Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 May 2024 to Question 24424 on Armed Forces: Defence Equipment, for what reason his Department has linked the annual budget cycle in 2024 to the announcement for future funding in the 2025-26 financial year, in the context of the annual budget cycle being for in-year spending adjustments.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Department runs an Annual Budget Cycle (ABC) every year. However, this is not solely for in year spending adjustments, it is a financial planning exercise to review the Department's ten-year forecast.
The most recent ABC conducted in 2023 reviewed the ten-year forecast from 2023-24 to 2032-33 and the current ABC process underway is reviewing the ten-year forecast from 2024-25 to 2033-34. This will reflect the recent announcement of our planned trajectory to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an annual budget cycle took place for the financial year (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The department runs an Annual Budget Cycle (ABC) every year.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his German counterpart on ensuring that collaboration on the Boxer 155mm platform will not be subject to an export veto by the German (a) federal government and (b) parliament.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
I have closely engaged with my German counterpart on the Boxer 155mm project, including consideration of future export prospects. The Prime Minister also discussed the project and the position on exports with Chancellor Scholz ahead of announcing the joint way ahead in Berlin on 24 April. Following the announcement, I also met with Secretary Zimmer in the Ministerial Equipment and Capability Cooperation(MECC) format on 8 May during which we discussed our plans to progress to the next stage of the programme.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on establishing the National Cyber Force headquarters at Salmesbury.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The National Cyber Force (NCF) headquarters in Samlesbury is currently undergoing construction, with progress remaining on track to open in 2025. NCF is planning for several hundred personnel to be based there within the first 12 months.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what equipment programmes within the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army, (b) Strategic Command and (d) Royal Air Force were deleted following the most recent annual budget cycle round.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Department is reviewing its forward spending plans following the Government's announcement that defence spending will reach 2.5% of GDP in 2030.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has plans to procure F35A aircraft.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey) on 16 June 2023 to Question 188192.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the Anglo-French Future Cruise-Anti-Ship Weapon programme.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Future Cruise / Anti-Ship weapon programme is in the third year of the assessment phase and joint Anglo-France work is designing novel technological advances in missile capability. Significant progress has been made on suitable candidate weapon systems to fulfil the Naval and Air requirements. At this stage of the programme, work is focused on reducing technical and schedule risk, prior to the potential Demonstration and Manufacturing phases, and preparations are underway to prepare towards Full Business Case. Additionally, progress is also being made to explore bringing Italy on board as a partner nation, with a Letter of Intent signed in June 2023.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his latest estimate is of the (a) cost and (b) delivery timetable for the E& aircraft.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
I refer the right hon. Member to the answers I gave on 30 April 2024 to the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mark Francois), to Question 23416; and on 29 April 2024 to the right hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle), to Question 23108.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which equipment programs within (a) the Army, (b) Strategic Command, (c) the Royal Air Force and (d) the Royal Navy have been deferred as part of the latest annual budget cycle round.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Department is reviewing its forward spending plans following the Government's announcement that defence spending will reach 2.5% of GDP in 2030.
Asked by: Ben Wallace (Conservative - Wyre and Preston North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the funding for Ukraine announced by the Prime Minister on 23 April 2024, what proportion of that funding will be used to replace UK (a) ammunition stocks and (b) vehicles.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The £500 million additional funding for Ukraine, announced on 23 April 2024 will be used to rapidly deliver urgently-needed ammunition, air defence, drones and engineering support. The drones will be procured in the UK and the funds will support a scale-up in domestic defence supply chains.