Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel have had a hearing assessment following operating within an Ajax or Ajax-platform vehicle.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
All Ajax users follow routine audiometry protocols which includes an annual hearing test. This is required for users of all armoured vehicles.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proportion of Pakistani asylum seekers that have arrived via a) visas or b) other leave in the year to June 2025 on the asylum system.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
This government has already taken action to stem the surge in asylum claims from visa holders, including record numbers of credibility interviews and mandating a genuine study requirement for short term student routes. The number of student visa holders claiming asylum has reduced every quarter since this government took office.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proportion of Bangladeshi asylum seekers that have arrived via a) visas or b) other leave in the year to June 2025 on the asylum system.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
This government has already taken action to stem the surge in asylum claims from visa holders, including record numbers of credibility interviews and mandating a genuine study requirement for short term student routes. The number of student visa holders claiming asylum has reduced every quarter since this government took office.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many settlements for noise-induced hearing loss his Department made in 2024/25.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, there were 149 initial injury/illness awards under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) for noise-induced hearing loss which were awarded under the Senses tariff of injury table.
Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, 1,083 awards for noise-induced hearing loss conditions under the War Pensions Scheme.
Please note, numbers for AFCS include initial awards only. NIHL conditions which were initially rejected but were subsequently awarded, following a reconsideration or appeal in this financial year, have not been counted due to the complexity of the data.
Settlements of common law compensation claims brought against the Ministry of Defence for noise-induced hearing loss are published annually. These are published the year after the relevant financial year. For example, settled claims and compensation paid in financal year (FY) 2024-25 will be published in 2026. The link below provides the most up to date information relating to common law claims in FY2023-24 including clinical negligence claims.
MOD common law compensation claims statistics 2023/24 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what are the terms of the UK's operational freedom of action under the global F-35 programme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence has Operational Sovereignty/Freedom of Action to operate the UK 'F-35 aircraft at the time and place of the UK Defence's choosing' and to 'procure critical capabilities to be located in the UK'.
This is combined with an in-depth understanding of the aircraft's capabilities that enable Operational Readiness and risk to be assessed against national legislation, the Geneva Convention and our Duty of Care before committing the equipment and personnel to operations.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has she made in implementing the Police National Database programme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Police National Database (PND) has been operational for almost 15 years and continues to provide vital intelligence to policing and law enforcement. The replacement of the PND remains a core consideration for the Home Office and policing.
The Home Office is currently considering a variety of options for future delivery of the PND transformation programme and further information will be issued once a decision has been taken.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress has she made in delivering the Emergency Services Mobile Communications programme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following the completion of two major re-procurements, the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) awarded the Mobile Services contract to BT/EE and the User Services contract to IBM in November and December 2024 respectively.
The programme has completed a revised Programme Business Case which has been endorsed by the Senior Users of the 3 Emergency Services and those of the devolved nations. The Programme Business Case is expected to complete departmental and treasury approvals in early 2026. Our user community continues to be closely engaged in planning the deployment and rollout of the service and the safe transition from Airwave to ESN. Early adoption of a service ready solution is on track for early 2028 with a further target for complete transition from Airwave by the end of 2029.
The main build of ESN masts to provide mobile coverage is largely complete - of a total of the extra 1047 masts due to be built, 987 are completed and operationally live. This is already providing a benefit to the public by enabling over one thousand additional 999 calls every month to be made in areas where previously there was no coverage. Work continues at pace to provide network access in areas where localised coverage is needed; these include densely populated communities, as well as sports stadiums, and shopping centres.
The programme’s priority is to achieve the right balance between credible plans that ensures user confidence and the need to deliver ESN as quickly and safely as possible to enable the shutdown of Airwave.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Law Enforcement Data Service programme products are.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Further to my answer (20 October 2025) on the delivery progress made on the Law Enforcement Data Service (LEDS); there are five products within LEDS. There are Person, Vehicles, Drivers, Property and Audit.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many compensation claims relating to noise and vibration symptoms incurred during use of Ajax-variants have been made since the start of the Armoured Cavalry Programme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
It will take time to collate and review the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s question. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with references to the Written Statement on the Armoured Cavalry Programme (HCWS1099), published on 26th November 2025, what assurances was the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry given prior to announcing Initial Operating Capability.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Before declaring Initial Operating Capability, I received written assurances from the Chief of the General Staff and the acting NAD that the vehicle was safe to operate. Within the letter note AJAX the vehicle was described as ‘demonstrably safe to operate”.