Ministry of Defence

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, improving exports is vital to national security and growth at home. We are creating a single Departmental lead through the transfer of responsibility for defence exports, comprising the majority of UK Defence and Security Exports, from the Department of Business and Trade to the Ministry of Defence. A new team under the National Armaments Director will drive forward export campaigns.

The Strategic Defence Review was clear that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) must coordinate with other Government Departments to achieve export goals. Inputs from other Government Departments will be critical to ensure success, from the views of Ambassadors, Trade teams and Defence Attaches in our overseas embassies to the export licensing community in the FCDO, MOD and other Government Departments.

The Defence Investment Plan will be published this Autumn. For the very first time the Ministry of Defence’s Plan will cover the full scope of the defence programme, from people and operations to equipment and infrastructure, to ensure we can deliver the vision set out in the Strategic Defence Review.

Sanctions are primarily an FCDO lead, but I can say that the UK and other NATO allies do all we can to shut down the funding for Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.

The UK has led action against Russia sanctioning over 2,500 Russian targets including over 280 shadow fleet vessels, and allied sanctions have deprived Russia of over $450 billion worth of funds for its war.

The Defence Secretary regularly speaks with his US counterpart regarding our collective support to Ukraine’s armed forces in response to Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion.

As the hon. Gentlemen will understand, we do not comment on Intelligence matters. However, we have always been clear that the UK will do everything we can to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position across all aspects of our support, particularly defence and security.

The Wedgetail programme has already completed three test flights and will continue to undertake comprehensive ground and flight tests throughout 2025 to achieve the approved In-Service Date.

Engagement continues with Boeing and the Ministry of Defence to ensure the In-Service Date is achieved.

The recent increase in defence spending is the largest sustained increase since the end of the Cold War.

The Government is firmly committed to increasing defence spending to reach 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and has set an ambition to reach 3% by 2030, as fiscal and economic conditions allow. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has also made a historic commitment to spend 5% of GDP on national security. This is a generational increase in defence and security spending, honouring our commitment to be a leader in NATO.

The Department publishes historic MOD spending in cash and real terms in its annual Departmental Resources publication.

There are currently thirteen Hawk T1 aircraft that are airworthy with the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, with a further four aircraft being cycled through scheduled routine depth maintenance. Additional aircraft are held in storage in the sustainment fleet for future support to that forward fleet. We have sufficient airframes to ensure all Red Arrows tasking until 2030 as planned. The Strategic Defence Review committed to a cost-effective fast jet trainer.

As Annex 1, paragraph 1(b)(viii) of the treaty confirms, the United Kingdom will have unrestricted ability to permit access, basing and overflight for non-United Kingdom and non-United States of America aircraft and vessels. Aircraft accessing Diego Garcia will maintain standard notification practices for flight information regions, which exist in the Indian Ocean flight information zone and other international flight information zones. The United Kingdom will inform Mauritius about non-United Kingdom and non-United States of America aircraft and vessels through normal diplomatic channels. Notifications are confidential and will not include classified information.

Aircraft accessing the Chagos Archipelago beyond Diego Garcia will maintain standard notification practices for flight information regions, which exist in the Indian Ocean flight information zone and other international flight information zones. The United Kingdom will inform Mauritius about undersea access for states operating with the United Kingdom or the United States of America through normal diplomatic channels. Notifications are confidential and will not include classified information.

The UK-Israel military cooperation agreement, which was signed in December 2020, incorporates a range of defence engagement activity, including defence education. I hope that the hon. Member will understand that it is not possible to release this agreement as it is held at a higher classification.

The Royal Air Force Police and Military Provost Guard Service are responsible for security at RAF Brize Norton. This is a part of the multilayered approach to security across the site.

The Counter Terrorism Policing investigation continues and the Defence Secretary has ordered that a full security review be conducted at pace, not only at Brize, but across the defence estate.

The recent Strategic Defence Review and National Security Strategy have identified the need to grow and enhance resilience in our defence industrial base. The Defence Industrial Strategy will set out the full package of measures to make the UK a defence industrial superpower by 2035. This will include a new partnership with industry to realise defence’s potential as an engine for growth across all the nations and regions of the UK, including Shropshire and the West Midlands.

The Secretary of State for Defence regularly engages with his Eurofighter Partner Nation counterparts, including Germany. Discussions routinely cover an array of bilateral issues, as well as opportunities to support Türkiye to enhance their defence capabilities as a NATO partner.

The table below details the number of compensation payments awarded to families living in Service Family Accommodation within the County of Shropshire and North Shropshire constituency since 2022. It also identifies how much was awarded in compensation payments. Compensation payments are made to Service Personnel in certain circumstances, ranging from missed appointments to the loss of cooking facilities.

