Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many hearing loss cases are pending with the Davies Group.

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

Ministry of Defence (MOD) Claims statistics are published annually. The next MOD common law compensation claims statistics will be published this summer.

Previously published Annual reports can be found at the following link.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mod-compensation-claims-statistics

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel will participate in the British Army's small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems training pathways in each remaining financial year of the current Parliament.

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

Centralised training in small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) is delivered by the Land Warfare Centre, with distributed training subsequently provided by individual units within the Field Army.

As of February 2026, 282 personnel are currently participating in the British Army’s centralised sUAS training pathways. Exact figures for those currently undertaking distributed training are not available as these figures are not held centrally.

Looking ahead, we have currently made available 915 spaces for centralised training and expect around 2,000 personnel to undertake distributed training in future financial years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the work carried out at MOD Bicester; how many of his Department’s personnel are stationed there; and who owns the site.

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

The Bicester site is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) via the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. There are a number of different units and organisations located in Bicester performing a wide range of tasks and services, and as such there is no overall assessment of the effectiveness of the work carried out at Bicester. If the right hon. Member has an area of particular interest, I would be happy to provide further information.

There are currently 183 MOD civilian personnel and 725 trade trained Armed Forces personnel located at MOD Bicester.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel are currently participating in the British Army's small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems training pathways.

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

Centralised training in small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) is delivered by the Land Warfare Centre, with distributed training subsequently provided by individual units within the Field Army.

As of February 2026, 282 personnel are currently participating in the British Army’s centralised sUAS training pathways. Exact figures for those currently undertaking distributed training are not available as these figures are not held centrally.

Looking ahead, we have currently made available 915 spaces for centralised training and expect around 2,000 personnel to undertake distributed training in future financial years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil servant positions within the Ministry of Defence were gapped as at (a) 5 July 2024 and (b) 1 February 2026.

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

In line with recommendations from the Strategic Defence Review the Ministry of Defence aims to reduce Civil Service costs by at least 10% by 2030. To achieve this, the Department is employing a range of workforce levers to facilitate a measured and sustainable approach to workforce reductions. As part of this process, all Civil Service vacancies are being reviewed. Until this work is complete, it is not possible to provide specific numbers of posts vacant or not being actively recruited at the dates requested.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 48851 on Reserve Forces: Finance, what assessment he has made of the level of available reserve service days; and what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of reserve service days, including for 3 Division.

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

The UK Armed Forces continually review Reserve Service Days (RSD) to ensure that the Reserve Forces meet operational requirements.

The Army is currently conducting a review of Army Reserve tasks, including those for 3 (UK) Division, through the Field Army’s Force Commitments Exercise which will assess the funding required to support planned activities and to forecast the number of RSD needed for Financial Year 2026-27.

In addition, the Royal Air Force has no current plans to alter the current commitment of RSD per person, whilst the Royal Navy is undertaking work to expand funded training, increase deployment opportunities, and improve short notice tasking for the Maritime Reserves.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to (a) publish for pre-legislative scrutiny and (b) introduce the Defence Readiness Bill in (i) 2026, (ii) 2027, (iii) 2028 and (iv) 2029.

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

The Ministry of Defence is currently working to develop Defence Readiness measures to ensure the Government has the powers it needs to keep the UK safe in crisis or conflict, as recommended in the Strategic Defence review. The introduction of legislation, and the scrutiny of it, will be conducted when Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the specified operational locations which qualify service personnel to receive the Operational Allowance.

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

Service personnel on deployed operations in the following Specified Operational Locations qualify for the payment of Operational Allowance:

Chad (all locations)

Egypt (Sinai only)

Iraq (all locations)

Mali (all locations)

Somalia (all locations)

South Sudan (all locations)

Democratic Republic of Congo (Goma only)

Lebanon (Naquora only)

Lebanon (Beirut only) – backdated for period 6 September 2024 to 27 November 2024 only

Red Sea (within operational areas) – backdated to 23 May 2025

I am withholding the names of some locations for the purpose of safeguarding national security, as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Oral Statement on 26 March 2025 entitled Spring Statement, Official Report, whether any programmes in existence prior to 26 March 2025 will be included in the 10% committed to be spent on novel technologies from the MOD equipment budget.

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

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including directing at least 10% of our equipment procurement annually on novel technologies, which will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

That will include a mixture a significant number of existing defence programmes which are already at the cutting edge, as well as new initiatives like directed energy weapons, AI and autonomous platforms.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January to Question 107727 on Unmanned Air Systems: Higher Education, how many of the (a) civilians and (b) soldiers enrolled on the undergraduate drone degree does he expect to participate on the British Army's small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems training pathways.

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

Centralised training in small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) is delivered by the Land Warfare Centre, with distributed training subsequently provided by individual units within the Field Army.

As of February 2026, 282 personnel are currently participating in the British Army’s centralised sUAS training pathways. Exact figures for those currently undertaking distributed training are not available as these figures are not held centrally.

Looking ahead, we have currently made available 915 spaces for centralised training and expect around 2,000 personnel to undertake distributed training in future financial years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nights were spent in hotels by Departmental staff in financial year 2024-25 by the star rating of the hotel.

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

All business/duty hotel accommodation booked by Ministry of Defence (MOD) staff must be made using the Global Business Travel (GBT) online booking tool. The GBT tool does not record the star rating of hotels, but MOD policy stipulates that bookings must align with the Department’s Hotel Capitation Rates.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil servants have left the Ministry of Defence via the targeted voluntary exit scheme since 5 July 2024.

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

Since 5 July 2024, the Ministry of Defence has instigated one targeted voluntary exit scheme; this was launched on 6 Jan 2026. This scheme is Department-wide but targeted at certain professional cohorts and forms part of our response to workforce planning objectives set out in the Strategic Defence Review. This scheme is ongoing and the number of exits will not be known until later in the year. Since 5 July 2024, there have been 39 voluntary exits which can be attributed to localised workforce change activities and not via a targeted scheme such as that currently in operation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what NATO intelligence functions are based at RAF Wyton.

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

No NATO intelligence functions are based at RAF Wyton.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2026 to Question 101383 on Government Actuary's Department: Freedom of Information, what is the evidential basis for the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry's statement that the £34,702 million figure by the Government Actuary's Department was incorrect.

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

It is incorrect to present the nominal costs as the true amount, and to ignore the effects of inflation and the changing value of money on the real costs of a deal that lasts 99 years.

