Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the target for the size of the cadets by 2030; and what funding has been put forward to achieve this.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Strategic Defence Review, published in June 2025, recommended that MOD should expand in-school and community-based Cadet Forces across the country by 30% by 2030. This timeline has recently been re-set in the Defence Investment Plan to 2035 as one of the measures required to increase the rate of Armed Forces transformation.

There are currently just over 137,000 cadets supported by 28,000 adult volunteers. An increase of 30% in cadet numbers equates to an additional 40,000 cadets, an expansion that would also require approximately 8,000 more adult volunteers. Details of the funding necessary to support this level of growth are yet to be finalised.

Work is currently underway to set the foundations for sustainable growth and to determine how the 30% increase in cadet numbers will be delivered. And we are developing a new Cadet Action Plan, to be announced in October during the first National Cadets Week. The Plan will focus on modernising the cadet experience, providing an attractive offer to retain and recruit adult volunteers, and ensuring that cadets and volunteers have the right resources and support.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planned capabilities are of the Defence Medical Services in terms of a) capacity and b) specialised medical care.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

Defence Medical Services (DMS) capabilities, across the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Cyber and Specialist Operations Command, support Defence outputs across NATO Contribution, Crisis Response, Strategic Resilience and Global Competition.

The Strategic Defence Review recognised the need to rebuild both medical capacity and capability within Defence to ensure our Armed Forces remain fighting fit in peacetime and are prepared to meet operational demands when at war.

The immediate priority is to optimise existing capability to ensure that the DMS can reliably deliver the support Defence needs today.

The second priority is to modernise operational medical capability and the healthcare support to force generation to meet the demands of contemporary warfare and evolving clinical practice. To accelerate modernisation, Defence has allocated up to £50 million through the Defence Investment Plan over four years, focused on delivering priority capability enhancements:

• Tactical Combat Casualty Care. £20 million in kits for combat personnel based on the latest research on equipment to save lives on the battlefield.
• Forward Blood Products: £10 million to develop or procure dried blood products.
• Tranexamic Acid (TXA): £10 million to provide a more effective way to combat blood loss and save lives.
• Field Hospital Equipment: £10 million to support combat operations at scale.

The third priority is to prepare to expand medical capacity to deliver the Strategic Defence Review's vision of enhanced warfighting readiness.

Rebuilding defence medical capability will focus on the following functions:

1. Medically preparing the Integrated Force
2. Maximising deployable medical capability and capacity within available resources.
3. Managing scalable and adaptable Operational Patient Care Pathways from point of injury or illness to definitive care and rehabilitation in collaboration with allies and UK healthcare systems.
4. Building on our world class military medical research to adapt medical advances to gain operational advantage.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the average time taken for a reservist to complete the Armed Forces recruitment process from initial application to enlistment.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Ministry of Defence continually monitors and works to improve the Reserve recruitment process. While the average time from application to enlistment varies due to individual circumstances and medical requirements, the process is still too long overall. Initiatives are underway to streamline and shorten this timeline.

The tri-Service Armed Forces Recruiting Service (launching in 2027) will make the candidate process faster and more accessible. Streamlined single entry point for prospective recruits with a new digital platform are expected to reduce delays and improve candidate experience, ultimately decreasing the time taken for reservists to complete recruitment.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Ministry of Defence annual report and accounts 2025 to 2026, Losses, what was the full scope of the Impairments arising from the historic AWE/AUC review.

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

The impairments recognised following the review of Assets Under Construction at AWE relate to infrastructure and equipment projects delivered in support of AWE recapitalisation and the sustainment of an enduring nuclear deterrent capability.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 June 2026 to Question 2672, what steps his Department plans to take on conclusion of the study on the impact of anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis on functional effectiveness of military personnel (713/MODREC/15) once that study has been published.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The study entitled; Impact of anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis on functional effectiveness of military personnel (713/MODREC/15) was initiated in 2015 by a now-retired Defence Public Health Consultant. The work sought to collect data around the impact of anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis on the functional effectiveness of military personnel. Data was collected from two British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) battlegroups between 2017-18 in the form of questionnaires and was stored for subsequent analysis.

Retirement of the lead investigator without appointment of a replacement meant that the data remained unanalysed. A team of public health specialists supported by Defence Statistics undertook a re-analysis of the original dataset and determined that the study had not generated evidence of sufficient certainty to warrant recommendations to change policy or clinical practice around the choice of antimalarial. The relative lack of substantive findings from the reanalysis meant that while the work was reported internally as part of a general review of malaria policy to ensure compliance with earlier HCDC Direction, peer reviewed publication was not prioritised.

A separate service evaluation of Defence Primary Healthcare electronic patient records is currently being undertaken based on malaria notifications between January 2016 and January 2026. The work builds on 713/MODREC/15 and aims to provide a more contemporaneous picture of the impact of malaria on UK Armed Forces and the role of force health protection measures, including malaria chemoprophylaxis. Subject to further work, the department will aim to submit the results of 713/MODREC/15 for publication in a peer reviewed journal in 2027. Further, the intent is to publish the service evaluation in a peer reviewed journal as a follow up to publication of the results from 713/MODREC/15.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many helicopters will be operationally available to the UK armed forces to perform the casualty evacuation role between 2027 and 2030.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Ministry of Defence continually reviews platform capabilities to ensure that current and future Defence requirements are met.

Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) is a military task rather than a capability delivered by a single helicopter type, and Defence maintains a range of rotary-wing platforms that can be employed to support casualty evacuation as required.

At present, CASEVAC capability is provided by the Chinook, Merlin Mk4/4A, Wildcat AH Mk1 and Jupiter HC Mk2 helicopter fleets. As announced in the Defence Investment Plan, Wildcat AH Mk1 is planned to be withdrawn from service from 2027.

Decisions on the helicopter platforms that will be available to perform the CASEVAC role between 2027 and 2030 will be taken in accordance with Defence capability requirements and operational needs, which are kept under regular review.

The number of helicopters available to undertake a CASEVAC task at any given time is not fixed and will vary according to operational commitments, maintenance requirements, training activity and force readiness levels. The Department does not disclose detailed readiness or availability information, as doing so could prejudice the operational effectiveness and security of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which helicopter platforms will be available to the armed forces to perform the casualty evacuation role between 2027 and 2030.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Ministry of Defence continually reviews platform capabilities to ensure that current and future Defence requirements are met.

Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) is a military task rather than a capability delivered by a single helicopter type, and Defence maintains a range of rotary-wing platforms that can be employed to support casualty evacuation as required.

At present, CASEVAC capability is provided by the Chinook, Merlin Mk4/4A, Wildcat AH Mk1 and Jupiter HC Mk2 helicopter fleets. As announced in the Defence Investment Plan, Wildcat AH Mk1 is planned to be withdrawn from service from 2027.

Decisions on the helicopter platforms that will be available to perform the CASEVAC role between 2027 and 2030 will be taken in accordance with Defence capability requirements and operational needs, which are kept under regular review.

The number of helicopters available to undertake a CASEVAC task at any given time is not fixed and will vary according to operational commitments, maintenance requirements, training activity and force readiness levels. The Department does not disclose detailed readiness or availability information, as doing so could prejudice the operational effectiveness and security of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026 to question 16360, how many requests for MACA tasks were a) rejected, b) withdrawn and c) reduced in scope in the last 12 months.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

From January to July 2026, Defence received 33 Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) requests. 16 requests have been successfully delivered, five have been withdrawn, two rejected, and two cancelled. The remaining requests are currently open and progressing through the MACA process. In 2025, four MACAs were withdrawn and three were cancelled, 88 were delivered.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated yearly budget is for the Defence Diplomacy network.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Ministry of Defence manages the Defence Diplomacy network through the Integrated Global Defence Network (IGDN) based in the UK. IGDN provides support to over 5000 personnel and their families across 92 Defence Sections, 10 Loan Service units, five overseas bases, and other Defence equities. The IGDN budget for the Financial Year 2025-26, which includes support for the operation of the global Defence Diplomacy network, was approximately £80 million.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his plans are for the national conversation campaign on defence and security.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

This Government is committed to strengthening national preparedness and improving public understanding of the threats we face through our national conversation on defence and security. Addressing the challenges of an increasingly volatile and contested world requires a whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approach. Our security depends not only on strong Armed Forces, but also on a society that is informed, prepared and able to respond with confidence when it matters most. The national conversation will help increase public awareness of the most serious risks facing the UK and the role that government, industry, communities and individuals can play in strengthening national resilience.