We are only able to answer the questions since the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) Contract began in April 2022. Data prior to the start of the FDIS Contract is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Please note that the North Shropshire Constituency figures are included within the Shropshire County Total figures.

The table below details the number of compensation payments awarded to families living in Service Family Accommodation within the County of Shropshire and North Shropshire constituency since 2022. It also identifies how much was awarded in compensation payments. Compensation payments are made to Service Personnel in certain circumstances, ranging from missed appointments to the loss of cooking facilities.

We are only able to answer the questions since the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) Contract began in April 2022. Data prior to the start of the FDIS Contract is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Please note that the North Shropshire Constituency figures are included within the Shropshire County Total figures.

As per my statement on 23 June, an investigation is underway into the incident. The investigation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing South-East. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

Immediate measures were put in place following the incident at RAF Brize Norton to enhance existing security arrangements and increase vigilance at all Defence sites, and we have also engaged with the US Visiting Forces. You will appreciate that we will not comment on the specifics of those arrangements. We have also directed a full review of security arrangements across all Defence sites and will continue to liaise with our US colleagues accordingly.

The location of the seven sites in Fylde constituency, managed by the Ministry of Defence, can be found below:

1. Blackpool Airport Air Traffic Control (ATC):
2. Poulton le Fylde ATC:
3. A building at Warton Aerodrome.
4. Warton Service Family Accommodation (SFA)
5. Warton ATC
6. Weeton Barracks.
7. Weeton Barracks SFA.

The first table details the number of reported instances of Asbestos in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the County of Shropshire since the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) Contract began in April 2022. Data prior to the start of the FDIS Contract is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

These instances have been reported by contractors carrying out works in SFA where Asbestos was found to be present.

The table below details the reports in the North Shropshire Constituency only:

Figures for the North Shropshire Constituency are included in the Shropshire County Figures.

The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. UK training courses promote British values, including respect for and adherence to human rights.

Fewer than ten Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel have been trained on non-combat military academic courses in the UK each year since 2020. The exact number of IDF personnel and which courses they are on is being withheld in order to protect personal information.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a mandatory Collective and Individual Training Objective in Command and Staff training for UK Defence, this includes training courses delivered to international defence students. The UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include both the theory and the practical application of IHL.

Likewise, the UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include Protection of Civilians (POC), both at the tactical and operational level. At the tactical level, UK Defence courses include mandatory judgmental training to ensure that a distinction is made between combatants and civilians. At the operational level, POC is integrated into both theoretical and scenario-based training. This is to ensure both UK and Overseas trainees know their responsibility for the application of the Law of Armed Conflict in subsequent operational deployments.

The Ministry of Defence aims to incorporate content aligned with the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda into all its training, including UK training courses offered to international students.

The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. UK training courses promote British values, including respect for and adherence to human rights.

Fewer than ten Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel have been trained on non-combat military academic courses in the UK each year since 2020. The exact number of IDF personnel and which courses they are on is being withheld in order to protect personal information.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a mandatory Collective and Individual Training Objective in Command and Staff training for UK Defence, this includes training courses delivered to international defence students. The UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include both the theory and the practical application of IHL.

Likewise, the UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include Protection of Civilians (POC), both at the tactical and operational level. At the tactical level, UK Defence courses include mandatory judgmental training to ensure that a distinction is made between combatants and civilians. At the operational level, POC is integrated into both theoretical and scenario-based training. This is to ensure both UK and Overseas trainees know their responsibility for the application of the Law of Armed Conflict in subsequent operational deployments.

The Ministry of Defence aims to incorporate content aligned with the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda into all its training, including UK training courses offered to international students.

The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. UK training courses promote British values, including respect for and adherence to human rights.

Fewer than ten Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel have been trained on non-combat military academic courses in the UK each year since 2020. The exact number of IDF personnel and which courses they are on is being withheld in order to protect personal information.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a mandatory Collective and Individual Training Objective in Command and Staff training for UK Defence, this includes training courses delivered to international defence students. The UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include both the theory and the practical application of IHL.

Likewise, the UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include Protection of Civilians (POC), both at the tactical and operational level. At the tactical level, UK Defence courses include mandatory judgmental training to ensure that a distinction is made between combatants and civilians. At the operational level, POC is integrated into both theoretical and scenario-based training. This is to ensure both UK and Overseas trainees know their responsibility for the application of the Law of Armed Conflict in subsequent operational deployments.

The Ministry of Defence aims to incorporate content aligned with the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda into all its training, including UK training courses offered to international students.

The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. UK training courses promote British values, including respect for and adherence to human rights.

