Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps has she taken to remove the tree guards from dead saplings along the A14.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As part of its planned maintenance activities including replanting new trees, adding nutrients to the soil and grass cutting, National Highways will begin removing both redundant biodegradable and plastic tree guards adjacent to A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme. National Highways has scheduled this work to start this month (March 2026).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the requirement to replace the minehunting capability of HMS Middleton in the Arabian Gulf.

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

We inherited a plan from the previous government for a drawdown of crewed minehunting capabilities.

The Royal Navy remains committed to sustaining mine countermeasures capability in the Arabian Gulf. The UK is transitioning to modern autonomous minehunting systems under the Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme, and operational requirements in the region are kept under constant review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the decision point for the deployment of RFA Lyme Bay to the Eastern Mediterranean.

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

RFA Lyme Bay has sailed from Gibraltar, available for maritime tasks in the region should they be required.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the potential merits of adopting the Mk22 Advanced Sniper Rifle for the UK Armed Forces.

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

Work to consider the future sniper rifle for UK Armed Forces is currently in a pre-concept project, and as such formal consideration of systems and specifications has not yet taken place.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding has been distributed from the National Security Strategic Investment Fund since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) invests in dual use companies across Quantum, Space, AI, and Emerging Technologies, on a range of cheque sizes, co-investing typically at Seed or Series A funding rounds. NSSIF tends to take a minority stake and not lead the rounds. As published in public accounts NSSIF invested via direct equity investments £8.6m in FY24-25. Accounts for FY25-26 will be published later in the year.

Details of many of the companies in NSSIF's investment portfolio are published on NSSIF's website (www.nssif.gov.uk).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made in delivering Atlantic Net.

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

The Royal Navy (RN) will be deploying new undersea warfare technology as part of Atlantic Net, a new initiative that will see the RN rapidly field and iterate undersea warfare technology in collaboration with a Commercial Mission Partner or Partners. The initial commercial competition closed in late Nov 25 with follow on technical assessment undertaken during Dec 25, this process down-selected from 26 compliant consortia to five.

The RN has worked collaboratively with these five consortia over the past three months, investing £5.6 million to rapidly develop and evidence these capabilities further before the Atlantic Net Commercial Mission Partner will be selected and scaled, pending approval in the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which F-35B squadron will deploy on Operation Firecrest.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the response to Question 119565 provided on 18 March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, elements of which squadron are the four additional RAF Typhoons deployed to Cyprus.

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

It is Government policy not to comment on operational security issues, therefore we will not be providing further details on this matter.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to impose sanctions upon Mojtaba Khamenei.

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

The Government has a wide range of sanctions in place in relation to Iran, including a range of sanctions measures which apply to key figures and entities who have provided funds or economic resources to the Iranian regime. These have resulted in a range of impacts: for example the freezing of UK based assets held by sanctioned individual Ali Ansari, including property.

It would not be appropriate to speculate about potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the UK’s contribution is to the NATO Innovation Fund.

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

Following agreement by the Secretary of State for Defence and Chancellor the UK’s participation in the NATO Innovation Fund was announced on 30 June 2022. The fund invests in start-ups developing technology which fall into one of NATO’s defined EDT groups. It will be NATO’s venture capital fund. The fund’s objectives are:

• Foster a pipeline of dual-use technologies that can be adopted by NATO and participating nations;
• Crowd-in investment from private investors
• Be commercially successful, providing returns on investment.

The cost to the UK of participating in the fund is c£11 million per annum until financial year 2029-30.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to seize properties in London owned by Mojtaba Khamenei.

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

The Government has a wide range of sanctions in place in relation to Iran, including a range of sanctions measures which apply to key figures and entities who have provided funds or economic resources to the Iranian regime. These have resulted in a range of impacts: for example the freezing of UK based assets held by sanctioned individual Ali Ansari, including property.

It would not be appropriate to speculate about potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of local government reorganisation on the Dedicated Schools Grant allocation for Cambridgeshire with regards to SEND reform.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is exploring the implications of all local government reorganisation proposals, including those for Cambridgeshire. When decisions have been made, we will assess the impact of those plans on future dedicated schools grant allocations, and on the allocations of other grants designed to deliver the reforms outlined in our current special educational and disability (SEND) reform consultation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026, to question 119557 on RAF Wyton: NATO, what assessment he has been made of the current ability to conduct NATO-specific intelligence-gathering at RAF Wyton.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question 119557 on 16 March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the scheduled handover date to the Royal Navy is of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 flagship commitment.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 March 2026 to Question 119559.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on preparations for potential fuel rationing, in the context of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK has a strong and diverse security of energy supplies. Petrol stations in the UK are well-stocked.