The Chief of Defence Staff has spoken publicly about the increasingly challenging security environment, including in his speech at RUSI and joint Op-Ed with his German counterpart. As confirmed in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 14 July, the Government will launch a national resilience public awareness campaign later this year, aiming to educate households on preparing for emergencies alongside increased information about state-based threats. Alongside cross-Government engagement with key stakeholders, the Ministry of Defence is playing a key role within this programme of work; connecting with industry, local resilience fora, the voluntary sector, and working with our active reserves and local cadet groups to facilitate a whole of society approach to defence and security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to establish a whole of society response to the new era of threats.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Strategic Defence Review emphasises a whole-of-society approach to strengthen resilience against threats. The Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme, in which the Ministry of Defence plays a key role, is working to increase engagement with the public to improve familiarisation on the role everyone can play in national security and resilience. The programme has a strong emphasis on aligning civil and military planning for serious risks.

The Government is clear on the importance of implementing a whole-of-society approach to strengthen defence and our resilience to the threats we face, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack. In support of this, the National Conversation is a key tool in creating a more informed, and aware public of the evolving nature of the threat environment.

As confirmed in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 14 July, the Government will launch a national resilience public awareness campaign later this year. This campaign aims to improve public understanding of threats and overall national preparedness in the event of crisis.

Through the UK Government's Resilience Action Plan, we outline how we will enable the whole of society to increase their resilience, including taking action to prepare for emergencies as set out on the GOV.UK/Prepare website.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of the disruption of drones flying over (i) RAF Lakenheath, (ii) RAF Mildenhall and (iii) RAF Feltwell in November 2024.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold a central estimate of the full cost of disruption caused by drone activity in November 2024. The UK investigation into the disruption led by the MOD Police incurred an estimated cost £607,883.87. The United States Visiting Forces are the principal users of the sites concerned, so it would be for them to articulate any costs incurred through operational disruption.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions has he held with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding the feasibility of delivering Project FAIRFAX in relation to the options for Local Government Reorganisation in Cambridgeshire.

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

The Ministry of Defence has engaged with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), local authorities and regional partners on matters relevant to the delivery of Project FAIRFAX, which seeks to establish a unique defence, technology and innovation cluster, bringing together partners from Government, academia and industry.

This engagement helps ensure that the opportunities presented by the project, alongside Defence requirements, are appropriately considered as proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire develop. Defence will work constructively with any changes determined by MHCLG and looks forward to further developing Project FAIRFAX with local, regional and national partners in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to publish an evaluation of the LGBTQ+ financial Recognition Scheme, including information on application numbers, outcomes, lessons learned and recommendations for future restorative justice programmes.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

To date, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme has paid out over £57 million. The Department’s current priority is to maximise awareness of the scheme among eligible veterans and encourage applications before the closing date on 12 December 2026. Once the scheme has closed and all applications have been assessed, the Department will review next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Torbay sent on 22 and 27 April, reference SD16253.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

I responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 15 July 2026 (our reference MC2026/11359) and to his further correspondence of 15 July 2026, in relation to the same case, on 12 August 2026 (our reference MC2026/15006).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, page 30, what progress has he made in delivering the Devonport Infrastructure Programme.

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

The Devonport Infrastructure Programme is making significant progress in modernising facilities at His Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport to reinforce its role as the Royal Navy’s centre for submarine deep maintenance. Upgrades to docking and waterfront infrastructure have already enabled Astute Class submarines to undertake maintenance activities in Devonport, with further improvements continuing across the site.

The programme is also delivering additional support for current and future submarine classes, the recommencement of the submarine defueling programme, and new maintenance berthing capacity, strengthening the Royal Navy’s overall warfighting readiness.

We are currently reviewing opportunities to accelerate work following the nuclear regulatory review and we continue to press for the earliest possible delivery of the projects.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people have been re-skilled mid-career as a part of FCAS and GCAP.

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

The advanced knowledge, skills, and competencies required by the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme, with the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) at its core, is getting more people in highly skilled jobs. FCAS supports over 4,500 jobs across the UK, with thousands more expected to be supported. Each Team Tempest industry partner offers a range of career pathways however neither the process nor underlying detailed information are managed centrally.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 47 of the DIP, if he will provide a regional split of the 90% of jobs supported outside of London and the South East of England on FCAS programmes.

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

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme supports jobs across the UK, including all nine regions of England plus Scotland, making defence an engine for growth. Around 43% of jobs are based in the North West of England, 19% in the South West of England, 16% in the Midlands, and Scotland accounts for about 8% of the workforce. The remaining 22% of jobs are split between other regions, including London and the East of England.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled Naval Base Infrastructure, published on 14 July 2026, what proportion of the £26 billion investment is allocated to (a) new capabilities, (b) accommodation.

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

The £26 billion investment of Project Royal Oak is an aggregate package inclusive of HMNB Clyde, HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth. This package encompasses a broad range of infrastructure, estate renewal, accommodation, engineering, sustainment and operational support activity. The disaggregation of these outputs includes aspects that are commercially and operationally sensitive, however financial data on MOD major projects is published in the Annual Report on the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled Naval Base Infrastructure, published on 14 July 2026, what assessment he has made of the contribution of Project Royal Oak to meeting the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review.

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

Project Royal Oak delivers key Strategic Defence Review recommendations by recapitalising the Defence estate and strengthening the Strategic Base. Through £26 billion of investment over the next decade, including major upgrades at Faslane, Portsmouth and Devonport, the programme will enhance warfighting readiness, support the Defence Nuclear Enterprise, enable the future Hybrid Navy, and improve the resilience of critical maritime infrastructure in support of NATO and UK national security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled Naval Base Infrastructure, published on 14 July 2026, how much of the announced £26 billion investment under Project Royal Oak represents (a) new funding, (b) previously announced funding.

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

The £26 billion investment of Project Royal Oak represents the future investment package agreed through the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which was a zero-based review of Defence budgets. This investment package encompasses a broad range of infrastructure, estate renewal, accommodation, engineering, sustainment, and operation support activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled Naval Base Infrastructure, published on 14 July 2026, how many apprentices and adult learners the proposed Skills Development Centre expects to support each year.

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

The Skills and Development Centre scope is currently being refined. The number of apprentices and adult learners it will be capable of supporting will be confirmed once that work has concluded.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 62 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, whether the plan to invest £130bn on Defence people between 2030 and 2035 is in his Department's budget.

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

As already announced, funding for investments beyond 2029-30 will be set out as part of future Spending Reviews and subsequent budget-setting processes, in the usual way.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what percentage the forecast 10 year programme cost of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise has increased since the Equipment plan 2023-2033: update on affordability.

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

As stated by my Rt hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool Garston (Maria Eagle) in the answer she gave on 13 June 2025 to Question 58561 to the hon. Member for Widnes and Halewood (Derek Twigg), the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) originally forecast an equipment plan spend of £117.8 billion over the period 2023-33 and, over the same period to 2033, the forecast for DNE equipment plan spend had increased by about £10 billion. This is equivalent to an increase of 8.7%.

This government is investing more than £63 billion over the next four years to strengthen the UK’s nuclear deterrent and to fund Dreadnought and SSN-AUKUS submarines, a new warhead, and other crucial nuclear work. As the Defence Investment Plan set out, the money spent on defence by the end of the decade will be 2.7% of GDP, up from 2.3% when this government took office in 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the 3,000 graduates and apprenticeships recruited by Team Tempest are still employed on the project.

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

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme is creating opportunities for young people across the UK. Around 3,000 graduates and apprentices have been recruited by the Team Tempest industry partners since 2022, providing the opportunity to work on a range of combat air programmes, including sixth-generation combat aircraft development through FCAS. Each Team Tempest industry partner offers a range of career pathways however neither the process nor underlying detailed information are managed centrally.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 49 of his department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, is the £9 billion scheduled to be invested in the space domain between 2030-2035 currently in his Department's budget.

