Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government when carrier-based F35 aircraft will be equipped with the latest air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
F-35 aircraft are already equipped with the latest air-air weapons ASRAAM and AMRAAM and the latest air-to-surface weapon Paveway IV.
For future munitions I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided on 17 November 2025 to Questions 87990, 87995 and 88005 in the House of Commons.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-11-04/87990
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many veterans are currently in temporary accommodation or rough sleeping; and what progress has been made against government targets to reduce this.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
There are a number of measures and metrics used to capture veteran homelessness and rough sleeping, including metrics on temporary accommodation. However, it is important to note that none of these will capture every single case and with the transient nature of homelessness, the overall picture of veteran homelessness and rough sleeping is not complete.
However, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government does capture and report the number of households presenting to Local Authorities who are either experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This data includes households rough sleeping and in temporary accommodation, as well as capturing other household status. The most recent annual data release is for 2024-25 and shows that there were 2,180 veteran households at risk of or experiencing homelessness in England. This is 0.7% of all households in England and is steady with the previous year.
This Government is clear that one veteran rough sleeping is one too many. That is why we have committed an additional £12 million to ensure the continuation of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme. Op FORTITUDE will also be extended, putting the service that has already supported over 1,000 veterans on a sustainable footing. These programmes will deliver three years of support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
This is in addition to the Government’s National Plan to End Homelessness. The Ministry of Defence contributed to this strategy including committing to ensuring that all councils are aware of service provision in their area to support veterans at risk of homelessness.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to increase defence manufacturing capabilities.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK has a world class production and manufacturing eco-system, providing high-quality, cutting-edge armaments, components, and technologies for our Armed Forces and our allies. The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) 2025 sets out how we will deliver a defence sector that is more competitive, integrated, innovative and resilient, including by boosting UK manufacturing. Our new alliance with the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, launched in the DIS, will lever world-leading research and development capabilities, and further accelerate industrial transformation. This builds on the strategic use of Advance Manufacturing in the development, delivery and sustainment of Defence capabilities.
We are committed to ensuring the Defence industry is a engine for economic growth through strengthened industrial relationships and domestic investment. 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.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth (CP 1388), page 85, what progress he has made in establishing a coordinating authority for market engagement within the National Armaments Director Group.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We have taken the first steps to deliver the Defence Industrial Strategy commitment to strengthen early engagement with industry and integrate market insight into force and capability development. The Market Engagement Coordinating Authority has been initiated within the National Armaments Director Group and is now in its development phase. Work is underway to build out its full capability, with Initial Operating Capability planned for Q1 2026. Once operational, the Authority will bring coherence and transparency to Defence’s engagement with industry, unify Defence’s demand signals and enable structured engagement earlier in the capability development cycle, giving suppliers confidence to invest and helping accelerate acquisition.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled New robots lead the way in bomb disposal innovation, published on 5 February 2025, how many contracts he has placed with AeroVironment since 5 February 2025.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department has not awarded any contracts to AeroVironment since 5 February 2025.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK unveils new undersea warfare technology to counter threat from Russia, published on 8 December 2025, if he will provide a breakdown of the firms that have submitted proposals to develop anti-submarine sensor technology by country of origin.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy will be deploying new undersea warfare technology as part of Atlantic Net, a new initiative that will see the Royal Navy rapidly field and iterate undersea warfare technology in collaboration with a commercial mission partner or partners. The competition for the first Atlantic Net commercial competition closed on 26 Nov 2025. I know the Hon. Gentleman will recall from his time as a Defence Minister that public disclosure on the companies that have submitted proposals, or a breakdown of firms and capabilities involved would prejudice fair competition.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK unveils new undersea warfare technology to counter threat from Russia, published on 8 December 2025, if he will list the firms from (a) the UK and (b) Europe that have submitted proposals to develop anti-submarine sensor technology.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy will be deploying new undersea warfare technology as part of Atlantic Net, a new initiative that will see the Royal Navy rapidly field and iterate undersea warfare technology in collaboration with a commercial mission partner or partners. The competition for the first Atlantic Net commercial competition closed on 26 Nov 2025. I know the Hon. Gentleman will recall from his time as a Defence Minister that public disclosure on the companies that have submitted proposals, or a breakdown of firms and capabilities involved would prejudice fair competition.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK unveils new undersea warfare technology to counter threat from Russia, published on 8 December 2025, if he will list the capabilities that are due to be deployed in the water in 2026.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy will be deploying new undersea warfare technology as part of Atlantic Net, a new initiative that will see the Royal Navy rapidly field and iterate undersea warfare technology in collaboration with a commercial mission partner or partners. The competition for the first Atlantic Net commercial competition closed on 26 Nov 2025. I know the Hon. Gentleman will recall from his time as a Defence Minister that public disclosure on the companies that have submitted proposals, or a breakdown of firms and capabilities involved would prejudice fair competition.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the SG-1 Fathom will be brought into service.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Under Atlantic Bastion, announced in the Strategic Defence Review, the Royal Navy (RN) will be exploiting new technologies through a portfolio of crewed and uncrewed vehicles, sensors and nodes.
Helsing, who make the SG-1 Fathom, conducted a technology demonstration for the RN in December 2025. The Royal Navy are running a competition for Atlantic Net, which is the first phase of Atlantic Bastion, and in full adherence to commercial regulation, will conduct a fair and transparent assessment against peer proposals ahead of any contract award.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking through defence spending to help increase economic growth in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring defence is an engine for growth. The Defence Industrial Strategy, published on 8 September 2025, clearly set out how we are making defence an engine for growth - investing more money in key defence areas and regions across the UK to create good jobs.