Both the AA and Fuels Industry UK have been clear drivers should fill up as normal, with fuel production and imports continuing across the UK as usual.

In 2025, around 90% of the crude oil refined in the UK was imported, and only around 1% of that came from the Middle East. UK refinery production of petrol, from crude oil, in 2025 exceeded demand. We had surplus to export.

As a responsible government, we continue to plan for all eventualities and are monitoring the situation closely.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Kirklevington Grange.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Warren Hill.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP The Verne.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Guys Marsh.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at the planned new prison in Buckinghamshire.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 22 of her Department's consultation paper entitled SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First, CP1509. how will the voices of (a) children, (b) young people and (c) parents be strengthened within local partnership arrangements.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department will strengthen the voices of children, young people, and parent carers making it easier for them to access clear advice and practical support from government, both locally and nationally.

This includes involving them in local area plans and in holding services to account so that they better meet the need of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The department will strengthen the framework within which parent carer forums operate with consistent standards and training. We will also increase funding to local parent carer forums to enhance their peer support, and have further influence in local SEND systems, working with local partnership boards, Integrated Care Board and Best Start Family Hubs.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026, to question 118321 on Ajax Vehicles: Procurement, by what date does he expect all current ongoing investigations into Ajax to have concluded.

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

As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026, to question 118321 on Ajax Vehicles: Procurement, what investigations into Ajax are still ongoing.

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

As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential vulnerability of (a) Taiwan and (b) the first and second island chain following the deployment of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from Okinawa to the Arabian Gulf.

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

The MOD does not comment on assessments conducted on the military capabilities of other states for reasons of operational security.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to provide an answer to Question 111933.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

A response has been issued here.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Liverpool.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included HMP Birmingham, HMP Liverpool and HMP Prescoed.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Birmingham.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included HMP Birmingham, HMP Liverpool and HMP Prescoed.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Prescoed.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included HMP Birmingham, HMP Liverpool and HMP Prescoed.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2026 to Question 117955 on Prisons: Unmanned Air Systems, when will selected industry partners have developed proof-of-concept systems.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Industry partners are expected to complete their proof-of-concept systems by mid-summer 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the capabilities of DARPA’s SPeed and Runway INdependent Technologies (SPRINT) program X-76 aircraft for the Royal Air Force.

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

The UK Ministry of Defence has an ongoing relationship with DARPA, which ranges from information sharing to active collaboration on specific projects. No specific engagement has been undertaken on the SPRINT Programme, nor assessment of the X-76 demonstrator aircraft for RAF roles.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2025 to question 79399 on Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Procurement, how much funding will he provide to counter-drone capability to RAF Akrotiri.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continually monitors the threat posed to the UK and our interests, and has processes in place to rapidly deliver capability required by specific Operational Commanders to manage risks to life that arise around the world.

Integrated Air and Missile Defence investments will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be prioritised appropriately against the assessed threat picture as part of the future Integrated Force and will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

The MOD, through the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group, is working to speed up financing and licensing for exports to Gulf partners. As part of this, a new Task Force has been created within the NAD Group to collaborate across government to support partners across the Middle East working with UK industry. It will also manage the impact of the conflict on the UK defence supply chain and gather requirements for stock replenishment.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2925 to question 89770 on Unmanned Marine Systems: Procurement, what a) roles and b) capabilities are covered by the Royal Navy’s Coastal Forces.

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

The Coastal Forces Squadron along with 47 Commando Royal Marines will be the first operators of the Project BEEHIVE Uncrewed Surface Vessels to be delivered by Kraken Technology Group. Primarily designed to operate in littoral waters these craft will have a modular payload system with an open architecture which will allow the very rapid integration of a wide variety of sensors and effectors to support Coastal Forces and Commando Force activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what Royal Navy capabilities are planned to be supported by Maritime Remote and Autonomous Systems (MRAAS).

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

The Royal Navy is in a significant transition to a hybrid force with a mix of crewed and uncrewed systems operating in the air, surface and sub-surface environments.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 22 of her Department's consultation document entitled SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First, CP1509, how will (a) schools, (b) colleges and (c) early years settings access the Inclusive Mainstream Fund in Huntingdonshire.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Inclusive Mainstream Fund provides £1.6 billion in funding, over three years, to schools, colleges and early years settings to deliver an improved inclusion offer.

The department will soon publish methodology documents to explain how the funding will be distributed for the three phases. The funding will be made available to early years, schools and 16-19 institutions through new grants from 2026/27.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has she made of the potential security threat posed to police forces in England and Wales by the use of Chinese software connected vehicles.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Government prioritises national security and does not routinely provide details on operational matters or specific threats.

