Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of civil servants in his Department are (a) on temporary contract and (b) consultants.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 30 November 2025, 1,020 civil servants are on fixed term contracts, amounting to two percent of Ministry of Defence civil servants. Consultants are not classed as civil servants.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 11th December 2025 to question 90800 on F-35 Aircraft: Procurement, what assessment has he made of the potential impact of the time taken to ensure that the programme has the required numbers of engineers on the ability to maintain the F-35 fleet.

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

The Department is taking measures to improve the recruitment and retention of engineers, whilst also increasing the number of engineers on the F-35 Lightning Force to improve availability.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the potential merits of procuring the K9-Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzer.

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

Many 155 mm Artillery systems, including K9-Thunder, were considered as candidates for the Army’s enduring artillery capability, prior to selection of the Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 mm for the Mobile Fires Platform.

The Army continues to evaluate its need against current conditions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 11th December 2025 to question 90800 on F-35 Aircraft: Procurement, what is the total size of the remuneration package for the RAF Engineers Financial Retention Incentive.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The total remuneration package for the RAF Engineers Financial Retention Incentive is approximately £113.5 million.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Department has ownership of the Office for Small Business Growth.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 December 2025 to Question 96235. The Office will be owned by the National Armaments Director.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Class 1 Raybird systems his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

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

The Department has not ordered any Raybird systems since 5 July 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last met his US counterpart to discuss the progress of the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail programme.

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

The Secretary of State for Defence regularly speaks with his US counterpart to discuss critical bilateral topics. Defence ministers, service chiefs, and officials frequently engage with their US counterparts on the E-7 programme. Most recently, the Chief of the Air Staff discussed it with his US counterpart in November 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total estimated a) acquisition cost and b) through life cost is of the Boxer programme.

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

As published in the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25 data. The initial acquisition cost for the contracted Mechanised Infantry Boxer vehicles is £3.1 billion. The forecast whole life cost for the Mechanised Infantry Boxer Programme, covering wider Defence Lines of Development such as support and potential capability uplifts, is £7 billion.

https://www.gov.uk/csv-preview/6895fbb63080e72710b2e2ef/nista_annual_report_data_2425.csv

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what legal actions his Department has sought to initiate for liquidated damages from contractors in the last five years, broken down by a) project name, b) original contract value and c) sums recovered by his Department.

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

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the largest sum ever recovered by his Department is following a successful legal action for liquidated damages against a contractor; and for which programme this applied.

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

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's definition is of liquidated damages.

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

The Department's definition of liquidated damages is a pre-agreed sum to compensate for the financial loss that arises from the contractor’s failure to perform their contractual obligations.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who manufactures the command system for the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.

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

The command system onboard Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft, referred to as the Mission System, is primarily manufactured and integrated by Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the a) feasibility and b) potential merits of extending the out-of-service date of Warrior beyond 2027.

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

There are no plans to extend the out-of-service date for Warrior beyond 2027, and as such an extension is not under consideration. The focus remains on achieving the Strategic Defence Review's vision for a tenfold increase in British Army lethality over the next decade, with survivable and lethal platforms, such as armoured fighting vehicles, playing a central role alongside new layered systems of attritable and consumable platforms.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to tackle UK defence capability gaps.

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

The Ministry of Defence employs a rigorous approach to identify and mitigate risks arising from gaps in defence capability, ensuring the delivery of defence's strategic and operational objectives. The Strategic Defence Review sets out recommendations to enhance the agility and lethality of our armed forces, which will be implemented through the Defence Investment Plan. The Integration of our defence capabilities will be driven through the Integrated Force Plan, ensuring that capability remains coherent and aligned with national defence strategy.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the project stages and timeline are for the Challenger 3 programme.

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

Challenger 3 is currently undergoing demonstration phase trials to prove the performance of the tanks. Manufacturing will begin once the tank's performance is proven, rather than being tied to a specific deadline.

The project team will review the timeline regularly to ensure alignment with delivery milestones, operational needs, and emerging technical risks.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the planned deadline for commencing the manufacturing phase of Challenger 3.

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

Challenger 3 is currently undergoing demonstration phase trials to prove the performance of the tanks. Manufacturing will begin once the tank's performance is proven, rather than being tied to a specific deadline.