The figures published by the Government Actuary's Department clearly show that they had also calculated a net present value of £3.4 billion, by using the OBR forecast inflation rate along with the Social Time Discount Rate set out in the Green Book. The Government gave a detailed breakdown of this methodology in the explanatory memorandum we published alongside the Treaty in May 2025.

This is standard practice for any long-term Government deal. It ensures the figures are realistic, comparable, and not artificially inflated by adding up future payments without considering the time value of money.

These figures also have been verified and confirmed by the Office for Statistics Regulation and Office for Budget Responsibility.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what restrictions, if any, were placed on the remit of the reviewers authoring the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025.

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

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) was an external document. It was presented to the Department by the external reviewers, who were working to the Terms of Reference that the review be deliverable and affordable within the fiscal envelope available to Defence

The reviewers of the SDR were able to consider all aspects of Defence, with discretion to examine additional issues that arose during the Review. Their remit included established parameters such as the Government's commitment to the independent nuclear deterrent, NATO as the cornerstone of UK Defence, support for Ukraine, and the need to maintain defence ties with key regions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 27 January (HL13563), when the contract for the Defence Marine Services Next Generation In-Port Services was signed; and in doing so what consideration was given to social value in line with the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023.

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

The contract for Defence Marine Services Next Generation In-Port Services was signed on 25 April 2025. This procurement had commenced in 2022 under the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011, rather than the Procurement Act 2023 which came into force in February 2025. In compliance with the regulations in force at the time, the tender evaluation process included assessment of social value responses on education, training and environmental benefits.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's letter to the Rt hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire, reference: PQW/24-25/2025/16500/16507/16511/16512/16514/16521, dated 20 August 2025, and the oral contribution of the Minister for the Armed Force during the Second Reading of the Armed Forces Bill on 26 January 2026, Official Report, column 706, how much was the total reserve spending for each of the last five years, including the main categories of spending beyond pay and and bounty payments; and if he will set out the expected total reserve spending for the remaining years of this Parliament.

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

The Government has committed to spending 2.6% of GDP on defence from 2027, and we have set the ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament, subject to economic and fiscal conditions. Over this Spending Review period, this Government will invest over £270 billion in cash terms in defence. This is the largest sustained increase in spending since the Cold War.

The Strategic Defence Review outlined an ambition to increase the number of Active Reserves by 20% when funding allows, enhancing surge capacity and demonstrating the UK's readiness to defend itself.

Total spending on Reserve Forces between 2023-24 and 2024-25 is not managed centrally, with each Service determining expenditure based on its specific operational requirements. In relation to spending plans in 2025-26, we do not routinely place figures relating to planned expenditure in the public domain as they are subject to change.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the reserves in 2024-25 and 2023-24, broken down by RDEL, CDEL and TDEL; and how much it plans to spend in 2025-26, broken down by RDEL, CDEL and TDEL.

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

The Government has committed to spending 2.6% of GDP on defence from 2027, and we have set the ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament, subject to economic and fiscal conditions. Over this Spending Review period, this Government will invest over £270 billion in cash terms in defence. This is the largest sustained increase in spending since the Cold War.

The Strategic Defence Review outlined an ambition to increase the number of Active Reserves by 20% when funding allows, enhancing surge capacity and demonstrating the UK's readiness to defend itself.

Total spending on Reserve Forces between 2023-24 and 2024-25 is not managed centrally, with each Service determining expenditure based on its specific operational requirements. In relation to spending plans in 2025-26, we do not routinely place figures relating to planned expenditure in the public domain as they are subject to change.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when will he lift the civil service recruitment controls in his department.

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

An initial month-long recruitment pause was introduced in October 2025 across the Department as one of a range of workforce levers to facilitate a measured and sustainable approach to workforce reductions. The pause has been extended and is currently being reviewed. Throughout the pause, business areas have had the flexibility to approve exemptions where there are exceptional pressures.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the public purse of the Royal Air Force transitioning to 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel by 2040; and whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of the long-term fiscal implications of sustainable or synthetic aviation fuel prices for Defence aviation.

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

The Royal Air Force (RAF) procures its aviation fuel in the UK from commercial suppliers at market rates. As a result, this makes accurate long-term cost forecasting challenging. The price of aviation fuel, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), is subject to market fluctuations, and the level of RAF fuel consumption varies due to numerous factors.

The RAF has not committed to transitioning to 100% SAF by 2040. The RAF will follow the incremental transition to sustainable aviation fuel as set out in the UK Government's SAF mandate, which requires aviation fuel to contain 22% SAF by 2040. This date aligns with the RAF's aim to become a net-zero air force.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2026 to Question 107819 on Military Intelligence, what was the (a) cost and (b) start date of the existing multi‑year contract with Google for Secret‑level cloud hosting and data services.

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

The Ministry of Defence awarded the £400 million Secret Community Cloud (SCC) contract to Google Cloud on 8 September 2025, and work began in early October.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the full scope of Project Upham.

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

Project UPHAM is the name given to pre-concept work undertaken with a view to the future procurement of digital sighting systems for small arms. Given its pre-concept status, the scope and specification of this project have not been defined.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that an expanded Armed Forces Covenant Duty will be backed by (1) measures of success, (2) methods for monitoring the impact of the Covenant Duty, and (3) regular reporting of the findings of such monitoring.

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

Officials are currently working on refining the Covenant Annual Report, leveraging this established mechanism to assess the impact of the Covenant and measure its success. This report is a key tool for ensuring transparency and accountability, as it is subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The Secretary of State for Defence is legally required to report annually to Parliament on progress in delivering the Covenant across the UK.

As part of this work, officials are exploring ways to improve data collection and develop more robust methods for measuring the impact and success of the Legal Duty. These efforts aim to provide a clearer understanding of how the Covenant is being delivered, ultimately driving improvements in support for the Armed Forces community. The team will continue to identify opportunities to enhance data collection processes, ensuring that the information gathered is comprehensive, accurate, and reflective of the needs of the Armed Forces community.

Additionally, the Covenant Team actively monitor trends through the Covenant website and a dedicated mailbox to identify areas of disadvantage.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the out of service date for Bowman.

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

On current plans, Bowman's Out of Service Date will be no later than 2035, and no earlier than 2031.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister for Veterans on 23 April 2025 (HC47398), what further progress they have made on the rollout of Programme Cortisone.

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

The vision for Programme CORTISONE is to deliver a sustainable, integrated, cohesive and enduring information capability to support the delivery of evidence-based medical and dental health and healthcare outputs.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded a £7.8 million contract to Leeds software company, The Phoenix Partnership to provide a modern electronic healthcare records system called SystmOne for the Armed Forces. This will digitalise military medical records and integrate MOD systems with the NHS.

