Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nuclear site events there were at (a) Coulport and (b) Faslane in the last 12 months.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The table below shows the number of Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) at Coulport and Faslane recorded between 22 April 2024 to 22 April 2025. These are shown according to agreed categorisation:
Nuclear Site Events- 2024 22/04/2024 - 31/12/2024 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 0 | 9 | 25 | 1 |
Faslane | 0 | 3 | 22 | 58 | 36 |
Nuclear Site Events- 2025 01/01/2025 - 22/04/2025 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
Faslane | 1 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 5 |
In line with Industry Good Practice and in common with other defence and civil nuclear sites, His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde has a well-established system for raising NSERs.
NSERs are raised to foster a robust safety culture that learns from experience, whether that is of equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcomings or near-misses.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the cost of increasing the number of full-time trained regular Army personnel by 3,000.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Strategic Defence Review will determine the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century, including for the British Army. The Review has been considering all aspects of Defence, such as the future force design of the British Army.
It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate due to the number of variables involved in the calculation, for example the role(s) any additional personnel would be undertaking.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any components of the (a) Mk4 and (b) Mk4A Holbrock warhead were (i) manufactured in and (ii) procured from the US, other than the (A) arming, (B) fusing and firing system, (C) neutron initiators and (D) gas transfer system.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In addition to the Mk4/4a components listed by the hon. Member, the UK acquires the Mk4 aeroshell from the US under the auspices of the 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement (as amended in 1982 for Trident). Utilising US non-nuclear warhead components brings significant cost benefits and ensures we remain compatible with the Trident missile, however, the requirements, design and manufacture of the Holbrook warhead are independent to the UK.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether US-owned nuclear weapons are permitted to be stationed at RAF Lakenheath.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
It remains longstanding UK and NATO policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 36131 on F-35 Aircraft: Procurement, if the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry will meet with the hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens to discuss that answer.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss that answer.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average monthly flying hours are for each F-35 by airframe since they entered full operational capability.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Average monthly flying hours of individual airframes is not a metric that is collated and as the information is not held in this format it could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The metric that is collated is the total airframe hours since delivery for which I refer the hon. Member to the Answer to Question 34922 on 6 March 2025.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the implementation of the 2015 memorandum of understanding between Ireland and the UK on defence.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence MOU between the United Kingdom and Ireland underscores the breadth of our bilateral relationship with Ireland. Since it was signed in 2015, we have enhanced cooperation in exchanging information, exercises and training, UN mandated International peacekeeping, crisis management operations, capability developments, and cyber defence and security, among many other areas of cooperation. The Ministry of Defence keeps effectiveness of these arrangements these under regular review including through staff talks.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when each F-35 entered into service.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I am withholding the requested information as it would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many hours have been flown in each UK F35 since they entered full operational capability.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The total flying hours accumulated for each airframe from first flight of each airframe to December 2024 is as follows.
Airframe tail number - Total Hours flown
ZM135 1,088
ZM136 1,058
ZM137 795
ZM138 976
ZM139 976
ZM140 858
ZM141 721
ZM142 945
ZM143 867
ZM144 758
ZM145 872
ZM146 847
ZM147 589
ZM148 533
ZM149 816
ZM150 550
ZM151 650
ZM152 425
ZM153 380
ZM154 533
ZM155 389
ZM156 558
ZM157 411
ZM158 504
ZM159 653
ZM160 488
ZM161 587
ZM162 357
ZM163 323
ZM164 286
ZM165 83
ZM166 86
ZM167 63
ZM168 98
ZM169 151
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of how many jobs the Unity Contract with Rolls Royce will create in (a) Cardiff and (b) Glasgow.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd estimate the Unity contract will create at least 200 new jobs in Glasgow and Cardiff providing the company with longer-term contractual security to plan and develop their existing and future workforce.