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

As already announced, funding for investments beyond 2029-30 will be set out as part of future Spending Reviews and subsequent budget-setting processes, in the usual way.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 50 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, whether the planned funding for the Cyber and Electromagnetic domain between 2030 and 2035 is currently included in his Department's budgets.

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

Funding for investments beyond 2029-30 will be set out as part of future Spending Reviews and subsequent budget-setting processes, in the usual way.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in how many cases have prosecuting powers been ceded from his Department to US military courts, in relation to prosecuting offences against serving US military personnel, for each year of the last decade.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Visiting Forces Act (1952) sets out the legal basis in the UK for how jurisdiction for criminal offences is decided between the UK civil authorities and any NATO or designated non-NATO Visiting Force military court martial. This is implemented in practice by the independent police and Crown Prosecution Service, assessing the merits of each claim for jurisdiction by a Visiting Force in accordance with the domestic legislation. Any data on such cases would not be held centrally.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2026 to Question 2672, what the reason is for the time taken to analyse the data collected in the study on the impact of anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis on functional effectiveness of military personnel (713/MODREC/15).

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

Defence understands the importance of ensuring transparency and timeliness in the reporting of research results and recognises the results of this study have been significantly delayed.

The study entitled: Impact of anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis on functional effectiveness of military personnel (713/MODREC/15) was initiated in 2015 by a now-retired Defence Public Health Consultant. Retirement of the lead investigator without appointment of a replacement meant that the data remained unanalysed. Regrettably the delay was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was not until 2023 that resources were applied to revisiting the dataset.

A team of public health specialists supported by Defence Statistics undertook a re-analysis of the original dataset. The reanalysis determined that the study had not generated evidence of sufficient certainty to warrant recommendations to change policy or clinical practice around the choice of antimalarial. The relative lack of substantive findings from the reanalysis meant that while the work was reported internally as part of a general review of malaria policy to ensure compliance with earlier House of Commons Defence Committee (HCDC) Direction, peer reviewed publication was not prioritised; however, the findings prompted a further service evaluation which will look to examine malaria in the service population.

This further evaluation is ongoing and based on malaria notifications between January 2016 and January 2026. This work builds on 713/MODREC/15 and aims to provide a more contemporaneous picture of the impact of malaria on UK armed forces and the role of force health protection measures, including malaria chemoprophylaxis.

The intent is to publish both the results of 713/MODREC/15 and this service evaluation in a peer reviewed journal. The department will aim to submit the results of 713/MODREC/15 for publication within the calendar year.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 June 2026 to Question 2672, whether the analysis of the data collected in the study on the impact of anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis on functional effectiveness of military personnel (713/MODREC/15) has now been completed.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

Defence understands the importance of ensuring transparency and timeliness in the reporting of research results and recognises the results of this study have been significantly delayed.

The study entitled: Impact of anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis on functional effectiveness of military personnel (713/MODREC/15) was initiated in 2015 by a now-retired Defence Public Health Consultant. Retirement of the lead investigator without appointment of a replacement meant that the data remained unanalysed. Regrettably the delay was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was not until 2023 that resources were applied to revisiting the dataset.

A team of public health specialists supported by Defence Statistics undertook a re-analysis of the original dataset. The reanalysis determined that the study had not generated evidence of sufficient certainty to warrant recommendations to change policy or clinical practice around the choice of antimalarial. The relative lack of substantive findings from the reanalysis meant that while the work was reported internally as part of a general review of malaria policy to ensure compliance with earlier House of Commons Defence Committee (HCDC) Direction, peer reviewed publication was not prioritised; however, the findings prompted a further service evaluation which will look to examine malaria in the service population.

This further evaluation is ongoing and based on malaria notifications between January 2016 and January 2026. This work builds on 713/MODREC/15 and aims to provide a more contemporaneous picture of the impact of malaria on UK armed forces and the role of force health protection measures, including malaria chemoprophylaxis.

The intent is to publish both the results of 713/MODREC/15 and this service evaluation in a peer reviewed journal. The department will aim to submit the results of 713/MODREC/15 for publication within the calendar year.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled Naval Base Infrastructure, published on 14 July 2026, what timetable has been set for the modernisation of 10 Dock at HMNB Devonport.

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

As part of Project Royal Oak, £7.1 billion will be invested in HMNB Devonport and Devonport Dockyard over the next decade. This investment includes continued upgrades to 15 Dock to enhance capability and resilience for the submarine maintenance programme, the modernisation of 10 Dock, and completion of the 14 Dock recommissioning programme, which will enable legacy submarine defuelling operations to resume. It also includes broader infrastructure renewal and maintenance across the site.

This significant investment reflects both historic underinvestment in infrastructure and evolving operational requirements. The 15 Dock programme has already enabled the successful docking of the first Astute-class submarine at Devonport.

Following the nuclear regulatory review, we are currently exploring opportunities to accelerate work on 10 and 14 Dock, and we continue to drive forward delivery of these projects at the earliest possible opportunity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled Naval Base Infrastructure, published on 14 July 2026, what timetable has been set for the upgrade of 15 Dock at HMNB Devonport.

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

As part of Project Royal Oak, £7.1 billion will be invested in HMNB Devonport and Devonport Dockyard over the next decade. This investment includes continued upgrades to 15 Dock to enhance capability and resilience for the submarine maintenance programme, the modernisation of 10 Dock, and completion of the 14 Dock recommissioning programme, which will enable legacy submarine defuelling operations to resume. It also includes broader infrastructure renewal and maintenance across the site.

This significant investment reflects both historic underinvestment in infrastructure and evolving operational requirements. The 15 Dock programme has already enabled the successful docking of the first Astute-class submarine at Devonport.

Following the nuclear regulatory review, we are currently exploring opportunities to accelerate work on 10 and 14 Dock, and we continue to drive forward delivery of these projects at the earliest possible opportunity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 26 on page 63 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, if he will set out the the steps being taken to continue to reform acquisition and contracting practices to support warfighting readiness, industrial resilience and economic growth.

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

Defence is continuing to reform acquisition and contracting practices to support warfighting readiness, industrial resilience and economic growth. These reforms include:

• a portfolio-driven approach to acquisition, strengthening category management and improving strategic engagement with suppliers;

• streamlining investment approvals, increasing delegation and removing organisational barriers to enable faster decision-making and delivery;

• improving value for money and strengthening resilience in supply chains; and

• providing clearer demand signals to industry to support a more productive and innovative defence sector.

These measures aim to ensure the Armed Forces receive the capabilities they need more rapidly.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the planned £20 billion of investment in new weapons and munitions between 2030 and 2035 is in the current MOD budget.

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

The £20 billion of planned investment in new weapons and munitions between 2030 and 2035 reflects the Department's current planning assumptions for the period beyond the present Spending Review settlement.

Detailing funding for investments beyond 2029-30 will be set out as part of future Spending Reviews and subsequent budget-setting processes in the usual way.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the completion of medical records integration will be completed by Phoenix Partnership.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 July 2026 to Question 18661.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-14/18661

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled The Armoured Cavalry Programme, published on 14 July 2026, what specific measures are being introduced to address the recommendations relating to vibration and noise, and what testing will be undertaken to demonstrate their effectiveness.

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

The safety of our Service personnel remains paramount. The Army Safety Investigation Team investigation and the Independent Expert Panel Review have both completed, and their findings indicate no single causal mechanism of the symptoms reported by soldiers but a combination of multiple factors. Both reports agreed that the platform is safe when operated and maintained within the correct parameters and that noise and vibration were both within legal limits.

Work is underway to align the findings of the Independent Expert Panel Review with the findings the Army Safety investigation Team report. Progress against recommendations is being actively tracked and managed within the programme, ensuring a controlled, transparent and evidence-led approach to delivery.

I will continue to keep the House informed about developments with Ajax, as I have done since Exercise Titan Storm via Written Ministerial Statement.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled The Armoured Cavalry Programme, published on 14 July 2026, what the planned completion date is for each recommendation.