The Home Office works closely with the National Technical Authorities, Police Digital Service, National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC), alongside other Government Departments, to fully understand and address cyber vulnerabilities, proportional to the perceived threat. This collaborative effort covers all connected vehicles, including those using Chinese software

The government will continue to promote good practice in cybersecurity, support transparency on data collection and usage, and coordinate with the transport sector to strengthen the security of vehicles.

NPCC have shared guidance to all Chief Constables on understanding and effectively managing risks from Connected Vehicles. We will continue to work with partners to ensure the guidance remains up to date and that forces follow guidance appropriately.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the reasons were for trends in the level of licence recalls between July and September (a) 2025 and (b) 2024.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes data in Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) on licence recalls.

As per the OMSQ statistics, the level of recalls in the last five quarters are likely associated with the introduction of (a) Fixed-Term Recall Statutory Instrument (FTR-SI) in April 2024 and (b) Standard Determinate Sentences 40% (SDS40) in September 2024.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has she made of the potential merits of paying officers planned overtime for extra work at the end of shifts.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) makes recommendations to the Government on the appropriate level of pay and allowances for police officers, including overtime payments.

The PRRB gathers and invites parties to submit evidence to inform their decisions. This includes both written and oral evidence from the

Government, police employers and police staff associations. They weigh the evidence, consider independent research, and formulate detailed.

The Government will give very careful consideration to any recommendations the PRRB makes on payments for planned overtime.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Standford Hill.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansion at HMP Erlestoke.

Although the sites at HMP Leyhill, HMP Ford and HMP Standford Hill were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Ford.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansion at HMP Erlestoke.

Although the sites at HMP Leyhill, HMP Ford and HMP Standford Hill were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving a life sentence have been released on licence since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The number of prisoners serving a life sentence who were released for the first time (i.e. excluding recall re-releases) from 5 July 2024 to 30 Sep 2024 was 68. The number of prisoners serving a life sentence prisoners re-released in the same period, having previously been recalled, was 73.

In total, 141 prisoners serving a life sentence were released during this period.

Data for periods after 30 September are routinely published in the Department’s Offender Management Statistics. First releases data is included in the ‘Prison releases’ tables and recall re-release data is included in the ‘Prison Recall’ tables. The latest quarterly publication is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/offender-management-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2025.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Erlestoke.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansion at HMP Erlestoke.

Although the sites at HMP Leyhill, HMP Ford and HMP Standford Hill were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89778 on Prisons: Construction, on what date did ISG Construction Limited cease on-site work at HMP Leyhill.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansion at HMP Erlestoke.

Although the sites at HMP Leyhill, HMP Ford and HMP Standford Hill were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason was 12 Squadron deployed to Qatar in February 2026.

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

12 Squadron was deployed to Qatar in February 2026 following a formal request from the Qatari Government.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the press conference from the Prime Minister on 16 March 2026, which three squadrons of fighter jets are deployed to the Middle East.

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

As of 18 March 2026, 12 Squadron, operating Typhoon aircraft, is deployed to Qatar. 2 Squadron, operating Typhoon aircraft, and 617 Squadron, operating F-35 aircraft, are deployed to RAF Akrotiri.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the Royal Navy’s ability to deploy a Type-45 destroyer to the Eastern Mediterranean prior to March 2026.

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

For reasons of operational security, the Ministry of Defence does not comment on detailed readiness assessments or the timelines associated with specific platform movements.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026, to question 119557 on RAF Wyton: NATO, whether the infrastructure at RAF Wyton is in scope for the Defence Investment Plan.

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

The Defence Investment Plan will cover investment in infrastructure. It will be published as soon as possible.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date did the Army Safety Investigation Team investigation into the noise and vibration injuries sustained on Exercise Titan Storm a) commence and b) conclude.

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

As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the outcome of the Army Safety Investigation Team investigation into the noise and vibration injuries sustained on Exercise Titan Storm.

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

As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date did the Defence Accident Investigation Branch investigation into the noise and vibration injuries sustained on Exercise Titan Storm a) commence and b) conclude.

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

As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the outcome of the Defence Accident Investigation Branch investigation into the noise and vibration injuries sustained on Exercise Titan Storm.

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

As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on which date was the decision taken to recommence testing of the Ajax vehicle platform.

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

As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of procuring BAE Maritime’s Littoral Strike Craft for the Royal Navy.