Scheduled to begin its roll out in 2027, SystmOne is fully secure and compatible with the NHS, meaning that Service personnel will receive quick and seamless care between Defence and civilian health systems, including both new recruits and Service leavers transitioning in and out of the military.

It will replace outdated time-consuming processes for transfers of information between the NHS and the Defence Medical services, be more user-friendly and increase time to care for patients by improving clinical productivity and reducing the admin burden with a modern IT system.

The contract award aligns with the Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 which outlines a commitment to increase MOD spending with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January to Question 108701 on Skynet: Procurement, when the Skynet 6A will complete the testing and validation phase.

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

The Skynet 6 Programme continues to progress in support of Defence’s satellite communications requirements.

The testing and validation of Skynet 6A is expected to complete final acceptance activity by mid-2027, leading to issue of the Certificate of Acceptance.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planned legislative timetable is for the Defence Readiness Bill.

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

Defence Readiness legislation is being considered to ensure the Government has the powers it needs to keep the UK safe in crisis or war, as recommended in the Strategic Defence Review. Legislation will be brought forward when Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the full scope of Project Lily.

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

The full scope of Project Lily was to include the procurement of a single, contractor supported, commercial off-the-shelf uncrewed surface vessel and a remote operations centre for year-round, global, open ocean operations. The uncrewed surface vessel was for military data gathering and was to include a two-year period of Government owned, commercially operated support before transitioning to a Government owned, Government operated solution with commercial support.

This project was cancelled following a decision to consider alternative internal options to meet this requirement. Should any future procurement be required, details of the opportunity will be published in the usual way via the Defence Sourcing Portal.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ministerial colleagues and (b) external partners on the 25-year conservation plan for Akrotiri Salt Lake in the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

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

The Sovereign Base Areas Administration oversees the conservation plan for the Akrotiri Salt Lake, specifically through the ‘Akrotiri Peninsular Environmental Management Plan’. This was prepared in 2012 with the input and cooperation of local communities, non-Government organisations, and agencies of the Republic of Cyprus. Activity within this plan has been undertaken with technical and project support from cross-Government partners, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many MOD sites used by Cadets have been closed under the Future Defence Infrastructure Services programme.

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

No Ministry of Defence (MOD) sites used by Cadets were closed under Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) programme.

FDIS is a programme within the MOD that focuses on the delivery of facilities management and infrastructure services across the Defence estate. The FDIS Accommodation Contracts came into service on 1 April 2022 and replaced the previous National Housing Prime and Regional Prime contracts.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 103618, when the Armed Forces Foundation Year Scheme placement details will be finalised.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge) on 16 January 2026, to Question 104236.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-01-08/104236

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which MOD sites are in scope to be sold under the Defence Estates Optimisation Plan.

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

A list of all Ministry of Defence sites that are planned to be disposed of as part of the Defence Estate Optimisation Plan can be found on the House of Commons Defence Disposal Database.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disposal-database-house-of-commons-report

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the Capability Drop 3 Ajax-family vehicles that have undergone acceptance testing by the Joint Acceptance Group required concessions against specifications or contractual requirements to be submitted by General Dynamics; and how many were approved.

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

All 185 Capability Drop 3 vehicles have modifications above the current production baseline and therefore every vehicle accepted through the joint acceptance group testing has concessions. In addition to these above baseline concessions, there are 28 different concessions which are due to either alternative parts or parts out of tolerance which do not impact user performance or operation or exceptionally a timebound impact on performance which is acceptable.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of the original capability requirements specified for the Ajax-family vehicles have been relaxed or amended due to an inability of the vehicles to meet the original requirements.

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

It would not be appropriate to release a complete list of capability criteria, or any amendments to them, as doing so could prejudice the capability of our Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of the capability requirements that Ajax-family Capability Drop 4 vehicles will fully comply with.

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

It would not be appropriate to release a complete list of capability criteria, or any amendments to them, as doing so could prejudice the capability of our Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of the capability requirements have Ajax-family Capability Drop 3 vehicles been verified to fully comply with.

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

It would not be appropriate to release a complete list of capability criteria, or any amendments to them, as doing so could prejudice the capability of our Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the full scope of Project Troubler.

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

Project TROUBLER is currently in the concept phase. As part of this phase, performance, interoperability and complexity are some of the characteristics under consideration. Due to the current phase of the project and commercial sensitivities I am unable to provide further detail at this stage.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 99038 on Armed Conflict: Civilians, to list what metrics were used during the external review to measure the effectiveness of the Ministry of Defence's approach to (a) mitigate and (b) respond to civilian harm.

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

In 2025, the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Human Security Policy Unit commissioned an external, independent review of the MOD’s current civilian harm mitigation and response policy; the report also considers the impact of gender and age of civilians. The metrics used were developed in consultation with civil society organisations and included compliance with applicable domestic and international law, as well as the United States of America Department of Defense Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (2022).

Due to the classification of the content, there is no intention to publish the detailed findings and recommendations of the external review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 99038 on Armed Conflict: Civilians, if he will publish the conclusions of the external review.

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

In 2025, the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Human Security Policy Unit commissioned an external, independent review of the MOD’s current civilian harm mitigation and response policy; the report also considers the impact of gender and age of civilians. The metrics used were developed in consultation with civil society organisations and included compliance with applicable domestic and international law, as well as the United States of America Department of Defense Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (2022).

Due to the classification of the content, there is no intention to publish the detailed findings and recommendations of the external review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, will the RAF's Eurofighter Typhoon be upgraded with the Aerodynamic Modification Kit.

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

The Typhoon is a world-class combat aircraft and will continue to serve as the backbone of the UK's Combat Air Force mass until at least the 2040s. To ensure it remains at the cutting edge of capability, the UK is planning significant investment in the Typhoon through-life equipment programme. Further details on future Typhoon investment will be outlined in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the full scope of Project Goldweed.

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

Project Goldweed is currently in the delivery phase. Due to operational and commercial sensitivities I am unable to provide any further detail.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many non-commissioned officers ranked Staff Sergeant or above, have left the Army in the last 3 years, broken down per year.

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

Figures for outflow of non-commissioned officers ranked Staff Sergeant or above can be found below.

Notes/Caveats

1. The figures are for the Trade Trained Regular Army only and therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service, Mobilised Reserves, Army Reserve and all other Reserves, but includes those personnel that have transferred from GURTAM to UKTAP.