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

Work is underway to align the findings of the Independent Expert Panel Review with the findings of the Army Safety investigation Team report.

Progress against recommendations is being actively tracked and managed within the programme, ensuring a controlled, transparent and evidence-led approach to delivery.

It is too early to confirm planned completion dates for the recommendations.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 24 on page 63 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026 on changes to procurement rules, what progress he has made on increasing the speed of defence procurement.

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

On 1 April 2026, the NAD Group launched a new segmented approach to procurement, which tailors acquisition routes to the type of capability, supplier and levels of risk. Procurement segmentation is designed to enable programmes to get to contract faster and has established three segments for Equipment acquisitions. We have published Acquisition Guides for all three segments, so MOD practitioners can apply best practice to drive pace in our acquisitions. These are supported by ‘test and learn’ demonstrators on a variety of Defence programmes. These segments are:

1. Major platforms (such as tanks, frigates and aircraft) with a target to go from an average of six to two years to first contract;
2. Pace setting modular upgrades (such as communications, sensors and weapons upgrades) with a target to go from an average of three to one year to first contract; and
3. Rapid commercial exploitation (such as uncrewed systems) with a target of three-month cycles.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled Naval Base Infrastructure, published on 14 July 2026, what timetable has been set for the works on 14 Dock at HMNB Devonport.

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

As part of Project Royal Oak, £7.1 billion will be invested in HMNB Devonport and Devonport Dockyard over the next decade. This investment includes continued upgrades to 15 Dock to enhance capability and resilience for the submarine maintenance programme, the modernisation of 10 Dock, and completion of the 14 Dock recommissioning programme, which will enable legacy submarine defuelling operations to resume. It also includes broader infrastructure renewal and maintenance across the site.

This significant investment reflects both historic underinvestment in infrastructure and evolving operational requirements. The 15 Dock programme has already enabled the successful docking of the first Astute-class submarine at Devonport.

Following the nuclear regulatory review, we are currently exploring opportunities to accelerate work on 10 and 14 Dock, and we continue to drive forward delivery of these projects at the earliest possible opportunity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statement entitled The Armoured Cavalry Programme, published on 14 July 2026, what steps his department will take to determine whether implementation of the recommendations of the Ajax Independent Expert Panel Review has successfully improved the user experience.

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

The safety of our Service personnel remains paramount. The Army Safety Investigation Team investigation and the Independent Expert Panel Review have both completed, and their findings indicate no single causal mechanism of the symptoms reported by soldiers but a combination of multiple factors. Both reports agreed that the platform is safe when operated and maintained within the correct parameters.

Progress against recommendations is being actively tracked and managed within the programme, ensuring a controlled, transparent and evidence-led approach to delivery. User feedback is a key element of this evidence.

I will continue to keep the House informed about developments with Ajax, as I have done since Exercise Titan Storm via Written Ministerial Statement.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 28 on page 64 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, what steps his Department is taking to increase rapid scaling and implement robust and resilient supply chains.

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

The Ministry of Defence routinely assesses the security of sovereign defence supply chains as a core component of warfighting readiness, operational preparedness, and national security. Through risk assessments, real-time supply chain mapping, horizon scanning, exercising and scenario-based testing, Defence identifies vulnerabilities and implements mitigations to strengthen the resilience of sovereign supply chains against disruption.

Through the Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme and the Industrial Resilience Programme, Defence is working with industry and allies to strengthen critical supply chains, improving the ability of industry to rapidly scale and surge production in response to emerging threats, and ensure the availability of priority materiel in the event of crisis or conflict. The Ministry of Defence is also working with Government departments, allies and partners to secure access to critical technologies and minerals essential to Defence capability.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what work is being undertaken to reduce levels of regulatory requirements to support the warfighter.

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

This Government is reducing regulatory burdens on procurement through the implementation of procurement reforms that simplify the procurement framework, introduce a single supplier registration system and provides greater flexibility for contracting authorities. Within Defence, acquisition reform and the Integrated Procurement Model are streamlining governance, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, and supporting faster, more proportionate procurement activity. These measures are intended to improve efficiency, increase supplier participation, particularly from SMEs, and accelerate delivery of capability to the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 27 on page 64 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, if he will set out the planned reforms to reduce average time-to-contract for major platforms, modular upgrades and rapidly evolving technologies.

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

The Defence Investment Plan sets out acquisition reforms designed to reduce the average time to contract and drive capability delivery. On 1 April 2026, the National Armaments Director Group launched a segmented approach to procurement, which tailors acquisition routes to the type of capability, supplier, and level of risk.

The Ministry of Defence has established three acquisition segments:

• major platforms (such as tanks, frigates and aircraft), with a target to reduce the average time to first contract from six years to two years;

• pace-setting modular upgrades (such as communications, sensors and weapons upgrades), with a target to reduce the average time to first contract from three years to one year; and

• rapid commercial exploitation (such as uncrewed systems), with a target of three-month acquisition cycles.

These reforms are supported by the Accelerating Commercial Pathways (ACP) programme, which aims to improve the Ministry of Defence's ability to harness flexibilities in the commercial process and ensure that commercial approaches are tailored to the needs of individual procurements, including through the use of flexibilities provided by the Procurement Act 2023. The programme has launched six Commercial Pathways and, since March 2025, over 300 procurements have self-selected one or more pathways

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 28 on page 64 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, what steps he is taking to secure sovereign supply chains.

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

The Ministry of Defence routinely assesses the security of sovereign defence supply chains as a core component of warfighting readiness, operational preparedness, and national security. Through risk assessments, real-time supply chain mapping, horizon scanning, exercising and scenario-based testing, Defence identifies vulnerabilities and implements mitigations to strengthen the resilience of sovereign supply chains against disruption.

Through the Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme and the Industrial Resilience Programme, Defence is working with industry and allies to strengthen critical supply chains, improving the ability of industry to rapidly scale and surge production in response to emerging threats, and ensure the availability of priority materiel in the event of crisis or conflict. The Ministry of Defence is also working with Government departments, allies and partners to secure access to critical technologies and minerals essential to Defence capability.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to support the recruitment and retention of Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) are the lifeblood of our Cadet Forces – without whom the fantastic benefits of being a cadet could not be enjoyed by many thousands of young people.

Work is currently underway to determine how the 30% increase in cadet numbers recommended in the Strategic Defence Review will be delivered. This includes the proposition we are able to make to attract and retain CFAVs. The success of the Cadet Forces is intrinsically linked to the adult volunteers, and we are assessing how best to support them.

The responses from a recent extensive survey of CFAVs are helping to inform our approach to improving recruitment and retention in order to deliver expansion. This involves a range of work strands such as exploring more flexible ways to volunteer, reviewing and modernising recognition and reward, and looking at measures to reduce CFAVs’ day‑to‑day administrative burden.

We are committed to providing a compelling and appropriate offer for CFAVs in recognition of their contribution and as part of our drive to expand the Cadet Forces, we are holding the first National Cadets Week starting on 5 October 2026. This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate, publicise, and support the outstanding contributions of our adult volunteers.

We will also be launching a new Cadets Action Plan during National Cadets Week. This will set out our long-term vision for the Cadet Forces and will focus on the need to ensure that our adult volunteers have the right resources and support.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of allowing those using the Armed Forces Help to Buy scheme to let their homes out for a period longer than their deployment.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Armed Forces Help to Buy (FHTB) scheme is designed to support home ownership amongst eligible Service personnel and their families. Current policy recognises the mobile nature of Service life and allows limited letting of an FHTB-funded property in specified circumstances, subject to approval.

The Ministry of Defence keeps the FHTB scheme under regular review and has considered a number of stakeholder suggestions regarding its operation, including the circumstances in which FHTB-funded properties may be let. However, no decision has been taken to extend existing letting provisions beyond current arrangements, as any such change would need to be carefully considered against the scheme's primary purpose of supporting owner-occupation and ensuring the effective use of public funds.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will assess the potential merits of collecting data on (i) long-term health, (ii) employment and (iii) housing outcomes of medically discharged veterans.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The government is fully committed to renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve and who have served, to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.

