Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department has a specific budget to support a) small and b) medium-sized businesses in developing business continuity plans for major disruption.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

While the government does not have a dedicated budget to support SMEs to develop business continuity plans, we have set out a comprehensive package of support in our Plan for Small Businesses that will enable SMEs to grow and thrive, including when faced with disruption.

This includes a new Business Growth Service to simplify finding advice and support for SMEs, extending the Help to Grow: Management Programme to help upskill SME leaders, and introducing significant legislation on late payments to ensure SMEs can effectively manage their cash flow. The government’s Cyber Essentials also helps SMEs protect themselves against digital threats.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2026 to question 16800, how much of the funding provided to regional Growth Hubs is ring-fenced for emergency resilience and continuity planning.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

For the 2026/27 – 2028/29 financial years, BIST is providing multi-year core grant funding to Local Authorities across England for them to provide a Growth Hub. Growth Hubs are expected to provide local businesses with advice and access to support for a broad range of business needs.

There are no ring-fenced elements; the parent Authority of each Growth Hub has flexibility in how and what it delivers, based on local business needs and local growth plans.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2026 to question 16800, what specific funding has been allocated within the Business Growth Service budget for fiscal year 2026-27 explicitly to help SMEs develop business continuity plans.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Although no specific funding has been allocated to the Business Growth Service (BGS) for financial year 2026-27 to help UK SMEs develop business continuity plans, DBT supports small and medium sized businesses become more resilient in the event of major disruption in a number of ways.

BGS is part of a wide range of business support channels available that include the Business Support Service and Growth Hubs in England providing support and guidance to help businesses plan, adapt and respond to challenges. These include practical cyber resilience measures such as Cyber Essentials among SMEs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2026 to question 17243, how many reported cyber security incidents led to the cancellation or amendment to the affected transport services.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Of the fourteen incidents in scope of question 17243, one incident led to the cancellation or amendment of transport services delivered.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2026 to question 16799, when the criticality assessment will next be updated.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre (CMIC), funded by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and delivered by the British Geological Survey, produces the UK’s criticality assessment. With a continuously expanding amount of data used in criticality assessments, continued monitoring and data processing require upgrading and semi-automation. CMIC’s criticality assessment upgrades this year will improve its workflow systems, making them more efficient, expanding on the number of HS codes analysed and focusing on large-volume materials. The next overarching update to the criticality assessment is due to take place in 2027.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected annual budget for the Defence Housing Strategy is for financial years a) 2026-27, b) 2027-28 and c) 2028-29.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) confirms previous commitments to provide £9.2 billion over the next decade to deliver the Defence Housing Strategy and a generational renewal of military family housing. This work has started with 1,250 of the worst homes already upgraded, with more underway this year.

The budget for family housing is currently approximately £3 billion for this Parliament and around £6 billion for next Parliament and the subsequent financial year, compared to around £4 billion and around £5 billion previously stated. This substantial investment in the early years of the DIP will enable us to continue to deliver

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2026 to question 16796, what are the mandatory reporting thresholds.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Under Regulation 11 of the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018, an Operator of Essential Services (OES) must notify the competent authority for their subsector about any incident which has a significant impact on the continuity of the essential service it provides. To determine the significance of an incident’s impact, an OES must take account of the number of users affected by the disruption; the duration; and the geographical area affected. The Regulations do not prescribe numerical reporting thresholds; instead competent authorities may publish sector-specific guidance to assist OES in determining whether an incident is reportable.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support (a) her Department, (b) the National Cyber Security Centre and (c) other government bodies provided to the operator of the power generation facility reportedly shut down for four days in July 2026 as a result of a cyber attack.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I cannot comment on specific incidents whilst investigations are ongoing for reasons of national security.

I can, however, confirm that the incident referred to impacted micro-scale generation, and at no point was there a risk to the wider energy system.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many households' energy needs are met, on average, by the power generation facility reportedly shut down for four days in July 2026 as a result of a cyber attack.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I cannot comment on specific incidents whilst investigations are ongoing for reasons of national security.

I can, however, confirm that the incident referred to impacted micro-scale generation, and at no point was there a risk to the wider energy system.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 45 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, how much funding has been allocated to procuring the 12 F35As, and how much does he estimate the total cost of the nuclear-capable F35A program will be.

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

Funding for the future F-35 aircraft purchases will be reported through the Defence Major Projects mechanism.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 34 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, how much funding for AI is allocated within each of the (a) Digital Targeting Web, (b) Integrated Air and Missile Defence, (c) Project ASGARD, (d) Maritime Fighting Web, (e) Hybrid Navy and (f) Collaborative Combat Aircraft programmes.

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

As set out in the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), AI will feature within transformative programmes and investments such as the Digital Targeting Web, IAMD, Project ASGARD, the Maritime Fighting Web, the Hybrid Navy and CCAs.

In recognition of the growing air and missile threat, the Strategic Defence Review committed to enhance the UK's homeland air and missile defences, with £790 million of new money for homeland IAMD subsequently announced in the DIP. This funding includes investing in a National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC). The NASOC will be critical to coordination of national response to any future air and missile attack. NASOC funding will commence in the coming years with a view to it providing operational capability in the early 2030s. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be considered by the NASOC Programme, in support of timely and efficient operational decision making. However, the scale and breadth of any potential AI employment is to be determined.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 16 July to question 17649, what date it was determined that the UK has met NATO's 1.5% defence and security-related spending target.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The UK has met NATO’s 1.5% defence and security-related spending target, as defined by NATO. The UK’s spending total was reported into the NATO International Staff ahead of the NATO Summit in July and was reflected in the press releases from NATO at the Summit, such as the Defence Investment Update.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 16 July to question 17649, what funding has been allocated to meeting the NATO 1.5% defence and security-related spending target since 26 January 2026.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The UK has met NATO’s 1.5% defence and security-related spending target, as defined by NATO. NATO’s definition sets out that spend should be to protect our critical infrastructure, defend our networks, ensure our civil preparedness and resilience, unleash innovation and strengthen our defence industrial base.