2. Figures include the following paid ranks: Staff Sergeant, Warrant Officer 2, Warrant Officer 1.

3. Outflow encompasses all types of Outflow, excluding promotions from Other Ranks to Officers. This includes Voluntary Outflow, Administrative Discharge, Medical Discharge, and those who have come to the end of their engagement.

4. Outflow rates are calculated by dividing the 12-month rolling outflow number by the average strength of the population over the same period.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the full deployment timeline will be for the roll out of female body armour in the Armed Forces; and what feedback mechanisms will be established to help improve users’ experiences.

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

The current Tactical Ballistic Plate (TBP) project, which is currently in its assessment phase, will deliver hard armour plates in a range of different sizes, thus ensuring greater comfort and integration for all users across Defence. Multiple Human Factors Integration (HFI) trials have been completed with female representation. Further information regarding the timelines for the roll out of TBP will be available as the project progresses.

The Army will continue to investigate options to procure complex geometry plates, working alongside both industry and Dstl. However, the technology is new, and the market does not currently offer complex geometry plates which meet current requirements.

With regards to feedback mechanisms, there are opportunities for users to provide feedback however they will become more established with time.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the evidential basis is for his Department's position that all of the Atherton Report’s recommendations have been implemented in full.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 December 2025 to Question 98153 to the hon. Member for Lewes (James MacCleary).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-12-08/98153

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the scope of the Royal Navy’s Eagles Eye trials in relation to the development of a naval aviation hybrid air wing.

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

The Eagles Eye Trial is an iterative programme designed to develop the Royal Navy concept of hybrid air wings delivered under the Maritime Aviation Transformation programme.

The Trial focuses on the development of crewed and uncrewed collaboration through the live control of Uncrewed Aerial Systems from a Wildcat Maritime Attack Helicopter.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has given security guarantees to the United States on the future of the military base on Chagos Islands since 2 February 2026.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 January 2026 to Question 107405 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr Cartlidge). We welcome continued US support for a deal that secures the long-term, stable and effective operation of the base.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help protect London from potential hypersonic missile attacks.

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

The Ministry of Defence does not comment on specific capabilities, as doing so could provide an operational advantage to those who may seek to harm the UK.

The UK has a suite of capabilities to tackle the missile threat which is advancing, proliferating and converging. The UK has announced an investment of up to £1 billion to enhance our integrated air and missile defence with a focus on homeland defence. The UK’s nuclear deterrent exists to deter the most extreme threats to the UK and our Allies. Its purpose is to preserve peace, prevent coercion, and deter aggression.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the potential negative impact of removing parachute infantry deployment as a capability.

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

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) considered all aspects of Defence, including military parachuting capabilities. The SDR recommended that airborne parachute capability and capacity should remain focused on specialists and a single battalion group. The Government accepted the recommendations of the SDR in full and will publish the Defence Investment Plan as soon as possible to set out the plan for its implementation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2026, to question 108369 on Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement, on what date was the project cancelled.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 108369 on 3 February 2026 which remains extant. The stop notice of December 2023 denotes the point that the project was cancelled.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the full scope of Project Goshawk.

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

Project GOSHAWK is a Taskforce Kindred project to rapidly develop and trial a low-cost air defence interceptor for Ukraine, to reliably defeat aerial drones, loitering munitions, and missiles at varying speeds, altitudes, and trajectories.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel received a pre-discharge mental health assessment in each year since 2015.

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

All personnel being discharged from the Armed Forces should receive a Structured Mental Health Assessment (SMHA). The primary intent of the SMHA is to identify any unmet or unaddressed mental health needs prior to discharge.

The following table provides the numbers of UK Armed Forces personnel provided with a SMHA within 120 days of their release medical, by year from 1 January 2015 - 30 September 2025.

* The number of SMHAs that took place between 1 January 2025 and 30 September 2025 to allow for a 120 day follow up period for completion.

Armed Forces personnel being discharged from service who are already under the care of specialist mental health services should have an SMHA completed, however, in some cases this may not be necessary where the individual’s needs are already being met through those specialist services.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his proposed timetable is for producing the first Ajax-family vehicles at Capability Drop 4 standard.

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

Capability drop 4 standard vehicles will only be delivered once any changes from reliability trials have been agreed. As these trials have not yet concluded, it is not appropriate to state what this timetable is. However, based on the current findings, all 589 vehicles will be delivered to Capability Drop 4 standard by September 2029 as contracted.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November to Question 91684 on F-35 Aircraft: Procurement, who is responsible for the definition of a Defence Choice.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) uses its capability planning and decision‑making processes to balance a range of factors and ensure resources are used effectively.

All financial decisions are accounted for in the MOD Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November to Question 91684 on F-35 Aircraft: Procurement, if he will provide a list of all Defence Choices.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) uses its capability planning and decision‑making processes to balance a range of factors and ensure resources are used effectively.

All financial decisions are accounted for in the MOD Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has held discussions regarding the number of Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates that will be manufactured as part of the £10 billion deal with Norway.

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

Indeed, the Secretary of State has been in Norway in the past few days. The Secretary of State engages routinely with his Norwegian counterpart as part of the evolving UK-Norway strategic defence partnership.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many dedicated mental health professionals there are per capita across the military; and how many have there been each year since 2015.

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

I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how his Department plans to replace the batch 1 River Class of ships.

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

All decisions on capabilities will be taken in the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on internal human resources services each year since 2015.

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

The table below shows the total amount spent each Financial Year (FY) on Civilian Human Resources Services and their associated costs provided by Defence Business Services, the Shared Service for Defence. This includes spend on the following DBS services: People Team, Core Recruitment and Joining Services, Document Management, HR Casework, Payroll Services, Workforce Management, Relocations, and Specialist Recruitment.

It is important to note that the cost-centre mapping structure of DBS has changed significantly since 2015, meaning that figures may not be directly comparable.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to set a department-wide strategy to bring down the Ministry of Defence's financial losses due to fraud and economic crime.

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

The Department will incorporate an organisation-level shared objective on tackling fraud in the next Defence Counter Fraud Strategy.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many urgent repairs were requested for Service Family Accommodation from 20/12/25 to 1/1/26.

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

The Ministry of Defence has recently published the Defence Housing Strategy which sets out a vision for the future transformation of military homes; 90% of military homes will be upgraded, renewed or rebuilt, through a record £9 billion investment over a decade.

The table below details the number of urgent repairs for Service Family Accommodation, including the reasons for these requests, during the period 20 December 2025 to 1 January 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason were urgent repairs requested for Service Family Accommodation from 20/12/25 to 1/1/26.