The government's Veterans Strategy commits to continued investment in data and insights on veterans and their experiences. This will ensure that policy is evidence based, that targeted interventions deliver the right support at the right time, and to measure the strategy’s impact.

Alongside this, the £50 million VALOUR programme will make it easier for all veterans to access the care and support they deserve. VALOUR Recognised Centres, VALOUR Field Officers will gather data on the ground, while VALOUR HQ will work together with policy and research teams to analyse data and insight gathered, to ensure that services are designed to meet local needs. As the programme develops, we are working hard to ensure that the VALOUR network is inclusive of all veterans’ needs and experiences.

For veterans in need of help, dedicated support is available to veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness through Op FORTITUDE, or for mental and physical health needs through Ops COURAGE and RESTORE. Employment support is delivered through Op ASCEND and programmes such as the Career Transition partnership. For those in contact with or at risk of contact with the Criminal Justice System support is available through Op NOVA.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Official Statistics MOD regional expenditure with industry 2024/25, what the basis was for his Department finding a 6% reduction in defence spending on industry in Scotland.

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

The Ministry of Defence’s overall expenditure in Scotland during 2024-25 was £2.2 billion. The largest contracts in Scotland represent long-term, enduring investments, with payment values varying over time as different phases of programmes are delivered and contractual milestones are achieved.

As set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy and the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), this Government is committed to making defence an engine for economic growth across the UK, including in Scotland. The DIP is investing £298 billion over the next four years and is assessed to support an additional 60,000 direct and indirect jobs across the United Kingdom.

All nations and regions of the UK stand to benefit from this investment, the extent of future benefits in Scotland depending on the outcome of future competitions and procurement decisions. Initiatives such as the Scotland Defence Growth Deal are also driving innovation across key sectors, and new Defence Technical Excellence Colleges that will help develop the skilled workforce needed for Scotland’s future defence and maritime industries.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of direct procurement expenditure was awarded to UK small and medium-sized enterprises in the last financial year.

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

I can confirm that Ministry of Defence (MOD) direct expenditure with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the UK was £1.2 billion in 2024-25.

4% of MOD direct expenditure with UK industry is with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

The most recent spend figures available can be found here: MOD regional expenditure statistics with industry: 2024/25 - GOV.UK

Work on gathering the necessary data for reporting 2025-26 figures is still underway with publication expected in the Autumn.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 48 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, what his definition is of interests in the space domain.

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

The Ministry of Defence's interests in the space domain are to protect, maintain access to, and develop the space-based capabilities, infrastructure and services upon which the UK's national security, military effectiveness, and prosperity depend. Space capabilities, including satellite communications (SATCOM), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and position, navigation and timing (PNT), are essential enablers of the Integrated Force's ability to understand, communicate, move, and fight. Further, nearly 20% of national GDP is reliant on satellite services. As the space domain becomes increasingly contested, congested and competitive, the Ministry of Defence is committed to maintaining the UK's freedom of operation in this critical domain.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what are the disposal plans for the Hawk T1 aircraft after March 2030.

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

Decisions on the final disposal of the Hawk T1 aircraft have not yet been taken.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the demand for a solid boom refuelling capability in order to facilitate air-to-air refuelling of a) future F-35A, b) E7 Wedgetail, c) P8 Poseidon and d) RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft.

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

The Royal Air Force currently operates a probe and drogue air-to-air refuelling system and will complement this with the development of a boom system. This will ensure we have a sovereign air-to-air refuelling capability for the future Royal Air Force fleet that enhances interoperability with NATO Allies and partners.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 23, what is meant by informed by AI.

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

The Digital Targeting Web will be informed by Artificial Intelligence, employing advanced data analytics and machine learning to process large volumes of information quickly and efficiently. By merging data from multiple sources, recognising patterns and assessing risks, it will support our Service personnel to make safe and accurate decisions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025 to question 93241 on Warrior Vehicles: Procurement, what stage is Project ATILLA.

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

Project ATILLA aims to deliver an uncrewed ground vehicle minefield-breaching capability. Work is ongoing to convert Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles as part of the trial phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Tornado a) F3 and b) GR4 aircraft are still held by his department.

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

No Tornado aircraft remain in UK military service. A few former Tornado airframes have been retained as technician ground training aids or preserved as gate guardians.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the full scope of the StormFighter CCA programme.

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

The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme aims to mitigate current and emerging threats to ensure the Royal Air Force maintains a world-leading combat air capability. It will augment and enhance the effects of crewed aircraft across a range of Air Power roles. As the programme develops, it is expected to incorporate a range of capabilities to meet evolving operational requirements and technological advancements.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether funding has been provided for the next Tranche 2 phase of F-35 procurement.

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

The Defence Investment Plan has provided funding for the UK’s second procurement phase of F-35 aircraft. Work is underway to establish the delivery profile, which will need to be negotiated and contracted through the multinational Joint Program Office.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to question 16165 on Ballistic Missile Defence, what progress has he made in delivering a short range air defence solution mounted on the Common Armoured Vehicle System.

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

Defence continues to develop options for a future Short Range Air Defence (SHORAD) capability with the Common Armoured Vehicle System informing the current planning assumptions. The SHORAD programme is considering lessons identified from contemporary conflicts and the evolving threat posed by uncrewed air systems. This work is separate to the UK’s Ballistic Missile Defence Capability.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress the Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force has made since its establishment in November 2025.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Defence Investment Plan has allocated a total investment of £2.5 billion over the next four years to sustain and develop the new Defence Cyber & Electromagnetic Force (DCEMF).

Work continues to scale capability and workforce, including the stand-up of new venture teams to establish several new-to-Defence capabilities, including the nucleus of a Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Centre, as DCEMF matures.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the proposed 1,000 new jobs supported by the factories of the future initiative have been already recruited.

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

The sites for new munitions and energetics factories have not yet been selected. Recruitment to support factory operations will accompany their development. Feasibility studies for energetic material factories are expected to conclude no later than October 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether all of the six new munitions and energetics factories sites been identified for the factories of the future initiative.

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

The sites for new munitions and energetics factories have not yet been selected. Recruitment to support factory operations will accompany their development. Feasibility studies for energetic material factories are expected to conclude no later than October 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 48 of the DIP, where the current capability is on space-based ISR; and what the expected gains are by 2030.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is developing a nationally separable, space-based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) satellite constellation and supporting digital infrastructure through Programme ISTARI.

As part of the Programme, MOD has contracted for four Operational Concept Demonstrator (OCD) satellites, which will operate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as follows:

• The first satellite, TYCHE, launched on 14 August 2024, has an electro-optical imaging sensor with video capability to detect moving objects. Following on-orbit commissioning and testing, it was fully graduated to the MOD in December 2025.
• The second satellite TITANIA will explore data technologies and capabilities. It is expected to launch in 2026.
• JUNO is the third satellite and will have an advanced electro-optical sensor. It is expected to launch in 2028.
• The fourth satellite system is OBERON. This consists of two satellites with high-performance Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors, which will enable 24/7 imagery collection even through cloud, night and in poor weather conditions. It is expected to launch in 2028.

Defence is developing the supporting digital infrastructure through the following investments:

• The MINERVA data hub will enable tasking and data collection for UK ISR satellites and will process and disseminate the collected data to those that require it.
• The PRIMUS ALPHA satellite ground station will be installed and commissioned at a UK site in 2027. A plan for the development of additional PRIMUS stations at other locations in the UK and overseas from 2028 onwards is currently being developed.
• Space Missions Operations Centres are in the process of being constructed. These centres will enable MOD to conduct missions involving MOD owned space vehicles and payloads.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 49 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, when decisions on additional investments into IAMDSOC will be made; and what the deciding factors will be.

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

In recognition of the growing air and missile threat, the Strategic Defence Review committed to enhance the UK’s homeland air and missile defences, with £790 million of new money for homeland IAMD subsequently announced in the Defence Investment Plan. This investment is focused on improving national air and missile defence Command and Control and Sensing capabilities, to make best use of our existing effectors and air defences. This funding includes investing in a National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC which fulfils the Integrated Air and Space Missile Defence Operations Centre (IASMDOC) capability. The NASOC will be critical to coordination of national response to any future air and missile attack.

