Asked by: Baroness Foster of Oxton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to review the Defence Investment Plan.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) is Government policy. The DIP is a Government document which was laid before Parliament on 30 June 2026 and summarises the major investment choices the Government has made for UK Defence.
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Oxton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Defence Investment Plan, published on 1 July, remains their policy.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) is Government policy. The DIP is a Government document which was laid before Parliament on 30 June 2026 and summarises the major investment choices the Government has made for UK Defence.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend occasional visits by warships exercising their right of innocent passage, such as that by HMS Medway to Puerto Arenas in Chile, and elsewhere, to continue.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy will continue to deploy warships globally in support of the United Kingdom’s defence, security and international engagement objectives. Royal Navy vessels routinely exercise their navigational rights in accordance with international law, including the right of innocent passage where applicable, and undertake port visits and defence engagement activities with allies and partners around the world.
Recent examples of Royal Navy global deployments include HMS Medway operating in the South Atlantic, HMS Trent conducting security and defence engagement activity in the United States and the Caribbean, HMS Spey and HMS Tamar maintaining the United Kingdom's persistent Indo-Pacific presence, and the UK Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales undertaking operations with NATO Allies in the North Atlantic and High North. These activities demonstrate the routine global nature of Royal Navy deployments in support of defence, security and international engagement objectives.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide compensation to nuclear test veterans.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We recognise their service and the huge contribution they have made to the UK’s security.
There is no specific compensation scheme for Nuclear Test Veterans and their families. Any veteran, including those of the nuclear tests, who believes they have suffered ill-health due to service has the right to apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme if they served before 6 April 2005. War pensions are payable in respect of illness or injury as a result of service in the Armed Forces, with the benefit of reasonable doubt always given to the claimant. Decisions are medically certified and follow consideration of available service and medical evidence and carry full rights of appeal to an independent tribunal.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 28 May (HL194), what guidance the Army has given on this issue; and what approvals have been (a) accepted, and (b) rejected since July 2024.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Deputy Chief of the General Staff has directed Corps and Regimental Colonels to conduct a full review of all Army associations with private members’ clubs, to ensure their rules, policies and culture align with Army values, including equality and respect. Given the breadth of the Army’s regimental structure and the potentially extensive range of historic affiliations, this work is substantial and remains ongoing.
Asked by: Baroness Rafferty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of LED lighting on board Royal Navy vessels and the effects this may have on the health of personnel on board.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
LED lighting is increasingly used across Royal Navy vessels reflecting its reliability, reduced maintenance requirements and improved energy efficiency. While the introduction of LED lighting within the Royal Navy is kept under constant review, lighting systems installed on Royal Navy vessels are required to comply with relevant safety and engineering standards and are designed to support the operational and welfare needs of personnel serving on board.
Asked by: Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it remains their policy to support de-mining work in the Strait of Hormuz.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK and France continue to lead the Multinational Military Mission to coordinate international efforts to support restoration of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. This includes mine clearance operations that can only begin once there is a stable security environment.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the proportion of his Department's budget that will be been spent on the Chagos treaty in each remaining year of the current Parliament.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
No payments are due under the terms of the UK-Mauritius agreement until the Treaty has been ratified.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many UK jobs are supported, directly and indirectly, by the UK-Türkiye Typhoon export agreement; and how those jobs are distributed by region.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 jobs across the length and breadth of the UK. The greatest proportion of these are in England, including over 9,000 jobs across Lancashire, where the majority of the production and final assembly of each Typhoon fighter jet takes place, over 2,000 in the South East, and more than 1,800 in the East Midlands. The programme also supports over 1,400 jobs in Scotland and more than 600 in Wales. Just under 100 jobs are supported in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 16 July (HL1645), whether any aircraft other than the 11 Hawk were deployed for transport, spares and support; and how all personnel were transported.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The 117 personnel deployed to the United States of America as part of the Royal Air Force Aerobatics Team were transported through a mix of military support aircraft, primarily A400M, and civilian aircraft. No other aircraft were deployed for the duration of the tour.