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

The Strategic Defence Review considered all aspects of Defence, including the capabilities required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats, and opportunities of the twenty-first century. The plan for implementing the Review’s recommendations for the Integrated Force will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders released on licence since 5 July 2024 and recalled to custody had not been returned to custody by the end of December 2025.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Once an offender’s licence has been revoked, it falls to the Police to apprehend the offender and return them to prison custody.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of domestic weapons integration advantages of the F-35I over the British F-35B.

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

Israel procures F-35 directly from the US. This is a matter between the Israeli and US Governments.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the Royal Navy’s contribution to the Aspides naval mission.

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

The Royal Navy does not make a direct contribution to Operation ASPIDES.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment has he made of the potential impact on domestic energy prices of the damage to the Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, caused by the Iranian missile strike on 18 March 2026.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Prime Minister has condemned in the strongest terms the Iranian strikes on Gulf oil and gas facilities.

The UK benefits from a strong and diverse security of energy supplies, with only around 1% of the UK's gas supply coming from Qatar.

Thanks to the actions we took in the Budget, the price cap is fixed from 1 April until the end of June – meaning household energy bills will go down for its three-month duration. As Ofgem have said, it is “genuinely it is too early to tell” the impact of this conflict on the next price cap.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement allocation for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority was derived.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) does not receive the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which is made available to eight of England’s largest city regions. Other areas, including the CPCA, receive different funding streams, which from 2026/27 will be consolidated to provide greater flexibility. This funding includes Highways Maintenance, Local Transport Grant and bus funding. Details of this funding was provided to places in December 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on whether the (a) behaviour and (b) activities of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were reported by police officers from Royalty and Specialist Protection to Protection Command between 2001 and 2026.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The police are operationally independent of government and as such the Home Office does not hold this information.

Police officers are required to act diligently in the exercise of their duties and responsibilities. A failure to do so is a breach of policing’s Standards of Professional Behaviour and could lead to disciplinary action.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on the Metropolitan Police’s Mutual Legal Assistance Request.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

As a longstanding matter of Government policy, the Home Office can neither confirm nor deny whether a request for Mutual Legal Assistance has been made or received.

This is to protect the integrity of criminal investigations and proceedings.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on mitigations to the impact on food supply in the event that the Strait of Hormuz’s closure becomes critical to fuel availability.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains. At present, there are no significant impacts to the supply of food to consumers, and we do not expect any short-term disruption. The department will continue to monitor the situation and take all necessary steps including holding discussions with Cabinet colleagues as necessary.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress he has made on transitioning the UK’s remaining blast furnaces to electric arc furnaces.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In March 2025 Jingye rejected an offer of substantial financial support to convert the Scunthorpe steelworks to electric arc furnaces. More recently we have been in discussions with Jingye to find a pragmatic, realistic solution for the future of British Steel.

British Steel remains owned by Jingye and HM Government’s powers to intervene under the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 are designed to maintain steelmaking and avoid a disorderly closure of the blast furnaces. We are seeking to resolve the future of British Steel and our long-term aspiration for the UK steel sector will require co-investment with the private sector, as appropriate.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Jingye on the timeline for converting the Scunthorpe steelworks to electric arc furnaces.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In March 2025 Jingye rejected an offer of substantial financial support to convert the Scunthorpe steelworks to electric arc furnaces. More recently we have been in discussions with Jingye to find a pragmatic, realistic solution for the future of British Steel.

British Steel remains owned by Jingye and HM Government’s powers to intervene under the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 are designed to maintain steelmaking and avoid a disorderly closure of the blast furnaces. We are seeking to resolve the future of British Steel and our long-term aspiration for the UK steel sector will require co-investment with the private sector, as appropriate.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 116964 on Armed Conflict: Iran, when the Government was informed.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

In line with policy under successive administrations, the government does not routinely comment on operational matters.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps has she taken to review the current status of land for environmental mitigation along the A14.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

National Highways has assessed the status of the land and is taking steps to improve its condition, including replanting substantial numbers of trees, protecting ecological sites and creating new wildlife habitats.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs' Oral Statement of 19 March 2026 on International Development, Official Report, columns 1042-1045, what proportion of the reduction in the development budget will be spent on defence in (a) 2026/27, (b) 2027/28 and (c) 2028/29.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

In 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29, 100 percent of the reduction in the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be spent on defence.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026, to Question 121200 on HMS Duncan, is HMS Duncan currently a) safe, b) capable, and c) endorsed for tasking.

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

For reasons of operational security, the Ministry of Defence does not give detailed information on past or current levels of readiness for individual Royal Navy warships.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason did Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority not qualify for the Mayoral Revolving Growth Fund.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Mayoral Revolving Growth Fund's place selection methodology is available online: Mayoral Revolving Growth Fund: policy statement - GOV.UK. This sets out that places were selected based on:

1. their growth potential using Gross Domestic Product per head to measure distance from UK average productivity; and
2. strategic, financial and risk management capability, evidenced by agreed shared Local Growth Plan priorities and readiness for an Integrated Settlement by 2026/27.