The project team will review the timeline regularly to ensure alignment with delivery milestones, operational needs, and emerging technical risks.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 16th December 2025, to question 98210 on Submarines: Decommissioning, what is the schedule for (a) defueling the 12 remaining decommissioned submarines and (b) dismantling all remaining submarines.

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

The twelve decommissioned, first generation Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR1) submarines awaiting defuel in Devonport will dock in a specialised, licensed dock in Devonport, following processes regulated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation. The used fuel will be removed, loaded into a qualified transport container and transported to Sellafield prior to long-term storage in the Geological Disposal Facility. Submarines will be dismantled after the fuel has been removed. Work is underway to prepare the dock facilities and associated resources in line with plans to recommence defueling in 2026.

Dismantling of Swiftsure commenced in Rosyth in 2023. This demonstrator project will refine the disposal process and is on track to be dismantled by the end of 2026, achieving the commitment given to the Public Accounts Committee in 2019.  Lessons learned from these defuel and dismantling projects will provide more certainty around the schedule for defueling and dismantling the remaining 22 decommissioned submarines.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the UK’s defence industrial base to support rapid mobilisation and sustained conflict.

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

The Department regularly assesses the Defence enterprise’s ability to respond swiftly to sustained conflict. Additional measures to support rapid mobilisation and sustained readiness were outlined in the Defence Industrial Strategy and the Strategic Defence Review. The current strategy prioritises resilience by developing integrated and assured supply chains, scalable production capacity, and an “always-on” munitions capability that can be rapidly expanded. Working across Government and with international partners, significant progress is already underway.

Key initiatives include regular wargaming exercises with industry, reforms to commercial processes, establishing a dedicated scenario planning and modelling capability and developing potential legislative powers to remove barriers and accelerate delivery of critical projects.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Quarterly service personnel statistics: 1 October 2025, what assessment has he made of the cause of the decrease of personnel in the Full-Time Trained Strength (RN/RM & RAF) and Full-Time Trade Trained Strength (Army) in the 12 months to 1 October 2025.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

UK Regular Armed Forces intake is now greater than outflow at the Tri-Service level and strength remained stable over a rolling 12-month period. Published stats (1 October 2025) show that since 1 October 2024, the total number of UK Forces Personnel has increased by 0.3% (increase of 516 to 182,063). Armed Forces inflow has increased by 13% when compared to previous 12-months. In the same period outflow reduced by 8%.

There is no single reason why personnel leave the Armed Forces, but the personnel who completed the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey indicated reasons for leaving the Armed Forces included the impact of Service life on family and personal life and opportunities outside the Armed Forces.

We are pleased to be reversing the trend of decline, with more people joining our Armed Forces than leaving for the first time in four years. But we know there is more to do to and are taking decisive action, including speeding up the process for those wishing to rejoin the Armed Forces, giving personnel the largest pay rise in decades and scrapping 100 outdated recruitment policies, and legislating the first-ever Armed Forces Commissioner to improve Service life.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 16th December 2025, to question 98210 on Submarines: Decommissioning, what is the process for defueling decommissioned submarines.

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

The twelve decommissioned, first generation Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR1) submarines awaiting defuel in Devonport will dock in a specialised, licensed dock in Devonport, following processes regulated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation. The used fuel will be removed, loaded into a qualified transport container and transported to Sellafield prior to long-term storage in the Geological Disposal Facility. Submarines will be dismantled after the fuel has been removed. Work is underway to prepare the dock facilities and associated resources in line with plans to recommence defueling in 2026.

Dismantling of Swiftsure commenced in Rosyth in 2023. This demonstrator project will refine the disposal process and is on track to be dismantled by the end of 2026, achieving the commitment given to the Public Accounts Committee in 2019.  Lessons learned from these defuel and dismantling projects will provide more certainty around the schedule for defueling and dismantling the remaining 22 decommissioned submarines.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has he made in procuring a new 155mm self-propelled howitzer for the Royal Artillery.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 November 2025 to Question 88294, which remains extant.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the out-of-service date of the 105mm light gun.