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

The Ministry of Defence has recently published the Defence Housing Strategy which sets out a vision for the future transformation of military homes; 90% of military homes will be upgraded, renewed or rebuilt, through a record £9 billion investment over a decade.

The table below details the number of urgent repairs for Service Family Accommodation, including the reasons for these requests, during the period 20 December 2025 to 1 January 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what aircraft do the RAF operate that are capable of deploying airborne parachute infantry at a) company, b) battalion and c) all arms battlegroup scale.

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

All twenty-two Atlas C1 aircrafts can be fitted with the Static Line delivery system for deploying parachute infantry at scale in a low-level static line configuration. They can also employ specialist military freefall parachuting and air dispatch of associated equipment.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, following discharge, how quickly do veterans receive their medical records.

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

When an individual leaves the Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the importance of facilitating the transfer of healthcare information to their civilian healthcare provider(s).

On leaving Defence Medical Services (DMS) care, Service personnel are provided with a medical care summary, known as an FMed133, and advised to register with an NHS GP and provide them a copy of their FMED 133.

If a patient’s full DMS health record is required, this is provided on request to their NHS GP. Given this and that some records are never requested, no accurate estimate can be made of the average time from discharge to the receipt of the medical records by the NHS GP.

To improve the transfer of healthcare information, DMS is working towards the greater interoperability with NHS systems and the electronic transfer of medical records from DMS to NHS GPs.

Under Programme CORTISONE, the MOD has awarded a £7.8 million contract to Leeds software company, The Phoenix Partnership, to provide a modern electronic healthcare records system for the Armed Forces. This will digitalise military medical records and integrate MOD systems with the NHS, with roll out scheduled for 2027.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) already offers Serving Personnel, and Veterans in receipt of a pension, the opportunity to save with our three credit unions (https://www.joiningforcescu.co.uk/) via payroll deduction administered by Defence Business Services. MOD Civil Servants and Veterans without a pension can save with those same credit unions using Direct Debit.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of officers who pass the selection board are privately educated.

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

Officer training in the UK Armed Forces is accessible to any UK citizen who meets the academic, aptitude, physical and medical requirements, irrespective of the candidate’s social background or type of education.

Of the intake to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Army) who are due to commission on 10 April 2026, 37% were independently educated. No other information in scope of these questions is held by the single Services.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of officer candidates are privately educated.

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

Officer training in the UK Armed Forces is accessible to any UK citizen who meets the academic, aptitude, physical and medical requirements, irrespective of the candidate’s social background or type of education.

Of the intake to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Army) who are due to commission on 10 April 2026, 37% were independently educated. No other information in scope of these questions is held by the single Services.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Quick Reaction Alert sorites were flown by the RAF in 2025.

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

The number of days in which Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft launched in 2025 is six.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Student skills investment to boost UK defence industry, published on 5 February 2026, what plans his Department has to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the funding competition to increase student places on strategically-relevant defence courses.

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

On 5 February the Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced that, as part of the Defence Industrial Strategy skills package, it is directly investing £80 million into the Higher Education sector to increase the capacity on key defence-related courses and invest in new facilities and cutting-edge technology to ensure we have the skilled workforce the sector requires in the future.

This funding will be distributed by the Office for Students (OfS) as part of a Strategic Priorities Grant competition which all eligible Higher Education institutions in England will be able to apply for. We have worked with the OfS to help shape the competition criteria to ensure that institutions receiving this funding will be networked into the defence industry and wider sector and are able to support students to consider a career in the defence industry.

The OfS will monitor the institutions and the specific projects that receive this funding and we are working with them to ensure that this monitoring aligns with the MOD’s strategic aims for this funding.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Student skills investment to boost UK defence industry, published on 5 February 2026, whether any of the £80 million investment will be allocated to colleges and universities in Essex.

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

On 5 February the Ministry of Defence announced that, as part of the Defence Industrial Strategy skills package, it is directly investing £80 million into the Higher Education sector to increase the capacity on key defence-related courses and invest in new facilities and cutting-edge technology to ensure we have the skilled workforce the sector requires in the future.

This funding will be distributed by the Office for Students (OfS) as part of a Strategic Priorities Grant competition which all eligible Higher Education institutions in England will be able to apply for. OfS are an independent body running a fair and transparent competition. The competition opened on the 12 February with competition guidance published on their website. We welcome applications from colleges and universities across England including in Essex.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Student skills investment to boost UK defence industry, published on 5 February 2026, what are the key performance indicators that his Department will use to measure the success of the Defence Universities Alliance.

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

The Defence Universities Alliance was announced as part of the Defence Industrial Strategy in September 2025 to create a strategic network of UK universities who are publicly committed to partnering with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the defence industrial sector.

It aims to advance high quality defence research, encourage more skilled graduates to consider careers within the defence sector and strengthen and promote the partnership between the MOD, academia and defence industry. We are in the process of establishing the Alliance and will work with its founding members to establish a baseline and measure its success. Further details will be announced in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what actions are his department taking to accelerate the procurement of the Type 31.

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

Progress is being made on the Type 31 (T31) programme, with a substantial investment made in Babcock's facilities at Rosyth. This includes digitising the shipyard, new manufacturing facilities and a new purpose-built Assembly Hall that enables two T31s to be built simultaneously. In addition, there has been the generation of a Shore Integration facility at Portsdown Technology Park, to mitigate risks to the integration of the combat system.

The Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with Babcock, the prime contractor, to ensure the T31 programme meets all user requirements to deliver a maritime security capability at a value for money price, in a timescale that is competitive with other international warship procurement programmes.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the status of the Type 32 project.

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

All platform choice decisions will be made as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the total value of the government-to-government defence sales agreement for the transfer of the former Royal Navy survey vessel HMS Enterprise to Bangladesh.

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

The Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose the financial details or payment structures of bilateral defence sales, including the transfer of HMS Enterprise to the Bangladesh Government, due to commercial and operational sensitivities.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procurement priority has been awarded to the replacement of the Royal Air Forces Hawk T1 and T2 aircraft.

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

Flying training will continue to be a sovereign priority. All future platform procurements will be made as part of the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the difference between each Capability Drop standard of the Ajax programme.

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

It would not be appropriate to comment on the specific detail around each Capability Drop due to operational sensitivities.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procurement process was followed for the agreement with Palantir Technologies for defence data analytics capabilities; and whether any Ministers and former officials with prior links to Palantir were involved at any stage of that process.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) let the Palantir Enterprise Agreement contract in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. The contract was direct awarded under the justifications outlined in Section 41, Schedule 5.The Direct award justifications were as follows:

- Paragraph 6:

o The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract—

(a)due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and

(b)there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.