Based on those criteria, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority did not qualify for the fund.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will set out which senior (a) Ministers, (b) military officers and (c) civil servants are required to approve the Defence Investment Plan prior to publication.

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

The Defence Investment Plan will be a Government document and plan, underpinned by the normal and appropriate collective agreement.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, following the meeting of the Defence Working Group on 5 March 2026, what steps is he taking to fulfil the UK’s military deterrence obligations following the Islamic Republic of Iran’s actions that threaten the Kingdom of Bahrain’s a) sovereignty and b) territorial integrity under Article II of the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA).

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

The UK remains committed to supporting Bahrain from Iran's indiscriminate attacks in any way we can. Since 12 March 2026, we have provided Defensive Counter Air support, enabled by the deployment of additional Typhoon aircraft to the region. The Ministry of Defence is meeting its obligations under the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA). The Chief of the Defence Staff has spoken with his Bahraini and American C-SIPA counterparts and they remain in regular contact as the situation develops.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what type of Iranian missile that was intercepted by the United States Navy was directed at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia.

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

We do not comment on the detail of such threats for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Powerful new Royal Navy warship programme advances as milestones reached for two ships, published on 24 February 2026, if he will confirm that defence spending will increase to 2.6% of GDP from 2027.

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

As the Hon. Gentleman will probably already know, based on the latest GDP projections, the UK's defence spending is currently forecast to reach 2.6% of GDP in 2027.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what role Chris Wormald played in the (a) selection and (b) appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the United States.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer you to the former Cabinet Secretary’s oral evidence before the Foreign Affairs Committee on 3 November 2025, and the Government's statement and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 117963 on Firearms: Licensing, what steps are detailed in the action plan on how the three police forces intend to address the issues in the accelerated cause of concern.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) issued an accelerated cause of concern notice to the Chief Constables of the three forces involved in the tripartite firearms licensing arrangement involving Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Constabulary on 9 January 2026. The notice requested that the three Chief Constables set out in an action plan how they intended to address the issues set out in the notice within 28 working days.

The three Chief Constables responded to HMICFRS within the specified deadline and the content of their response to the Inspectorate, who are independent of Government, was not shared with the Home Office.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by when will his department answer question 110947, published on 2 February 2026.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The answer for UIN 110947 was given on 19^th March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the current total remuneration of the National Armaments Director.

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

The total remuneration package for the National Armaments Director (NAD) is in line with the maximum advertised. The base salary for the role is currently £400,000.

In addition, the NAD is also eligible for an annual performance award of up to 60% of base salary. However, as year-end performance has yet to be reviewed no such award has been made. If such an award were made for 2025-26 it would be prorated in light of the NAD having been employed part way through the year.

The NAD’s eligibility for other benefits is the same as for other MOD Civilian SCS4 posts in terms of pension and travel benefits. Values for these will be reported in the MOD Annual Report and Accounts alongside any prorated 2025-26 annual performance award value.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to HCWS1269, published on 22 January 2026, which individuals comprised the panel of experts with experience of noise and vibration chosen by the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry.

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

An Independent Expert Panel Review of the programme is ongoing; it would therefore not be appropriate to comment on the individuals involved at this time.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when is HMS Richmond due to be decommissioned.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question 108883 tabled on 4 February 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the potential cancellation of the the Ajax programme and (b) levels of Ajax export contracts on levels of employment in Merthyr Tydfil.

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

The Armoured Cavalry Programme's contract has a range of remedies available including but not limited to, step in rights, demand recovery plans, or terminate should its cancellation ever be necessary. While the future of the Merthyr Tydfil factory and future exports is a matter for General Dynamics Land Systems UK, I have frequent engagement with representatives from General Dynamics, the Welsh Government and the local MPs regarding the Ajax platform. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what comparative assessments have been conducted between Ajax and like-for-like competitor vehicles which could replace it; and which vehicles have been compared.

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

Our focus has been, and continues to be, ensuring that AJAX is safe for our soldiers to use. In considering the future of AJAX, several alternative platforms were assessed. I intend to update the House to outline next steps after Easter recess.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the average length of time for each Type-45 Fleet Time Support Period.

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

Fleet Time Support Periods (FTSPs) for Type 45 Destroyers vary in duration depending on the scope of scheduled maintenance, operational commitments, capability insertions and any emergent work identified once the vessel enters the maintenance period.