Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what steps they are taking to improve the amphibious capabilities of the Royal Navy.

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

Following the Strategic Defence Review 2025, the Royal Navy is progressing plans to enhance its amphibious capabilities through investment in new amphibious shipping including the Multi Role Strike Ship, Littoral Response Groups and the ongoing modernisation of the Commando Force. Final decisions on capability will be informed by the Defence Investment Plan in autumn 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to recommendation 48 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, whether they have initiated the review of storage and other regulations of highly expensive weapons used by the Royal Air Force; and if not, when they will do so.

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

The Royal Air Force is in the process of establishing a review in line with Recommendation 48 of the Strategic Defence Review. This work will form part of the Chief of the Air Staff's wider Optimise Directive, which coheres initiatives aimed at delivering benefits across the Royal Air Force and ensuring the best use of resources. Examining investment options for the explosives' storage estate and availability of weapons through the Defence Investment Plan will form a key aspect of the review, which will be completed by June 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the closure of the Typhoon fighter jet factory in Warton.

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

We continue to support BAE Systems in their ongoing export campaigns for Typhoon. We recognise the central role played by Combat Air in our industrial strategy and its vital contribution to the UK economy.

Over the next 10 years, Defence has plans to invest up to £30 billion on Combat Air through the Typhoon, F-35 and the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a significant proportion of which will be devoted to UK companies, particularly in north-west England.

As well as delivering a world class Combat Air fleet for our Armed Forces, this is supporting over 40,000 long-term, high-quality UK manufacturing jobs.

Recent orders placed by Spain and Italy for 25 and 24 aircraft respectively, negotiations on a potential deal with Türkiye, together with another 20 Typhoon expected to be ordered by Germany later this year, means that high-quality manufacturing jobs in BAE Systems are secure well into the 2030s.

This is because the UK leads on the manufacturing of 37% of all new Typhoon aircraft in accordance with the Eurofighter industrial workshare agreed by the four core nations (UK, Germany, Italy and Spain).

The work to deliver and integrate a new British-made ECRS Mk2 radar and integration of a new helmet called Striker II onto our existing fleet of Typhoon will also be carried out by BAE Systems Warton.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are planning to purchase further E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft in accordance with recommendation 47 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025.

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

The Ministry of Defence is continuing with its procurement of E-7 Wedgetail in order to meet the national and NATO requirements for an Airborne Early Warning & and Control capability which is interoperable with its allies.

The recent Strategic Defence Review recommended that further E-7 aircraft should be procured when funding allows, taking account of infrastructure and operating costs.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in procuring autonomous and unmanned platforms for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

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

For the Royal Air Force, Protector and Storm Shroud are entering operational service this year.

For the Royal Navy, the Concept of Hybrid Carrier Air Wings continues to develop to greatly enhance the striking power of our carriers. Molloy T150 uncrewed rotary wing logistics support air systems have deployed as part of OP HIGHMAST. The Peregrine rotary wing system has also entered operational service in the Gulf. Development continues on uncrewed surface vessels and uncrewed underwater vehicles.

Further systems are under development or undergoing trials in a range of roles across both services. This will continue to be accelerated, with further workstreams through the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the Single Intelligence Account they are redesignating as core defence spending.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Historically, the Single Intelligence Account (SIA) budget has included elements of NATO-qualifying defence expenditure. In line with our allies, and to recognise the important contribution the intelligence agencies play in national defence, by 2027 we will consider the whole of the SIA budget to be NATO-qualifying. It will count towards the 2.6% target for core defence spending.

The budget for the SIA from 2026 onwards is set out in the Spending Review 2025 document, published on 11 June 2025.

Found: be found.103 92 HL Deb 11 December 2024 c1782 93 Lord Burns (c1736); Lord Birt (c1742); Baroness Goldie

Found: Letter dated 25/07/2025 from Lord Livermore to Baroness Goldie regarding how Edinburgh’s visitor levy