- Paragraph 7:

o The public contract concerns the supply of goods, services or works by the existing supplier which are intended as an extension to, or partial replacement of, existing goods, services or works in circumstances where—

(a)a change in supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods, services or works that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing goods, services or works, and

(b)the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance.

The MOD can confirm that no Ministers and former officials with prior links to Palantir were involved at any stage of that process. The decision to award this contract was the Secretary of State for Defence’s.

The MOD conducts continuous conflict-of-interest assessments for all individuals involved in commercial activity of any manner.

The MOD conducts comprehensive due diligence upon the notification of any business appointments that may lead to concern. MOD holds a Business Appointments Policy under JSP 492 that outlines the processes and guidelines for assessing these situations. Should an appointment create a concern MOD can place conditions upon that individual that can include:

- Restricting the sharing of information

- Prohibition of lobbying for a set period of time

- Restrictions on advising on ongoing commercial activity

- Seeking clearance of ongoing commissions

The conditions and associated timeframes for them are set based upon the seniority of the individual involved and the nature of the appointment. MOD continues to work diligently to ensure this is appropriately managed and enforced.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department conducted a conflict‑of‑interest assessment prior to awarding recent defence contracts to Palantir Technologies.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) conducts continuous conflict-of-interest assessments for all individuals involved in commercial activity of any manner.

In addition, the MOD conducts comprehensive due diligence upon the notification of any business appointments that may lead to concern. MOD holds a Business Appointments Policy under JSP 492 that outlines the processes and guidelines for assessing these situations. Should an appointment create a concern the MOD can place conditions upon that individual that can include:

- Restricting the sharing of information

- Prohibition of lobbying for a set period of time

- Restrictions on advising on ongoing commercial activity

- Seeking clearance of ongoing commissions

The conditions and associated timeframes for them are set based upon the seniority of the individual involved and the nature of the appointment.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the (a) Philippines Army’s Sabrah Light Tank and b) the Spanish Army’s VCZAP Castor’s ASCOD2 chassis.

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

The Army routinely assesses which vehicles are most appropriate to meet specific capability requirements.

The base platform of the Philippines Army’s Sabrah Light Tank is the ASCOD 2 chassis. At present, the British Army has no requirement for a light tank capability. However, it continues to monitor employment of such systems, alongside broader global developments in armoured fighting vehicles.

The Spanish Army’s VCZAP Castor is the combat engineering variant of the ASCOD 2 chassis. Under the Armoured Cavalry programme, the Army is introducing the ARGUS variant of the Ajax family, which will deliver an advanced engineer reconnaissance function. Together with the existing Trojan and Terrier platforms, ARGUS will provide the Army with a comprehensive suite of combat engineering capabilities.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Jobs boost as UK set to build military aircraft for United States for first time in over fifty years, published on 18 September 2025, whether he can confirm that a firm contract has been placed with UK industry to convert two Boeing 737 aircraft to E-7 Wedgetail configuration for the end-use of the US Air Force.

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

STS Aviation based at Birmingham airport are under contract from Boeing to undertake initial conversion of the first two USAF E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the in-service date of HMS Venturer.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 February 2026 to the hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mark Francois) to Question 108597.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on the upkeep of HMS Albion since 20 November 2024.

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

The annual maintenance cost for HMS ALBION is circa £2 million per annum. This expenditure is to ensure that the ship remains safe whilst alongside HMNB Devonport on a tidal mooring. This ensures the ship remains compliant with environmental and safety legislation until disposal is complete.

HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark were tied up by the last government with no intention to send them to sea again before their out of service dates in the 2030s.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the out of service date of HMS Iron Duke.

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

As the hon. Member will recall from his time as a Defence Minister. The Ministry of Defence does not routinely publish out-of-service dates for individual Royal Navy vessels.

The precise out-of-service date will be determined through balancing operational requirements, maintenance schedules, and transition to modern and world leading capabilities introduced with the Type 26 and Type 31 Frigates entering service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2026, to question 110946 on Navy: Artificial Intelligence, what is the full scope of the Maritime Fighting Web.

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

The Maritime Fighting Web (MFW) is not a single system or platform but a long‑term programme of digital modernisation. Subject to the Defence Investment Plan, the MFW will deliver the maritime component of the Digital Targeting Web, enabling the Royal Navy to sense, understand, decide, and deliver effects at pace across the Hybrid Navy.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it remains his Department's policy to sell HMS Albion.

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

HMS ALBION is currently moored at HMNB Devonport and is being retained to support the generation of HMS BULWARK prior to her sale to Brazil. No plans for HMS ALBION’s disposal have been confirmed.

HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark were tied up by the last government with no intention to send them to sea again before their out of service dates in the 2030s.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality, maintenance and availability of service family accommodation in Scotland.

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

The Defence Housing Strategy sets out our vision for military housing across the UK, including the Devolved Nations.

The Defence Housing Service will deliver the recommendations of our new Defence Housing Strategy which is backed by £9 billion of investment to build, renew and repair 9 in 10 defence family homes, harnessing the opportunities created by our landmark deal which brought 36,000 properties into public ownership.

We have transformed 1,000 of the worst homes ahead of schedule in time for Christmas, with hundreds more military properties to be upgraded by Spring 2026. Over 50 of these homes were in Scotland.

A new demand and supply forecasting model will ensure that the future needs of the Armed Forces are more accurately planned for, enabling us to deliver housing in the right places to support military operations and reducing the number of homes that lie empty.

The Defence Secretary, John Healey MP visited Helensburgh in January 2026 to mark the impact the new Armed Forces Bill will have on Scottish personnel and their families, including those in Kinloss and Victoria Barracks. Whilst in Scotland, he saw first-hand the rapid improvement works that were completed for over 50 military families in Helensburgh in time for Christmas last year and work underway for a further 170 homes which will be completed this year.

We continue to drive for both improved performance and increased value for money from the Accommodation Industry Partners who are responsible for the maintenance of Service Family Accommodation. Performance is monitored on a monthly basis including oversight at Chief Executive level and through a series of regular reviews, including external audits.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the reported increase in drone incursions near UK military bases, including those in Scotland, and what steps are being taken to strengthen counter-drone capabilities to protect national security.

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

We take the safety and security of our personnel, assets and operations extremely seriously. We maintain multi-layered security measures, including counter-drone capabilities which can identify and facilitate the capture of drones.