NASOC funding will commence in the coming years with a view to it providing operational capability in the early 2030s. Whilst specifics cannot be disclosed to ensure protection of national security arrangements, the growing air and missile threat is central to our thinking and potential future investments. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be considered by the NASOC Programme, in support of timely and efficient operational decision making. However, the scale and breadth of any potential AI employment is to be determined.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when is the Integrated Air, Space and Missile Defence Operations Centre expected to be integrated.

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

In recognition of the growing air and missile threat, the Strategic Defence Review committed to enhance the UK’s homeland air and missile defences, with £790 million of new money for homeland IAMD subsequently announced in the Defence Investment Plan. This investment is focused on improving national air and missile defence Command and Control and Sensing capabilities, to make best use of our existing effectors and air defences. This funding includes investing in a National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC which fulfils the Integrated Air and Space Missile Defence Operations Centre (IASMDOC) capability. The NASOC will be critical to coordination of national response to any future air and missile attack.

NASOC funding will commence in the coming years with a view to it providing operational capability in the early 2030s. Whilst specifics cannot be disclosed to ensure protection of national security arrangements, the growing air and missile threat is central to our thinking and potential future investments. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be considered by the NASOC Programme, in support of timely and efficient operational decision making. However, the scale and breadth of any potential AI employment is to be determined.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 109, what is the full scope of the £10 million for Tranexamic Acid.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The £10 million for Tranexamic Acid (TXA) will fund the development and procurement of the TXA Autoinjector to allow life-saving blood clotting treatment to be given at the push of a button. The funding will further support the selection of a supplier through a competitive process.

The TXA Autoinjector has significant potential to reduce fatalities from blood loss on the battlefield building on lessons from Ukraine.

Once developed, the TXA Autoinjector could be adapted from use in the battlefield to any major trauma incidents and be used to help women in developing countries who suffer major blood loss during birth and are unable to access medical treatment.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 39, by when will he set out a clear policy framework governing the delivery of Responsible Use of AI.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 July 2026 to Question 17491:

The Defence Strategic Approach to AI is currently being developed and will be finalised by the end of 2026. As set out in the Defence Investment Plan, this will be accompanied by clear policy frameworks governing the delivery of 'Dependable AI' and the 'Responsible Use of AI' across Defence. This activity is already under way, and will build on the MOD's existing policy, governance and assurance arrangements - notably the Dependable AI JSP 936.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, page 30, what progress has he made in expanding and transforming submarine manufacturing capacity.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 July 2026 to Question 17792 to the hon. Member for South Shropshire (Mr. Stuart Anderson).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-10/17792

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 81, what is the scope of the capabilities to enhance our awareness of space activities and protect our critical national assets in orbit that he plans to deliver.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is enhancing our awareness of space activities through significant investment in UK Space Domain Awareness (SDA) research and capability development. This investment includes upgrading the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) and developing a range of UK SDA sensors.The UK is also participating in the US-led trilateral Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) programme, which will provide 24/7, all-weather SDA capabilities that increase our ability to detect, track, identify and characterise objects up to Geostationary Earth Orbit.

To protect our critical national assets in orbit, the MOD will ensure the necessary Space Control systems and procedures are in place. Space Control means the use of defensive and offensive capabilities to assure access and freedom of action in space.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Ministry of Defence annual report and accounts 2025 to 2026, Losses, for what reason was Project Morpheus cancelled.

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

The reference to the cancellation of Project MORPHEUS in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2025 to 2026 relates to the decision not to continue MORPHEUS as a standalone project under the former Land Environment Tactical Communications and Information Systems Programme.

The underlying capability requirement has not been withdrawn. The outputs that MORPHEUS was intended to deliver are still required and will be taken forward through the Army’s Land Domain Command, Control, Communications and Computers Programme, including through the Tactical Communication and Information Systems Optimisation Project and the Tactical Network project.

This approach reflects a revised programme structure to sustain and modernise land tactical communications and information systems, rather than continuing MORPHEUS as a separate project.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many aircraft will comprise the Chinook Forward Fleet in 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030.

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

The Ministry of Defence does not routinely publish future forward fleet numbers, as doing so could reveal information that would prejudice operational security and the effectiveness of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his target is for the number of Chinook aircraft in the forward fleet in 2035.

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

The Ministry of Defence does not routinely publish future forward fleet numbers, as doing so could reveal information that would prejudice operational security and the effectiveness of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 81, what progress has he made in establishing a Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability.

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

The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) is a ground-based radar system that will provide 24/7, all-weather capabilities to detect, track, identify and characterise objects up to Geostationary Earth Orbit. DARC will require three permanent radar sites and a radar operations centre to provide 360-degree coverage: in Australia, the UK and the US. Construction of sites in Australia (Exmouth) and the US (IROC, Eglin) have been completed.

The USSF signed a contract with Northrop Grumman on 23 August 2024 for construction of the UK site starting April 2027.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has completed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), including a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, to ensure that the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) project has minimal impact on the local skyline. The EIA is part of a Town Planning application that was submitted to the local planning authority in March 2026.

The Defence Electromagnetic Authority, working with the Office of Communications, has issued an initial Authority to Operate. MOD and the Civil Aviation Authority is completing the necessary safety of flight procedures for local airspace.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 62, what phase will Project ASGARD be at at the completion of the scope of the £370m allocated.

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

Through the Defence Investment Plan, £370 million has been allocated to support the Army’s ASGARD initiative. ASGARD is not a conventional acquisition project with individual lifecycle phases. Instead, it provides an enduring environment in which the Army can test, integrate and exploit capabilities as they mature.

As a result, at the completion of the scope associated with the £370 million allocation, ASGARD will not transition to a distinct programme phase. Instead, it will continue to operate as a persistent capability, enabling the development, integration, evaluation and exploitation of digital technologies by the Forward Land Forces in Estonia, and across the British Army.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 93, what is the scope of the investment in a range of stand-off and long-range weapons for the Lightning Force in order to enhance F-35 lethality.

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

The Defence Investment Plan identifies investment in a range of stand-off and long-range weapons to enhance the lethality of the Lightning Force, including investment of £460 million in the SPEAR 3 programme and up to £6.4 billion in wider munitions. In the interim until SPEAR 3 arrives, approvals have been given to proceed with a Foreign Military Sales procurement of the precision-guided munition, Small Diameter Bomb (SDB-II). This acquisition will provide the F-35 with an interim stand-off capability until the introduction of SPEAR-3 into service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what phases will the Jet Training System programme go through before a new jet training aircraft is available for use by a) the Military Flying Training System and b) the Red Arrows.

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

Through the Defence Investment Plan, the department is investing £360 million into a new fast-Jet Training System, replacing the iconic but ageing Hawk aircraft.

The programme is ongoing and no final procurement decisions have been made.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Ministry of Defence annual report and accounts 2025 to 2026, Losses, for what reason was Shadow Mk2 cancelled.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November 2025 to Question 89765:

I can confirm that the Shadow Mk2 upgrade programme has been cancelled as it is late and has failed to deliver the capability that our Armed Forces need. It is also facing unacceptable cost escalation and delays.

This decision will allow us to focus on investing in other defence priorities and the Shadow Mk1.

We won't shy away from making difficult decisions that arise in the best interests of our Armed Forces and the taxpayer.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 62, what are the 24 drones that will be delivered by 2029 under Project CORVUS.

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

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question 16538 which remains extant:

Project CORVUS is subject to ongoing competition, and it would therefore be inappropriate to provide any detail at this stage.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 62, if he will provide a breakdown of the contractual payments included within the £2.2 billion allocated to Boxer.

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

The profile provided within the Defence Investment Plan represents the project forecast budget for the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle Boxer programme. A detailed breakdown of contractual payments is commercially sensitive, and disclosure would prejudice the commercial interests of the Department.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 110, what is the full scope of the proposed enhanced protection measures against CBRN threats.