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

On current plans, the Out of Service Date for L118 105 mm Light Gun is 2030.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the level of threat posed by Russia’s Arctic naval modernisation programme, including the introduction of armed icebreaking patrol vessels, on UK and allied maritime security in the High North.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence keeps Russian military capabilities and investment under continuous review. We work closely with our NATO Allies to understand the implications of Russian military capability development for Alliance security. NATO is strengthening its deterrence and defence as a result of the increasing threat from Russia and will continue to adapt as necessary.

Hypersonic missiles are just one type of many Russian air and missile capabilities. In light of the increasing threat the UK faces, His Majesty's Government announced up to £1 billion of investment for Integrated Air and Missile Defence in the Strategic Defence Review.

This is part of a comprehensive and integrated approach to deterring and defending against the range of strategic threats we face.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to monitor and respond to changes in the military balance in the Arctic region, including Russia’s nuclear capabilities and posture, and what discussions he has held with NATO partners on this matter.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence keeps Russian military capabilities and investment under continuous review. We work closely with our NATO Allies to understand the implications of Russian military capability development for Alliance security. NATO is strengthening its deterrence and defence as a result of the increasing threat from Russia and will continue to adapt as necessary.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of recent trends in levels of Russian nuclear submarine and naval activity within the Arctic Circle and the implications for the security of the United Kingdom and NATO allies.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence keeps Russian military capabilities and investment under continuous review. We work closely with our NATO Allies to understand the implications of Russian military capability development for Alliance security. NATO is strengthening its deterrence and defence as a result of the increasing threat from Russia and will continue to adapt as necessary.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contracts Elbit Systems has with the Government; and which defence contracts it is being considered for.

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

The Ministry of Defence is unable to confirm what contracts Elbit Systems has with wider Government. It would also not be appropriate to comment on any future ongoing competitions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of whether current force levels across the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are sufficient to meet assessed threats.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Our Armed Forces are ready to deter, fight and win - today, tomorrow and together with our allies.

Since elected, this Government has been committed to strengthening our Armed Forces. Through the Strategic Defence Review, we have outlined plans to increase the total number of Regular personnel, when funding allows. Additionally, we have embraced a whole-of-society approach to deterrence and defence, reinforcing our collective resilience, and are committed to increasing the number of Active Reserves by 20%, bolstering surge capacity and showcasing the UK's readiness to defend itself.

We do not disclose Force levels, but they remain under constant review. However, we do routinely publish our UK Service personnel statistics on strengths, requirements, intake, applications and outflow, by Service available at the link provided below:

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2025

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Rapid £140 million boost for drone and counter-drone tech from newly-formed UK Defence Innovation, published on 15 December, whether his Department has placed any contracts for additional laser weapons to complement the UK's DragonFire system since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

This Government is investing in Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) to accelerate these capabilities into service, developing sovereign technology and systems to put the UK at the forefront of an emerging market and be an engine for growth. Directed energy was designated a frontier industry in the Defence Industrial Strategy.

The funding covered in the 15 December press release is helping the Ministry of Defence (MOD) stay at the forefront of DEW, ensuring UK capabilities benefit by continuous improvement of the technology, systems, and sub-systems, by undertaking research and development to make them more efficient and effective. This will contribute to advanced future capabilities across laser and radio-frequency (RF) systems across all domains, that will come into service on a longer timescale, building on the learnings we take from accelerated capabilities like DragonFire.

The Defence Investment Plan will outline our future plans, and whilst we cannot comment on all contracts for security and commercial reasons, we are exploring DEW applications across many use cases, both within the MOD and with partners across Government.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what analysis his Department has conducted on the strategic implications for NATO of Russia’s enhanced Arctic infrastructure, including air base expansions and deployment of advanced air defence systems such as S-400 on Novaya Zemlya.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence keeps Russian military capabilities and investment under continuous review. We work closely with our NATO Allies to understand the implications of Russian military capability development for Alliance security. NATO is strengthening its deterrence and defence as a result of the increasing threat from Russia and will continue to adapt as necessary.

Hypersonic missiles are just one type of many Russian air and missile capabilities. In light of the increasing threat the UK faces, His Majesty's Government announced up to £1 billion of investment for Integrated Air and Missile Defence in the Strategic Defence Review.