Clause 4 of the Armed Forces Bill 26 Defence will provide a regime allowing a Defence authorisation to use authorised equipment to detect and prevent offences being committed by drones against Defence Areas or Defence Property.

We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of security and will continue to assess, adapt and respond to all threats, including those from drones, to safeguard our national defence capabilities.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, why Project Lily was cancelled.

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

Project Lily was cancelled following an internal review. Further detail cannot be provided as it could prejudice the Department's commercial interests and any future procurement activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January to Question 100908 on Guided Weapons: Procurement, how many contracts have been placed.

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

Under Project BRAKESTOP, 11 contracts have been placed covering development and production of prototype effectors, a bespoke warhead, test ranges, and other ancillary services such as transportation and storage.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether elements of Project Lily be included in other programmes going forward.

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

Elements of Project Lily are being reviewed to determine whether any aspects can be incorporated into other programmes. It would not be appropriate to provide further detail at this stage, as doing so could prejudice the Department’s commercial interests and any future procurement activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has considered the potential implications of awarding contracts to companies reportedly providing technological support to military operations that are alleged to violate international humanitarian law.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the proper use of public funds and compliance with international law extremely seriously. All contracts with Palantir are governed by strict commercial, legal and security controls to ensure that United Kingdom (UK) funding is used only for authorised Defence purposes. Robust oversight mechanisms, including due diligence, conflict-of interest checks and ongoing supplier governance ensure full compliance with our legal obligations and provide assurance that no public funds support any activity connected to violations of international law.

The MOD applies strict legal, ethical and security checks before awarding any contract. As part of this process, we consider whether a supplier’s wider activities raise concerns, including any allegation of involvement in operations that could breach International Humanitarian Law. Where risks are identified, additional assurance and contractual controls are applied to ensure MOD capabilities are used only for lawful, authorised purposes under UK direction.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that no UK public funds awarded to Palantir Technologies are used to support activities connected to violations of international law.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the proper use of public funds and compliance with international law extremely seriously. All contracts with Palantir are governed by strict commercial, legal and security controls to ensure that United Kingdom (UK) funding is used only for authorised Defence purposes. Robust oversight mechanisms, including due diligence, conflict-of interest checks and ongoing supplier governance ensure full compliance with our legal obligations and provide assurance that no public funds support any activity connected to violations of international law.

The MOD applies strict legal, ethical and security checks before awarding any contract. As part of this process, we consider whether a supplier’s wider activities raise concerns, including any allegation of involvement in operations that could breach International Humanitarian Law. Where risks are identified, additional assurance and contractual controls are applied to ensure MOD capabilities are used only for lawful, authorised purposes under UK direction.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, within which Ministry of Defence a) projects and b) programmes are Palantir currently involved.

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

Palantir is used across a range of Defence data‑analytics and integration activities, with deployment decided by individual Delivery Teams rather than tied to a single defined list of projects or programmes. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not routinely publish a list of all individual projects or programmes using specific software platforms. However, all use of Palantir is governed by strict contractual controls ensuring United Kingdom Defence data remains sovereign and under MOD direction at all times.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there has been a delay to the announcement of the replacement for the Hawk jet trainer.

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

A plan to replace these aircraft will be detailed in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan. All elements of this work, including the aircraft replacement, are progressing together. All decisions on future procurements will be made as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timetable is for announcing the replacement for the Hawk jet trainer.

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

A plan to replace these aircraft will be detailed in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan. All elements of this work, including the aircraft replacement, are progressing together. All decisions on future procurements will be made as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the minimum operationally deployable capability drop standard for the Ajax-family of vehicles.

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

Capability Drop 3 is the minimum operationally deployable capability drop, with deployability being subject to decisions based on the safety reviews.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason was the out of service date of Watchkeeper was extended beyond March 2025.

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

The Army’s Watchkeeper Mk 1 Uncrewed Aerial System was due to be retired from service from March 2025 but will now remain in service until March 2027 to allow for the delivery of its replacement capability, Project CORVUS.

The cost of keeping the Watchkeeper programme in service for the additional two-year period is currently anticipated to be £ 95,659,000.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the latest estimated date is for achieving Full Operating Capability on Ajax.

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

Safety investigations and a Ministerial Review into the Armoured Cavalry Programme (commonly known as Ajax) remain ongoing. However, on current plans, Full Operating Capability for the Armoured Cavalry Programme is still expected to be achieved by the end of 2029.

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Found: On that level, of course there was cross-Government working and equally there was MOD response within

Found: On that level, of course there was cross-Government working and equally there was MOD response within

Found: For the panel, Mr Hinds asked a question to my colleagues from MOJ and MOD in the last panel.

Found: following a series of high-profile data breaches—in particular the 2022 leak of data by a Ministry of Defence

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Scottish Government on community safety and child welfare in connection with the proposed use of Cameron Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Initial engagement with Police Scotland and Highland Council on the proposed use of Cameron Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers took place in early October 2025. Engagement with Police Scotland, Highland Council and other statutory partners continues regularly via an Operational Working Group and through bi-lateral conversations.

As we have previously confirmed to all partners, the safety and security of local communities around the site, the staff who work there and those accommodated on the site are of the utmost importance, and a specialist and experienced provider of security services would be permanently on site 24/7 if the site were to be used as asylum accommodation.

If the site were to be used as asylum accommodation, we would work closely and routinely with Police Scotland Highlands Division to ensure appropriate security arrangements were in place for the safety and security of the asylum seekers and the wider community.

If the Home Office decides to proceed with using Cameron Barracks as asylum accommodation, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) would not be involved in the day to day running or security of the site. Any decisions regarding military police or other MOD activity in the surrounding area are solely for the MOD, and it would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on their operational posture.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on the deployment of military police around Cameron Barracks.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Initial engagement with Police Scotland and Highland Council on the proposed use of Cameron Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers took place in early October 2025. Engagement with Police Scotland, Highland Council and other statutory partners continues regularly via an Operational Working Group and through bi-lateral conversations.

As we have previously confirmed to all partners, the safety and security of local communities around the site, the staff who work there and those accommodated on the site are of the utmost importance, and a specialist and experienced provider of security services would be permanently on site 24/7 if the site were to be used as asylum accommodation.

If the site were to be used as asylum accommodation, we would work closely and routinely with Police Scotland Highlands Division to ensure appropriate security arrangements were in place for the safety and security of the asylum seekers and the wider community.