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

It is not Ministry of Defence policy to comment on the scope of Counter-Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear capabilities, as disclosure of such detail could undermine operational and national security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2026 to question 15519 on Sky Sabre, whether the doubling of Sky Sabre systems will be covered entirely by the current contract.

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

The doubling of deployable Sky Sabre systems committed to in the Defence Investment Plan is being delivered through existing contracts under the Land Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) Programme's Capability Uplift Package 1.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 49 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, what enhanced AI command and control system IAMDSOC will use.

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

In recognition of the growing air and missile threat, the Strategic Defence Review committed to enhance the UK’s homeland air and missile defences, with £790 million of new money for homeland IAMD subsequently announced in the Defence Investment Plan. This investment is focused on improving national air and missile defence Command and Control and Sensing capabilities, to make best use of our existing effectors and air defences. This funding includes investing in a National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC which fulfils the Integrated Air and Space Missile Defence Operations Centre (IASMDOC) capability. The NASOC will be critical to coordination of national response to any future air and missile attack.

NASOC funding will commence in the coming years with a view to it providing operational capability in the early 2030s. Whilst specifics cannot be disclosed to ensure protection of national security arrangements, the growing air and missile threat is central to our thinking and potential future investments. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be considered by the NASOC Programme, in support of timely and efficient operational decision making. However, the scale and breadth of any potential AI employment is to be determined.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 49 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, whether capabilities will be lost by not proceeding with SKYNET 6 Narrowband Satellite System.

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

The decision not to proceed with the SKYNET 6 Narrowband Satellite System procurement was taken once it was confirmed that alternative assured and resilient narrowband services will be available to meet future capability requirements.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 50 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, what is the target number of personnel in the Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force by 2030.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force (DCEMF) is expected to double in size.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, of the 90,000 cyber-attacks the UK faces on its Defence Systems annually what is the split between state and non-state actors.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Due to operational sensitivities, I am unable to provide a breakdown of the split of cyber-attacks on UK Defence Systems between state and non-state actors.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the life expectancy of SKYNET 6A.

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

The operational design life of the SKYNET 6A satellite is 15 years.

Found: Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence relating to the Committee’s 51st Report

Found: Letter from the Chair to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence on the Affordability of the

Found: Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence relating to the Committee’s evidence session

Found: As part of that conflict, state actors were involved on the part of the UK, including the Ministry of Defence

Found: It is sponsored by the Ministry of Defence but operates independently and impartially in carrying out

Found: leading in quantum computing, the UK has probably neglected our need to oversee and 13 The UK Ministry of Defence

Found: Today, we are the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) ninth biggest supplier, and in 2025, Serco’s UK Defence

Found: In 2022/23, the top 10 MoD contractors received 37.3% of total MoD external spending, a proportion

Found: It makes the following recommendations to the Government and the MoD.

Found: The authors have also reflected on the recommendations made to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in techUK

Found: all four nations of the UK, sustaining 24,000 jobs and delivering mission critical solutions across MoD

Found: resilience. 2.2 There have been positive developments in recent years, including efforts by the Ministry of Defence

Found: There is a gap however between the high civilian casualty rate and the actual effort spent by MoD in

Found: Recommendation: The Committee should recommend that the Ministry of Defence set a binding target for

Found: Building on the practice of sandbox simulations and war-gaming, used throughout the Ministry of Defence

Found: consortia;c. open direct, prime-free funding and IP-protected, interoperable routes for SMEs into MoD

Found: At present, MOD frequently procures in such a way that there is no 10 Financial Conduct Authority,

Found: A genuine partnership requires the Ministry of Defence to redistribute that risk, reward suppliers for

Found: A genuine partnership requires the Ministry of Defence to redistribute that risk, reward suppliers for

Found: In the UK, the MTS team works closely with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and its partners to deliver

Found: current defence system does not provide a clear route for companies like Vertical to experiment with MoD

Found: MOD 82 17. MOJ 84 17.1. MOJ 84 17.2. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) 86 17.3.

Found: Central Government Departments ● Ministry of Defence ● Department for Environment

Found: Housing 2,348,000 2,391,000 2,984,000 MHCLG Valuation Tribunal Service 21,053 24,188 27,915 MOD

Found: organisations include Cabinet Office, Defra, DfE, DESNZ, DWP, Government Commercial Agency, HMRC, MoD

Found: Port Ellen KT Chair, International Relations and Defence Committee House of Lords SW1A 0PW MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Found: Examples include: • The Universities of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt securing joint Ministry of Defence

Found: A shift in mentality, moving the Ministry of Defence (MOD) beyond a transactional customer–supplier

Found: MOD should distinguish between publishing potential opportunities and providing sufficient information

Found: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is the UK's single largest landowner — over 225,000 hectares including

Found: In the UK, the MTS team works closely with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and its partners to deliver

Found: current defence system does not provide a clear route for companies like Vertical to experiment with MoD

Found: A genuine partnership requires the Ministry of Defence to redistribute that risk, reward suppliers for

Found: A genuine partnership requires the Ministry of Defence to redistribute that risk, reward suppliers for

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Department's Accounting Officer has reviewed proposals for Site A at MoD Bicester against the principles of Managing Public Money.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

No decision has been made in respect of the use of MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation.  Due diligence and assurance work for all proposed large sites including Bicester is still ongoing.

This includes assessing accurate costings. Once complete, business cases and approvals will be sought and details published in the normal way for all Major Government Programmes.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which organisations have (a) had departmental Civil Servants seconded to HMRC and the Valuation Office since July 2024 and (b) seconded organisational staff to HMRC and the Valuation Office in that period.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Since July 2024, HMRC civil servants have been seconded to the following organisations:
• Gambling Commission
• Office for Environmental Protection
• St Helena Government
• Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA)
• Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
• Nesta
• Pubs Code Adjudicator
• TaxAid
• Resolution Foundation
• Bank of England
• London School of Economics
• National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
• GCHQ
• University College London (UCL)
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR)
• St James's Palace
• National Crime Agency (NCA)
• Falkland Islands Government
• Alexander Mann Solutions
• UK Government Investments
• Isle of Man Government
• Arts Council NI
• HMG Gibraltar
• Financial Ombudsman Service

The VOA seconded out civil servants to:
• HM Treasury
• LocatEd (then an arms-length body of the Department for Education).

During the same period, HMRC has received inward secondees from:
• the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)
• Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP)
• Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT)
• Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

The VOA received inward secondees from:
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)
• Department for Transport (DfT)
• HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS)
• Home Office (HO)
• Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Food Standards Agency (FSA)
• HM Land Registry
• Ministry of Defence (MOD)
• Legal Aid Agency
• HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS)
• HM Treasury
• LocatED

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) recognise blood and the wider blood supply chain as critical national infrastructure; and (2) invest in improving the resilience and redundancy of the UK's blood supply.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As blood services are a devolved matter, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for the blood service in England alone. NHSBT is a critical national infrastructure-owning organisation, and the Department of Health and Social Care works closely with it to review the criticality and resilience of blood services. The Joint Blood Stocks Working Group also brings together the Department of Health and Social Care and NHSBT with NHS England, the National Blood Transfusion Committee, and the Ministry of Defence to strengthen planning and emergency preparedness.

In addition, NHSBT is taking forward work to strengthen the resilience of blood supplies both in business-as-usual operations and during critical incidents, including through its partnerships with Defence Medical Command and the Air Ambulance services. This includes exploring new approaches to transfusion in emergency settings, such as dried plasma, or to the transport of blood samples using drones. This work will support future care in challenging environments, both civilian and defence, and help expand the options to deliver blood services, where it is safe, practical, and operationally beneficial to do so.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a national blood resilience strategy covering health, defence and civil contingencies.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As blood services are a devolved matter, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for the blood service in England alone. NHSBT is a critical national infrastructure-owning organisation, and the Department of Health and Social Care works closely with it to review the criticality and resilience of blood services. The Joint Blood Stocks Working Group also brings together the Department of Health and Social Care and NHSBT with NHS England, the National Blood Transfusion Committee, and the Ministry of Defence to strengthen planning and emergency preparedness.