This is part of a comprehensive and integrated approach to deterring and defending against the range of strategic threats we face.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the threat posed to the UK by Russian hypersonic-capable missile systems operated by the Russian Northern Fleet.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence keeps Russian military capabilities and investment under continuous review. We work closely with our NATO Allies to understand the implications of Russian military capability development for Alliance security. NATO is strengthening its deterrence and defence as a result of the increasing threat from Russia and will continue to adapt as necessary.

Hypersonic missiles are just one type of many Russian air and missile capabilities. In light of the increasing threat the UK faces, His Majesty's Government announced up to £1 billion of investment for Integrated Air and Missile Defence in the Strategic Defence Review.

This is part of a comprehensive and integrated approach to deterring and defending against the range of strategic threats we face.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to prevent industrial action from Royal Fleet Auxiliary a) ratings and b) officers.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a vital element of Defence, enabling the ability to deliver operational effect in conjunction with our allies around the world. We continue to engage constructively with the trade unions which represent RFA ratings and officers. It would not be appropriate to offer more detail of these engagements as discussions are ongoing.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by when will the first phase of the Light Mobility Vehicle Project be completed.

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

The Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) sub programme is in its Concept Phase. On current plans, formal market engagement will commence in early 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the salary band of the current Ajax SRO; and whether this has been supplemented by a performance or other bonus within the part three years.

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

Information regarding paybands for Army Command Senior Civil Servants can be found at the following link: Army staff roles and salaries

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of recent upgrades to the Russian Northern Fleet, including the commissioning of Borei-A class ballistic missile submarines and modernization of surface combatants such as Admiral Nakhimov.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence keeps Russian military capabilities and investment under continuous review. We work closely with our NATO Allies to understand the implications of Russian military capability development for Alliance security. NATO is strengthening its deterrence and defence as a result of the increasing threat from Russia and will continue to adapt as necessary.

Hypersonic missiles are just one type of many Russian air and missile capabilities. In light of the increasing threat the UK faces, His Majesty's Government announced up to £1 billion of investment for Integrated Air and Missile Defence in the Strategic Defence Review.

This is part of a comprehensive and integrated approach to deterring and defending against the range of strategic threats we face.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funding his Department has allocated for the maintenance and improvement of buildings and other infrastructure used by the cadet forces.

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

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

As part of our plan to increase the cadets by 30% by 2030 we are looking at the cadet estate. Investment in the defence estate is long overdue and investment decisions more broadly on the defence estate will be made as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral Answer by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 15 December 2025, Official Report, Column 606, what percentage of the 5,400 drones bought in 2024 were made by British companies.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral Answer by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 15 December 2025, Official Report, Column 606, how many new staff will be employed as part of the drone uncrewed centre of excellence.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral Answer by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 15 December 2025, Official Report, Column 606, when he plans to launch the drone uncrewed centre of excellence.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral Answer by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 15 December 2025, Official Report, Column 606, where will the drone uncrewed centre of excellence be based.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the countries in which Army overseas training exercises will be reduced from financial year 2026-27.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments.

The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the countries in which Royal Navy overseas training exercises will be reduced over the next four years.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments.

The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the Royal Navy overseas training exercises that will be reduced over the next four years.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments.

The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to fit defensive laser systems to the UK's aircraft carriers.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers were designed with adaptability in mind, enabling capability upgrades throughout their service life. This flexibility ensures the Royal Navy can integrate emerging technologies and maintain operational advantage.

The Royal Navy remains committed to building combat mass while staying at the forefront of innovation. As part of this effort, a £316 million contract has been awarded to deliver the advanced DragonFire laser weapon system from 2027. This cutting-edge capability will augment the Type 45 destroyers and operate alongside the QEC carriers within the Carrier Strike Group, enhancing layered defence and future-proofing the fleet against evolving threats.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral Answer by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 15 December 2025, Official Report, Column 606, what is the total cost of establishing the drone uncrewed centre of excellence.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has set a target date by which no veteran should be sleeping rough in England; and what resources have been allocated to achieve this objective.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

This Government is fully committed to ensuring that all veterans across the UK have access to the support they need on housing. That is why we have committed an additional £12 million to ensure the continuation of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme. Op FORTITUDE will also be extended, putting the service that has already supported over 1,000 veterans on a sustainable footing. These programmes will deliver three years of support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

On 11 December 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published A National Plan to End Homelessness. The Ministry of Defence contributed to this strategy including committing to ensuring that all councils are aware of service provision in their area to support veterans at risk of homelessness.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral Answer by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 15 December 2025, Official Report, Column 606, who will lead the drone uncrewed centre of excellence.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what amphibious vessels are available to the a) Royal Navy and b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As a matter of policy, the Department does not comment on the detailed readiness or availability of individual ships.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, whether the reduction in Army overseas training exercises from financial year 2026-27 will result in the retirement of any military platforms.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments.