If the Home Office decides to proceed with using Cameron Barracks as asylum accommodation, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) would not be involved in the day to day running or security of the site. Any decisions regarding military police or other MOD activity in the surrounding area are solely for the MOD, and it would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on their operational posture.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with Police Scotland on the proposed use of Cameron Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Initial engagement with Police Scotland and Highland Council on the proposed use of Cameron Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers took place in early October 2025. Engagement with Police Scotland, Highland Council and other statutory partners continues regularly via an Operational Working Group and through bi-lateral conversations.

As we have previously confirmed to all partners, the safety and security of local communities around the site, the staff who work there and those accommodated on the site are of the utmost importance, and a specialist and experienced provider of security services would be permanently on site 24/7 if the site were to be used as asylum accommodation.

If the site were to be used as asylum accommodation, we would work closely and routinely with Police Scotland Highlands Division to ensure appropriate security arrangements were in place for the safety and security of the asylum seekers and the wider community.

If the Home Office decides to proceed with using Cameron Barracks as asylum accommodation, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) would not be involved in the day to day running or security of the site. Any decisions regarding military police or other MOD activity in the surrounding area are solely for the MOD, and it would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on their operational posture.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with Highland Council on the proposed use of Cameron Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Initial engagement with Police Scotland and Highland Council on the proposed use of Cameron Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers took place in early October 2025. Engagement with Police Scotland, Highland Council and other statutory partners continues regularly via an Operational Working Group and through bi-lateral conversations.

As we have previously confirmed to all partners, the safety and security of local communities around the site, the staff who work there and those accommodated on the site are of the utmost importance, and a specialist and experienced provider of security services would be permanently on site 24/7 if the site were to be used as asylum accommodation.

If the site were to be used as asylum accommodation, we would work closely and routinely with Police Scotland Highlands Division to ensure appropriate security arrangements were in place for the safety and security of the asylum seekers and the wider community.

If the Home Office decides to proceed with using Cameron Barracks as asylum accommodation, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) would not be involved in the day to day running or security of the site. Any decisions regarding military police or other MOD activity in the surrounding area are solely for the MOD, and it would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on their operational posture.

Found: (MOD) is reflected in an £18.6 million reduction to DBT’s Resource DEL with a corresponding

Found: In May 2025, the Finnish Ministry of Defence confirmed that it had reached an agreement with the EU

Found: special police forces’ – the British Transport Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence

Found: includes: • Police • Police staff • British Transport Police • UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) • MoD

Found: including the ANNPA and the Arrangement between the Department of Defence of Australia and the Ministry of Defence

Found: chi.6 Pecyn Gwybodaeth i Bobl Ifanc yn yr NRM sy’n Troi’n 18 Beth sydd angen i mi ei wneud nawr fy mod

Found: Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority, steered multi‑billion‑pound transformation at the Ministry of Defence

Found: Partnership between Ministry of Defence and Department for Work and Pensions will boost Armed Forces

Found: the Overseas Territories Programme Fund -0.51 -0.51 (Section D) Transfer in funding to the Ministry of Defence

Found: special police forces’ – the British Transport Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence

Found: includes: • Police • Police staff • British Transport Police • UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) • MoD

Found: These are undertaken by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force

Found: Practitioners, ‘RCGP Safeguarding toolkit: Introduction’, (2025), available at: https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/mod

Found: Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority, steered multi‑billion‑pound transformation at the Ministry of Defence

Found: Dstl and EPSRC have co-invested in a number of schemes, which include: MOD centres for doctoral training

Found: not seriou s NA 368 186 MD 0.64 (0.11, 1.17) MD 0.64 higher (0.11 higher to 1.17 higher) mod

Found: not seriou s NA 559 276 MD -0.13 (-0.32, 0.06) MD 0.13 lower (0.32 lower to 0.06 higher) mod

Found: NA1 not serio us NA 78 62 MD 0.02 (-0.33, 0.37) MD 0.02 higher (0.33 lower to 0.37 higher) mod

Found: seriou s2 NA 116/73 32 129/ 7339 RR 0.90 (0.70, 1.15) 2 fewer per 1000 (5 fewer to 3 more) mod

Found: serious 3 NA 113/952 122/9 21 RR 0.90 (0.71, 1.14) 14 fewer per 1000 (39 fewer to 18 more) mod

Found: v Placebo Weight change High None specified Directly applicable None specified Cannon 2020 CKD mod

Found: HbA1c change % 8.3 0.9 Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 517 Cannon 2020 CKD mod

Found: seriou s2 NA 116/73 32 129/ 7339 RR 0.90 (0.70, 1.15) 2 fewer per 1000 (5 fewer to 3 more) mod

Found: serious 3 NA 113/952 122/9 21 RR 0.90 (0.71, 1.14) 14 fewer per 1000 (39 fewer to 18 more) mod

Found: NA1 not serio us NA 78 62 MD 0.02 (-0.33, 0.37) MD 0.02 higher (0.33 lower to 0.37 higher) mod

Found: not seriou s NA 559 276 MD -0.13 (-0.32, 0.06) MD 0.13 lower (0.32 lower to 0.06 higher) mod

Found: v Placebo Weight change High None specified Directly applicable None specified Cannon 2020 CKD mod

Found: HbA1c change % 8.3 0.9 Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 517 Cannon 2020 CKD mod

Found: not seriou s NA 368 186 MD 0.64 (0.11, 1.17) MD 0.64 higher (0.11 higher to 1.17 higher) mod

Found: Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Midnight Pharmacy Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group Mind Ministry of Defence

Found: Society Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Medtronic Limited Merit Medical Ministry of Defence

Found: Diabetologia 2014 57:1304-1307 66 9 Novartis Full Gene ral (mod el) Gen eral (mod el)

Found: Dohme UK Ltd Midnight Pharmacy Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group Mind Ministry of Defence

Found: Hospitals NHS Trust Midnight Pharmacy Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group Mind Ministry of Defence

Found: Dietetic Association Merck Sharp & Dohme UK Ltd Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust Ministry of Defence

Found: NHS Foundation Trust midwifeexpert.com Midwives Information and Resource Service Ministry of Defence

Found: products Regulatory Agency Medway Community Centre Mental Health Act Commission Ministry of Defence

Found: statement This amendment adjusts the meaning of “disciplinary proceedings” in relation to the Ministry of Defence

Found: prepared, variously, by the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Department for Transport and Ministry of Defence

Found: require the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA), Ministry of Defence

Found: Shipping • Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) • Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) • Ministry of Defence

Found: The licensing requirements for controlled sites and protected places are administered by the Ministry of Defence

Found: We note that this practice is adopted in some UK government departments such as the MOD on major projects

Found: additional funds to Welsh museums, with support from institutions including Swansea University, Ministry of Defence