In addition, NHSBT is taking forward work to strengthen the resilience of blood supplies both in business-as-usual operations and during critical incidents, including through its partnerships with Defence Medical Command and the Air Ambulance services. This includes exploring new approaches to transfusion in emergency settings, such as dried plasma, or to the transport of blood samples using drones. This work will support future care in challenging environments, both civilian and defence, and help expand the options to deliver blood services, where it is safe, practical, and operationally beneficial to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what contracts have been awarded in connection with proposals to use Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

No final decision has been made on whether to use MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation and no contractual agreements have been awarded to run or use the site for asylum accommodation. The site remains subject to ongoing feasibility, planning, design, assurance and governance processes.

Throughout the development of potential accommodation sites, information is managed in accordance with normal government requirements, including obligations relating to security, commercial sensitivity, policy development and procurement activity where applicable

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much expenditure has been incurred by her Department in connection with proposals to use Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation, broken down by category of expenditure.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

No decision has been made in respect of the use of MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation. Due diligence and assurance work for all proposed large sites including Bicester is still ongoing.

This includes assessing accurate costings. Once complete, business cases and approvals will be sought and details published in the normal way for all Government Major Programmes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to invest in the deployment of innovative blood technologies where they may strengthen the resilience and preparedness of the UK's blood supply chains.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As blood services are a devolved matter, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for the blood service in England alone. NHSBT is a critical national infrastructure-owning organisation, and the Department of Health and Social Care works closely with it to review the criticality and resilience of blood services. The Joint Blood Stocks Working Group also brings together the Department of Health and Social Care and NHSBT with NHS England, the National Blood Transfusion Committee, and the Ministry of Defence to strengthen planning and emergency preparedness.

In addition, NHSBT is taking forward work to strengthen the resilience of blood supplies both in business-as-usual operations and during critical incidents, including through its partnerships with Defence Medical Command and the Air Ambulance services. This includes exploring new approaches to transfusion in emergency settings, such as dried plasma, or to the transport of blood samples using drones. This work will support future care in challenging environments, both civilian and defence, and help expand the options to deliver blood services, where it is safe, practical, and operationally beneficial to do so.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will specify which Minister in each government department holds responsibility for oversight of the operations of Mountain Rescue services; and if the Government will consider designating a single minister and department with lead responsibility and full accountability for this function.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

Mountain Rescue covers a broad range of capabilities provided by civilian, military, and voluntary responders. As such, a number of Ministers and departments are responsible for determining policy relevant to their areas of expertise and sponsoring these various services:

• Any 999 call requesting Mountain Rescue is passed from British Telecom to the Police, who then reroute the call to the relevant Mountain Rescue agency to assist the caller. The Home Office is the sponsoring department for the police, including Police 999 call handlers. The Minister of State for Policing and Crime is Sarah Jones MP.

• Any aircraft from HM Coastguard would be sponsored by the Department of Transport, via the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation is Keir Mather MP.

• Military Mountain Rescue teams are able to deploy without additional ministerial permissions, but the Ministry of Defence would be consulted for novel or continuous activity. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for the Armed Forces is Louise Sandher-Jones MP.

• The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport leads on volunteering policy across government. The Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth is Stephanie Peacock MP.

Lead Government Departments are assigned to risks, rather than by capability or sector. The Government has no plans to designate a single minister or government department with sole responsibility for Mountain Rescue services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her department has assessed the potential merits of increasing the service pupil premium.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government is committed to improving outcomes for all children, including those from service families. The department works closely with the Ministry of Defence to support service pupils and help schools address challenges associated with service life, including mobility and family separation.

Schools receive Service Pupil Premium funding to provide additional pastoral and educational support. Current evidence shows that service pupils generally achieve attainment and progression outcomes comparable to their non-service peers, suggesting that the support available, including the Service Pupil Premium, make a positive impact.

The department keeps all education funding arrangements under review as part of wider policy and spending considerations.

Found: Russia and say this: rearmament is not warmongering, 15 February 2026 4 Press releases Ministry of Defence

Found: (MOD)’s spending priorities for the next four years.

Found: While the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is not responsible for the security of CNI, the SDR recommended

Found: identity in the UK, as at July 2026 Organisation Role Office for Veterans’ Affairs (part of the Ministry of Defence

Found: The data may also differ from daily figures previously published by the Ministry of Defence, due to the

Found: 00MainstreamPrimary420Yes2016-09-01 00:00:00Floreat Montague Park Primary SchoolMulberry Park, Bath (formerly MOD

Found: cover the necessary purchases by government departments such as the contract branches of the Ministry of Defence

Found: Police Service Reserved new entry 19 00 00 Police Service Not in use new entry 24 00 00 Police Service MOD

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Urgent Crown Development application: MOD Bicester (Site A)

Found: Majesty The King Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence

Found: The heads of MI5, MI6, MoD and others recognise this is a grave threat to UK national security.

Found: 0.0555555555555556 27 3 0.111111111111111 0 0 28 4 0.142857142857143 0 0 10 2 0.2 1 0.1 5 0 0 0 0 Ministry of Defence

Found: 0.0555555555555556 27 3 0.111111111111111 0 0.0 28 4 0.142857142857143 0 0.0 10 2 0.2 1 0.1 5 0 0.0 0 0.0 Ministry of Defence

Found: Moy Road Industrial Estate Taffs Well CARDIFF United Kingdom CF15 7GE Wider Public Sector 10004839 MoD

Found: TRL Ministry of Defence (MOD) definition 1 Basic principles observed and reported 2 Technology

Found: Lydd firing range The Ministry of Defence operate the Lydd Firing Range to the east of Rye Harbour.

Found: London Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker Ministry of Defence; Defence Business Services Bristol Worker

Found: London Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker Ministry of Defence; Defence Business Services Bristol Worker

Found: London Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker Ministry of Defence; Defence Business Services Bristol Worker

Found: This UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) themed competition is run on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD

Found: This UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) themed competition is run on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD

Found: SA73 3EP GBAUPEMCDFMFP No Ministry of Defence - Defence & Storage Distributions Agency Glen Mallan -

Found: Learn more about accessing MOD training areas safely.

Found: MOD War Detectives (the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre Commemorations team); our future services

Found: While assigned to a NATO Member State, UK Ministry of Defence personnel are through arrangement entitled

Found: store or transmit material that could reasonably be expected to embarrass or compromise the UKDI, Dstl, MOD

Found: for UK Government and international clients, including FCDO, Home Office, Cabinet Office, MOD

Found: evaluations for UK Government and international clients, including FCDO, Home Office, Cabinet Office, MOD

Found: Control measures approved by MOD and issued by the NRA for all civil and MOD police and all civilian

Found: Deadline: 11 December 2024 Objectives: remove GNSS dependence from the eLoran transmitter at MoD Anthorn

Found: AAOS UK.MAA.AAOS.0010 NATS EnRoute PLC ATM equipment & support 0 8.3 AAOS UK.MAA.AAOS.0011 QinetiQ Ltd MOD

Found: Enter MoD certificate reference number - in the format 'UK/ .....' entering the relevant certificate

Found: The data may also differ from daily figures previously published by the Ministry of Defence, due to the

Found: The national NHS and Ministry of Defence Partnership Agreement and work programme is also agreed and

Found: The heads of MI5, MI6, MoD and others recognise this is a grave threat to UK national security.

Found: The area is located within a Ministry of Defence practice area but any restrictions are only applicable

Found: In addition, special consultation conditions are flagged by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in relation

Found: BS16 7FH, UNITED KINGDOM 18599956 DEFENCE FULFILMENT CENTRE DEFENCE FULFILMENT CENTRE, HORTONWOOD 50, MOD

Found: previously looked after children 2) Children of members of the UK Armed Forces who qualify for Ministry of Defence

Found: force-protection capability Open to UK based innovators This Themed Competition is run on behalf of the Ministry of Defence

Found: force-protection capability Open to UK based innovators This Themed Competition is run on behalf of the Ministry of Defence

Found: With support from police, a Ministry of Defence bomb disposal team, and emergency services, the site

Found: operating in Scotland such as the British Transport Police, the National Crime Agency and the Ministry of Defence