The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, whether the scale back of the Royal Navy's participation in overseas training will result in the early retirement of any Royal Navy vessels.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments.

The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the UK’s ability to defend against a large scale conventional military attack.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence Review acknowledge that the UK and European allies face a new era of threat.

Defence plays a key role in the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme, a whole of Government endeavour, to enhance our national security, resilience and preparedness for crisis and conflict. Defence is central to this, combining its strengths with those of wider Government, industry and society. The department maintains plans in coordination with NATO and wider Government, with the Armed Forces continually exercising their capabilities to ensure they can respond rapidly and effectively to keep Britian safe.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, whether there will be any change to the amount of training exercises conducted by the Royal Air Force in financial year (a) 2025-2026, (b) 2026-2027, (c) 2027-2028 and (d) 2028-2029.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As outlined in my previous response, the single Services remain committed to prioritising training exercises in alignment with both our own and partners' operational needs, as well as the priorities outlined in the Strategic Defence Review

The exact number of training exercises and the scale of the RAF's participation in such exercises vary from year to year due to a range of factors including operational commitments and UK and host nation political considerations.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason a) RFA Lyme Bay and b) RFA Mounts Bay have not been put to sea.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As a matter of policy, the Department does not comment on the detailed operational readiness or tasking of individual ships.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the drones due to be bought by his Department in 2026 will be (a) reconnaissance, (b) logistics, (c) First-Person View and (d) long-range one-way attack drones.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the drones bought by his Department in 2024 were (a) reconnaissance, (b) logistics, (c) First-Person View and (d) long-range one-way attack drones.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of the drones bought by his Department in 2024 were supplied to Ukraine.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of the drones his Department plans to buy in 2026 will be made by British companies.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many drones have been bought in 2025.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the Army overseas training exercises that will be reduced from financial year 2026-27.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments.

The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

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 adopting the unofficial Cold War Medal for UK veterans from the Cold War.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has no plans to adopt an unofficial medal in recognition of UK military service during the Cold War.

In the UK, the granting of official Honours and Awards is made at the behest of His Majesty, The King who is advised by the Cabinet Office led Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals. In turn, this committee is advised on matters of historic military recognition, by the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee, rather than the MOD.

The issue of generic medallic recognition for service during the Cold War was officially considered by Sir John Holmes as part of his review of Military Medals in 2012. The Review did not recommend that a Cold War medal should be introduced.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to review medal eligibility criteria for armed forces personnel injured in acts of terrorism while serving in the UK but not on operational deployment.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

All UK medallic recognition is at the behest the monarch. He is advised by a Cabinet Office led system of committees that consider the merits of individual endeavour in various fields.

I am aware of calls for a specific acknowledgement for Service personnel who are injured in the course of their military careers, either during military conflict or through incidents of terrorism. For that reason, officials in the Ministry of Defence are considering this issue, looking at whether a defined ‘Injury Medal’ would be the best method of recognition in such circumstances, and whether such an award would be viable.

This work is at an early stage, and it would not be appropriate to speculate on whether such an award may be instituted, nor precisely what it might look like in terms of eligibility.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure veterans are not (a) homeless and (b) rough sleeping.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

This Government is fully committed to ensuring that all veterans across the UK have access to the support they need on housing. That is why we have committed an additional £12 million to ensure the continuation of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme. Op FORTITUDE will also be extended, putting the service that has already supported over 1,000 veterans on a sustainable footing. These programmes will deliver three years of support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

On 11 December 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published A National Plan to End Homelessness. The Ministry of Defence contributed to this strategy including committing to ensuring that all councils are aware of service provision in their area to support veterans at risk of homelessness.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has changed the Royal Navy's rules of engagements in light of the incursion by the Russian submarine Krasnodar.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 November 2025, to Question 93047.

The Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence continuously assess our Rules of Engagement to ensure our Armed Forces can act appropriately against malign activities and future threats. For reasons of national security, I am not able to disclose specific detail on Rules of Engagement.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the UK's carrier battle groups will have a carrier-based, fully autonomous, unmanned air-to-air refuelling tanker.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Navy (RN) is exploring Fixed Wing Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACPs) as an augmentation for the F-35B Lightning jets embarked on Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) carriers. This would be as a means of providing additional strike capability and air-to-air refuelling within the Hybrid Air Wing construct. The RN will work collaboratively with the Royal Air Force to evaluate emerging solutions for this capability.

Project Vanquish, the demonstration of a short take-off and landing jet- powered ACP to a QEC carrier, was recently announced by the First Sea Lord and is the first step to realising this ambition.

Investment decisions to support Strategic Defence Review recommendations are being developed by the Ministry of Defence and will be published in the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the UK's carrier battle groups will have a carrier-based, fully autonomous, unmanned Carrier Onboard Delivery capability.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Navy recognises the potential of autonomous systems to enhance the resilience and flexibility of Carrier Strike operations. All options for a Carrier Onboard Delivery capability are being considered, and work is currently underway to explore unmanned, autonomous, Maritime Inter- and Intra-Theatre Lift (MITL) capabilities, including trials of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft capable of operating from Queen Elizabeth Class carriers.

This approach is consistent with the development of the Hybrid Air Wings recommended in the Strategic Defence Review. Investment decisions are being developed and will be published in the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the UK's carrier battle groups will have fully functioning carrier-based Airborne Early Warning.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control system provides carrier-based airborne early warning. It achieved Full Operating Capability in March 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures are in place to protect British waters from future incursions by the Russian submarine Krasnodar.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Royal Navy shadowed the Russian Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar and its accompanying tug-boat, Altay, through the English Channel. The Krasnodar remained on the surface for the duration of her transit and operated in line with international obligations. Should the Krasnodar or any other Russian Federation Navy unit enter UK waters, Defence is poised to monitor, track and respond.

As part of its core task, the Royal Navy monitors, tracks and responds to any potential threats in the UK's EEZ, through frequent patrolling by British warships, monitoring and shadowing foreign warships in UK waters, and use of the Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) programme, among other activity and capabilities. The government has also been clear on its readiness and willingness to respond decisively to any maritime threat to the UK and its interests. More broadly, the recently announced Atlantic Bastion will secure the North Atlantic for the UK and NATO against the persistent and growing underwater threat from a modernising Russian submarine force.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in the past twelve months, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies broken down by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) conduct.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in the last year.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the Hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will implement civilian harm tracking for explosive ordnance-related incidents in military operations.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The UK has robust targeting policies, practices and processes to ensure that all military operations are conducted in full compliance with our legal obligations and in a manner that reflects the UK’s clear commitment to the protection of civilians. UK forces observe all practicable precautions, conducting rigorous assessments before and after striking a target. The Ministry of Defence analyses all UK military activity, investigating any credible reports that UK actions may have caused civilian harm.

The UK are proud signatories of the 2022 Political Declaration on use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas and are party to Protocol Five of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

Our existing practices are some of the most robust and transparent globally and are kept under close review, including for the potential impact of new methods and technologies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of staff were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what will the training capacity shortfall be, and for how long, between the closure of ATR Winchester and opening of new facilities at ATR Pirbright.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

There will be no shortfall in the training capacity between the closure of ATR Winchester and the opening of new facilities at ATR Pirbright. The Army has arranged for additional accommodation and other facilities to be made available for recruits at ATR Pirbright.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91776, and with reference to the UK’s commitments as a signatory of the Political Declaration on strengthening the protection of civilians from the humanitarian consequences arising from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, what steps his Department has taken to review and improve its ability to record and track civilian casualties, including children, using various methods of data collection.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The UK has robust targeting policies, practices and processes to ensure that all military operations are conducted in full compliance with our legal obligations and in a manner that reflects the UK’s clear commitment to the protection of civilians. UK forces observe all practicable precautions, conducting rigorous assessments before and after striking a target. The Ministry of Defence analyses all UK military activity, investigating any credible reports that UK actions may have caused civilian harm.

