Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to Question 64795 on MBR Acres, what recent assessment she has made of the potential risks to the (a) local and (b) national population from the site.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
We keep things under review at this site at all times.
The Government has made a manifesto commitment to phase out animal testing. At present the use of animals in research continues to play a vital part in our understanding of how biological systems work and supports the development of new medicines and medical technologies, for both humans and animals.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to Question 64795 on MBR Acres, what additional support has been provided to Cambridgeshire Constabulary on the national security concerns.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
We keep things under review at this site at all times.
The Government has made a manifesto commitment to phase out animal testing. At present the use of animals in research continues to play a vital part in our understanding of how biological systems work and supports the development of new medicines and medical technologies, for both humans and animals.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an estimate of the changes to elector numbers in each constituency following the reduction of the voting age.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In June 2025, the House of Commons Library published constituency-level estimates of the number of 16 and 17-year-olds across the UK, based on Office for National Statistics data from 2022 for Great Britain and 2023 for Northern Ireland.
These figures provide indicative estimates of the 16 and 17-year-old population and should be treated as approximations rather than precise counts.
The government will publish an Impact Assessment of the proposed policy change alongside forthcoming legislation.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the new Defence Research and Evaluation organisation to be fully operational.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In response to the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations, and as part of Defence Reform, the department is currently making substantive changes to the end-to-end process for Science, Technology, Innovation, Integration, Acquisition and Support. These changes will ensure Defence: better adopts leading edge research from academia, allies and wider government; works more closely with UK based industry especially SMEs to mature leading edge technology; better leverages the UK’s leading financial sector for the benefit of defence; and catalyses UK based industry to execute differentiating innovation; all at a pace to enable us to react to the threats faced by the nation.
The DRE will be formed by an evolution of Dstl and Defence Science and Technology. There is still design work to be completed and will be announced in due course. The intention remains to focus the organisation on that work that must be done in Government for UK defence and security, including: early-stage research that must be led by officials; maintaining critical national capabilities in essential areas such as chemical and biological defence, novel and unconventional weapons, explosives and energetics and counter-terrorism technology where the market cannot sustain; and ensure Ministry of Defence is an intelligent customer for Science and Technology.
The SDR stated that the department may wish to keep the Dstl brand. Dstl is a widely respected brand internationally and nationally.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65665 on Project ASGARD, what his planned timetable is for delivery of capability through Project ASGARD.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
ASGARD is working to deliver a step change in lethality for land forces through a software-defined, network enabled, targeting web that will directly link into the Defence Targeting web, driving targeting at a rate unmatched through traditional processes.
ASGARD is the British Army's flagship Transformative Capability Initiative. Elements of a prototype software defined deep recce strike complex were tested in May this year. The next iteration of ASGARD, focused at Corps level operations, will be tested in Quarter 2 2026.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential indirect impact of duty harmonisation on the horseracing industry.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The tax treatment of remote gambling is a matter for HM Treasury. Following the conclusion of its recent consultation, we expect that any legislative changes made to gambling duty will be accompanied by a tax information and impact note from HM Treasury, as is standard practice.
The Government recognises the significant contribution horseracing makes to our regional economies and our country’s cultural life. DCMS will continue to meet with racing stakeholders to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for the sport.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of affordability checks on online betting turnover on racing since its introduction.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling Commission introduced financial vulnerability checks in August 2024. These checks use only publicly available data, such as bankruptcy orders, to assess risk of significant financial harm. Financial risk assessments, which will look at a more nuanced picture of financial risk, are being piloted by the Commission to ensure they can be introduced in a frictionless manner. Early findings show that 97% of assessments were frictionless, well above the 80% white paper estimate. The Commission is analysing pilot data and will take a decision on whether to introduce these checks in due course. New financial risk checks would replace current operator affordability checks and will be better for customers, operators and racing.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 63151 on F-35 Aircraft: In-flight Refuelling, whether the 12 F-35A aircraft ordered have been specified with (a) solid boom and (b) probe-and-drogue refuelling capability.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 July 2025 to Question 63066.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many injunctions have been filed by government departments since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This information is not held by the Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the planned block 4 upgrade for F-35B will facilitate the carriage of the (a) Meteor missile system or (b) any other UK-built munitions.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Block 4 modernisation will include the integration of UK-unique weapons and upgrades to air-to-surface and air-to-air weaponry.