The MOD is aware of the loan provided by the Dutch Government to Damen. Serco, as prime contractor, has undertaken its own analysis of Damen’s financial position and has advised that there is no immediate risk to delivery of the Vessel Replacement Programme. Both the MOD and Serco will continue to monitor the situation as part of routine contract management.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will publish all intelligence information received by West Midlands Police from the Dutch authorities regarding the Amsterdam riots in November 2024.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The police are operationally independent of Government. Officials routinely engage with operational partners to support public safety and effective policing.
The Home Office does not publish operational intelligence or risk assessments produced by police forces or overseas law enforcement agencies. Doing so could compromise public safety, ongoing investigations, and relationships with international partners.
I am aware that the Honourable Member has, since tabling these questions, placed in the public domain reports by the West Midlands Police inputting into the local Safety Advisory Group, and the Netherlands Inspectorate of Justice and Security.
I also gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 1 December on this issue which is available at: 1 December 2025 - Football Policing - Oral evidence - Committees - UK Parliament
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions took place between (a) ministers and (b) officials in her Department and (i) West Midlands Police and (ii) Birmingham City Council regarding (A) intelligence information received from Dutch authorities and (B) risk assessments presented to the Safety Advisory Group.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The police are operationally independent of Government. Officials routinely engage with operational partners to support public safety and effective policing.
The Home Office does not publish operational intelligence or risk assessments produced by police forces or overseas law enforcement agencies. Doing so could compromise public safety, ongoing investigations, and relationships with international partners.
I am aware that the Honourable Member has, since tabling these questions, placed in the public domain reports by the West Midlands Police inputting into the local Safety Advisory Group, and the Netherlands Inspectorate of Justice and Security.
I also gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 1 December on this issue which is available at: 1 December 2025 - Football Policing - Oral evidence - Committees - UK Parliament
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish risk assessments presented by West Midlands Police to the Safety Advisory Group on the fixture at Villa Park on 6 November 2025.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The police are operationally independent of Government. Officials routinely engage with operational partners to support public safety and effective policing.
The Home Office does not publish operational intelligence or risk assessments produced by police forces or overseas law enforcement agencies. Doing so could compromise public safety, ongoing investigations, and relationships with international partners.
I am aware that the Honourable Member has, since tabling these questions, placed in the public domain reports by the West Midlands Police inputting into the local Safety Advisory Group, and the Netherlands Inspectorate of Justice and Security.
I also gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 1 December on this issue which is available at: 1 December 2025 - Football Policing - Oral evidence - Committees - UK Parliament
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for the Home Department, after being appointed on 5 September, has had introductory conversations with the interior ministers of (1) France, (2) Germany, (3) Italy, (4) Belgium and (5) the Netherlands, regarding international cooperation on tackling organised immigration crime.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
International co-operation is vital to address organised immigration crime. The Home Secretary continues to engage with counterparts across the EU and further afield on what further can be done to tackle this issue. Most recently the Home Secretary chaired the 11th Western Balkans Summit where the impact of illegal migration was discussed. This was attended by representatives of the European Union and its Member States including the Chancellor of Germany, alongside representatives from France and Italy.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if her Department will publish an updated list of the countries with which the UK has negotiated arrangements allowing British citizens to use automated border e-gates.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Approximately 54 ports currently provide UK nationals with access to eGates in countries including France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Greece. Access arrangements within the Schengen Area may vary for day-to-day operational reasons, so this estimate is subject to change.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the press release entitled Prime Minister launches Global Clean Power Alliance as UK leads the global energy transition, published on 19 November 2024, which (a) countries and (b) international organisations have formally signed up to that alliance.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Global Clean Power Alliance (GCPA) is organised around tangible “Missions”, which bring interested partners together to overcome shared barriers to clean power deployment. Initially, we are focusing on mobilising private finance and enhancing supply chains.
Brazil, Australia, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Morocco, Mozambique, Norway, Tanzania and the African Union are partners of the GCPA’s Finance Mission, endorsing its founding statement, with the European Commission also supporting. All are working with the UK on the Finance Mission to build investment opportunities and provide the assistance developing countries need to get clean energy finance flowing.
The UK’s Green Finance Institute and the World Bank’s ESMAP (Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme) are key delivery partners of the Finance Mission. At the time of launch several financial institutions, international organisations, philanthropies and industry representatives committed to supporting energy transitions in the Global South supported a related non-governmental statement. An update to the Finance Mission was issued on 15 November Global Clean Power Alliance: finance mission update (November 2025) - GOV.UK
Australia, Canada, Kenya, the Netherlands and Zambia, alongside the International Energy Agency and Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (facilitated by IRENA), are partners of the Supply Chains Mission, with continued inputs from Chatham House and support from the European Commission and the COP30 Presidency. All agreed to endorse its vision statement Global Clean Power Alliance: supply chains mission vision - GOV.UK
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with officials in (a) the Netherlands and (b) Slovenia on their plans to ban enriched cages for layer hens.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have regular engagement with counterparts in other countries on farmed animal welfare issues, including on cages and other close confinement systems.