Fewer than ten Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel have been trained on non-combat military academic courses in the UK each year since 2020. The exact number of IDF personnel and which courses they are on is being withheld in order to protect personal information.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a mandatory Collective and Individual Training Objective in Command and Staff training for UK Defence, this includes training courses delivered to international defence students. The UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include both the theory and the practical application of IHL.

Likewise, the UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include Protection of Civilians (POC), both at the tactical and operational level. At the tactical level, UK Defence courses include mandatory judgmental training to ensure that a distinction is made between combatants and civilians. At the operational level, POC is integrated into both theoretical and scenario-based training. This is to ensure both UK and Overseas trainees know their responsibility for the application of the Law of Armed Conflict in subsequent operational deployments.

The Ministry of Defence aims to incorporate content aligned with the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda into all its training, including UK training courses offered to international students.

The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world.

Fewer than ten IDF personnel have been trained in non-combat military courses in the UK in the last 12 months.

These are strictly academic, longstanding courses which are open to many countries around the world.

Personnel from almost 50 different countries around the world will attend non-combat military courses in the UK in 2025.

The Ministry of Defence does not record the volume of carbon dioxide emissions for individual events. However, the Department is committed to reducing carbon emissions and operate sustainably where practical with no compromise to national security.

The troops involved in Trooping the Colour marched from barracks in the immediate vicinity of the parade.

For the aircraft participating in the King's Birthday Flypast the RAF continues to lead the way in operating more sustainably as part of Defence's commitment to reduce carbon emissions. For this flypast, jets from the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team were powered with a high-ratio blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is thought to be the first time anywhere in the world that a national aerobatic squadron has switched to both a SAF blend for propulsion and a renewable biofuel, known as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil to produce its trademark vapour trails.

Commonwealth citizens have long made a valued contribution to the British Army and continue to be an important part of its structure and capability. There is always a strong interest in joining the Army. This can result in thousands of applications being received, which must be managed against the Army’s annual limit of 1,000 Basic Training starts for Commonwealth applicants and the 15% limit on the number of Commonwealth citizens who can serve in each cap badge.

In August 2024, the Army re-opened the recruitment window, accepting applications from Commonwealth citizens sponsored by Serving personnel under the Recruit Bounty Scheme. This was limited to specific roles, including Musician, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, Royal Engineer Technician and Tradesman, and the Parachute Regiment. This initiative generated a high volume of applications from across the Commonwealth.

The recruitment of Commonwealth citizens is subject to regular review by the Army to ensure it remains aligned with operational requirements. At present, the Commonwealth recruiting pipeline is forecast to remain closed in the medium term due to the sheer volume of applications during the 2024-25 recruitment window, which Capita continue to process.

The Ministry of Defence also works closely with the Home Office to ensure that Commonwealth personnel and their families benefit from specific immigration rules which enable them to enter, live, work and settle in the UK and become British citizens.

The Department is committed to meeting the 5% savings and efficiency target with Spending Review funding allocations agreed on this basis.

These funding allocations – informed by the findings of the zero-based review undertaken as part of the Spending Review – are the first step in a wider plan to finalise budgets for different projects and programmes, with any necessary savings decided through that process. The savings taken forward will be subject to the normal rigorous business planning processes, and in-year financial management.

The Defence Investment Plan will set out the details of the Department’s plans in the Autumn.

I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 3 April 2025 to Question 41496 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge).

I want to extend my sympathies to the families of those killed in this tragic accident. Having lost personnel on operations myself, I know the pain that they feel.

We have received a pre-action protocol letter from the Chinook Justice Campaign and are considering our response. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further.

The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.

The Chinook Justice Campaign, who represent many of the families of the Mull of Kintyre accident, have indicated their intention to bring legal proceedings against the Ministry of Defence. Given this ongoing situation, I am unable to comment further.

Since the signing of the landmark Trinity House Agreement, the Ministry of Defence has worked with our German counterparts to take the first steps towards turning the words of the text into real, practical co-operation. The Secretary of State met with Minister Pistorius on 15 May 2025 to hold the first Defence Ministerial Council under the agreement; detail on progress was set out in a Joint Statement, available on GOV.UK entitled ‘Joint statement on UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement progress - 15 May 2025’. My Right Hon Friend the Foreign Secretary is also driving forward a new bilateral Treaty with Germany, building on the success of the Trinity House Agreement. Due to be signed later this year, this new Treaty will underline the full breadth of the partnership between our countries.