The UK are proud signatories of the 2022 Political Declaration on use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas and are party to Protocol Five of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

Our existing practices are some of the most robust and transparent globally and are kept under close review, including for the potential impact of new methods and technologies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK launches new Military Intelligence Services as hostile threats surge, published on 12 December, when the new Military Intelligence Services will be fully operational.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence has a current estimate for the Military Intelligence Services to reach Full Operating Capability during quarter 3 of 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK launches new Military Intelligence Services as hostile threats surge, published on 12 December, whether Defence Intelligence will be (a) absorbed, (b) disbanded or (c) renamed.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Defence Intelligence (DI) continues to exist as an organisation in its own right. DI, underpinned by a new charter will lead, cohere and improve the capabilities and activities of Military Intelligence Services.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether HMS Lancaster was deemed unfit to conduct a return journey to the United Kingdom for decommissioning.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 98839 on 19 December 2025

HMS Lancaster has exceeded the 18 years lifespan she was originally built for and, with almost 35 years of outstanding service, she has reached her planned out of service date. She has been forward deployed to the Middle East for the last three years where her output has been exceptional.

Rather than seek to extend her safety certification further, the Royal Navy is commencing preparations for her final disposal while she is in Bahrain. This decision has maximised operational output whilst ensuring that the safety and wellbeing of the Ships Company is paramount. As is standard practice for decommissioning ships, any material or supplies on HMS Lancaster that can be used elsewhere in the fleet will be repurposed.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans are in place for transportation of the ordnance on board HMS Lancaster.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

HMS Lancaster has exceeded the 18 years lifespan she was originally built for and, with almost 35 years of outstanding service, she has reached her planned out of service date.

As is standard practice for decommissioning ships, any material or supplies on HMS Lancaster that can be used elsewhere in the fleet will be repurposed. The ammunition will be transported using standard defence logistics pathways for the safe movement of munitions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there has been a delay to the appointment of the Armed Forces Commissioner.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Armed Forces Commissioner will play a pivotal role in improving Service life for Service personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be central to delivering a trusted and effective service for our people and it is vital we get the right person for the job. It is expected that the Commissioner will be appointed next year and their office will be operational from April 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the quality of the a) workmanship and b) quality control on the Ajax production line at General Dynamics Merthyr Tydfil facility.

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

The Ajax programme has a Joint Acceptance Group; a collaborative team of British Army and General Dynamics Land Systems-UK personnel who work together to test, evaluate, and formally accept the new Ajax vehicles into service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has ever sought legal advice from the Treasury Solicitor's Department on Ajax.

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

I can confirm that legal advice has been sought from the Government Legal Department on Ajax.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has he made in identifying a replacement for FV433.

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

The Army’s FV433 self-propelled howitzer was replaced in the mid-1990s, by the AS90.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what defence expenditure is planned in (1) 2026–27, (2) 2027–28, and (3) 2028–30; and whether those figures take account of (1) the updated National Risk Register 2025, and (2) the danger of Russian aggression in the airspace or waters of the North Atlantic.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Following the Spending Review, the Government has set a clear path for defence spending to reach 2.6% of GDP from 2027. The exact figures were set out in the published Spending Review on 11 June 2025.

This takes account of the capabilities and reforms that the Strategic Defence Review has identified are needed to meet the challenges and threats, including countering Russian aggression, new nuclear risks, and daily cyber-attacks at home.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he now intends to publish the Defence Investment Plan.

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

We are working flat out between now and the end of the year to finalise the Defence Investment Plan. I am sure the Hon. Gentleman will appreciate the scale of the decisions that we need to make. He will also appreciate the scale of the problems that we face, including those to do with a programme of the last Government’s that over-committed, and was underfunded and unsuited to meeting the threats that we will face in the future.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will introduce sanctions against senior members of Russia's GUGI agency.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 17 June 2025, the UK sanctioned the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (GUGI). As per the UK's long-standing policy on sanctions, it would not be appropriate to speculate about any future sanctions action.

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