Contractor buildings and personnel located within the Defence Estate are covered by the security arrangements of the site at which they are situated. Depending on the outputs of the site this may include the use of military support to provide the security arrangements. For those contractor buildings and personnel not based on the Defence Estate, the Minstry of Defence (MOD) do not provide military support. Defence has well established mandated security policies and processes to ensure Defence Industry security controls and measures meet with MODs risk appetite.

RAF Brize Norton has CCTV in operation that enables remote coverage of base areas which is part of the multilayered approach to security on site.

The Defence Secretary has ordered that a full security review be conducted at pace, not only at Brize Norton, but across the defence estate.

I responded to the right hon. Member’s Questions 59990 and 59991 on 26 June 2025 and I will respond to Questions 59988 and 59989 shortly.

Before a lease is granted to a third party, their financial and general reliability is investigated by Ministry of Defence (MOD) Officials, via references from banks and, where possible, from a previous landlord, solicitors, or via a professional background checking service.

In addition, as part of the vetting process for civilian sublet tenancies, the following checks are completed by a third party, Let Alliance, on behalf of MOD’s contractor, Pinnacle: the undertaking of an income, credit, a Right to Rent and Sanctions check and obtaining work references.

The information is not held in the format requested and could only be provided by retrieving and interrogating large amounts of data which could only be completed at disproportionate cost.

Whilst both take into account international humanitarian law considerations, decisions to suspend certain export licences to Israel and the provision of UK training courses to Israel Defence Forces personnel are not directly linked.

There are fewer than five members of the IDF currently enrolled on non-combat academic courses in the UK.

The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields. The Ministry of Defence’s provision of such assistance is currently considered on a case-by-case basis. UK training courses promote British values, including human rights, democracy and compliance with international humanitarian law.

The Strategic Reserve comprises two distinct elements: those former Service personnel with an ongoing legal liability to train and to be called out if needed (the Regular Reserve) and those with a legal liability to be recalled in the direst of situations (the Recall Reserve).

Numbers within the Regular Reserve are routinely published within the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-index). In table 8a of the Excel spreadsheet with the latest April 2025 figures, the Tri-Service UK Regular Reserve forces totalled 36,398 of which:

Reserve Naval and Marine Forces Regular Reserve: 6,774

Reserve Land Forces Regular Reserve: 22,897

Reserve Air Forces Regular Reserve: 6,727

Defence does not currently publish Recall Reserve statistics but as part of the Strategic Defence Review, we are working to step up engagement with the Strategic Reserve and establish a digitised approach to Reserves management.

We will reinvigorate our relationship with the Strategic Reserve to ensure the UK is ready to respond at scale to global insecurity. It is also a chance to renew the bond between society and those who’ve served, and to unlock the unique expertise gained through military Service and deploying it when it matters most.

As set out in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Royal Charter, the six member countries contribute to the funding of the Commission in proportion to the number of graves maintained for each nation’s Armed Forces. The United Kingdom is the largest contributor, paying 79% of the Commission’s budget via quarterly payments. For this year, that equates to a UK contribution of £59 million.

Given the scale of the UK contribution, the Secretary of State for Defence is the Chair of the CWGC. Additionally, the Defence Services Secretary represents Defence at the quarterly CWGC Commissioners’ meetings and the regular finance meetings where budgets are agreed and expenditure monitored.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) also work closely with the CWGC on selected commemorative events. Alongside this year’s landmark VE Day 80 and VJ Day 80 anniversaries, DCMS are leading Government assistance to the CWGC’s delivery of the ‘For Evermore Tour’, a programme of over 250 mobile exhibitions and events across the UK and at key global commemorative sites, to honour and share the stories of those who served in the Second World War. Questions related to that specific assistance should be addressed to DCMS.

The Ministry of Defence have continual engagement with the US regarding the E-7 programme, specifically through the trilateral agreement and working groups established in 2022. These focus on collaboration and interoperability as directed in a Joint Vison Statement signed in 2023.

As highlighted in the recent Strategic Defence Review, the E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft provide significant advantages in warfighting, such as more persistent deep strike options. Growth of the Royal Air Force Airborne Early Warning and Control capability was identified in the recent Strategic Defence Review, as advantageous to the UK and NATO.

Identified as part of the Government Major Project Portfolio (GMPP), the Wedgetail programme is subject to regular reviews by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority who undertake regular assessment of the E-7 programme and report their findings at regular intervals through the GMPP.

Yes, all in-service Land Rovers have a current out of service date of 2030.

The L123A3 Underslung Grenade Launcher (UGL) remains in-service and compatible with the L85 rifle family. There is currently not a programme of record to replace the UGL, and it is outside the boundaries for Project GRAYBURN. Analysis into optimum levels of lethality in small teams is being conducted, ensuring we continue to deliver highly lethal effects across Defence.