Public spending is determined through the Spending Review process, which last took place in 2025 and set departmental resource budgets through to 2029-30 and capital budgets to 2030-31. All spending captured as part of the 1.5% is determined through the Spending Review and set out to Parliament via the Estimates process in the usual way

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department will name the power generation facility reportedly shut down for four days in July 2026 as a result of a cyber attack, and whether her Department's assessment attributes that attack to a state or state-linked actor.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I cannot comment on specific incidents whilst investigations are ongoing for reasons of national security.

I can, however, confirm that the security and resilience of our energy system is the Department’s top priority.

Alongside the National Cyber Security Centre, we work closely with the energy sector to ensure threats to infrastructure are understood and that appropriate mitigations are implemented.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2026 to question 16797, what criteria must be satisfied for a business to be required to hold emergency stocks, and a) how many businesses hold emergency stocks, b) what is the volume of emergency stocks they are required to hold, and c) what monitoring is in place to assure the emergency stocks are being held.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

To meet the UK’s oil-stocking obligation as a member of the International Energy Agency, the Secretary of State requires companies that supply more than 50,000 tonnes of key petroleum products to the UK inland market over a 12-month period to hold emergency stocks. This currently applies to 16 refiners and importers. Obligations are allocated among these companies so that the UK holds stocks equivalent to 90 days of net oil imports. Companies report stock levels to the Department monthly, and more frequently during an International Energy Agency stock release. The Department also carries out on-site audits.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 36 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, how much he expects the Common Combat Vessels to cost per unit, and how many units does his department intend to procure.

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

The Defence Investment Plan allocated at least £1.3 billion to support delivery of the Royal Navy's Hybrid Navy, including uncrewed missile, sensing and underwater platforms, together with the future Common Combat Vessel programme. Detailed programme costs remain subject to ongoing concept development, approvals and affordability assessments.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 36 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, when he expects construction to start for the first large autonomous vessels of the Hybrid Navy.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 July 2026 to Question 18239 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr Obese-Jecty).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-13/18239

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of Child Maintenance Service cases are currently handled using assistance from artificial intelligence.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

All CMS cases are handled by trained caseworkers who remain accountable for decisions affecting customers. AI tools can be used to help colleagues improve productivity and customer outcomes but do not replace human decision-making.

The Department does not hold data on the percentage of Child Maintenance Service (CMS) cases handled with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI).

AI use is subject to appropriate governance, transparency, security and data protection safeguards. Details of the tools used by the Child Maintenance Service are published on the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard Hub.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2026 to question 16796, how many reports were received in the last 12 months that did not meet the mandatory thresholds.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

DESNZ does not routinely publish or disclose information relating to voluntary cyber incident reporting, as doing so could prejudice the security and resilience of operators and the wider energy sector. As a result, we do not provide figures on the number of voluntary reports received that fall below the NIS mandatory reporting thresholds.

Operators are encouraged to report cyber incidents and emerging threats to DESNZ, including those that do not meet the mandatory reporting thresholds, where there may be potential implications for energy sector resilience. Such reporting helps to improve situational awareness and supports cross-sector resilience activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 34 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, if he plans to publish the Defence Strategic Approach to AI.

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

The Defence Strategic Approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently being developed and will be finalised by the end of 2026. Decisions on implementation and any future publication arrangements will be considered as part of that process. Defence remains committed to ensuring that its approach to AI supports the outcomes set out in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and Defence Investment Plan (DIP).

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2026 to question 16797, how many times since 1 January 2025 have the industry emergency stocks been used.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

There has been one International Energy Agency coordinated emergency stock release since January 2025 – the action announced on 11 March 2026 in response to the Middle East conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruption. The UK's contribution was ~14 million barrels which DESNZ moved quickly to make available by lowering the obligation on companies to hold stocks. Further information on industry stock levels can be found at: ET_3.11_AUG_26.xlsx

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 16 July to question 17649, what specific departments have contributed to the 1.5% of GDP spend on security-related spend.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

All spending captured as part of the 1.5% is determined through the Spending Review and set out to Parliament via the Estimates process in the usual way.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, what funding has been allocated to the (a) physical and (b) cyber protection of the data centres supporting defence artificial intelligence.

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

The Defence Investment Plan sets out significant investment in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and cyber capabilities across Defence, including funding to increase computing capacity and support the delivery of AI-enabled capabilities. However, funding for the physical and cyber protection of data centres is not allocated as a separate line within the Defence Investment Plan. Security requirements are embedded in the Secure by Design process and throughout the procurement and operation of Defence digital infrastructure. Funding is provided through the relevant programme and infrastructure budgets, as appropriate.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential role of monetary gold in improving the resilience of the UK’s official reserves during periods of (a) financial market stress, (b) geopolitical conflict, (c) disruption to international payment systems and (d) significant currency volatility.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) has held 9.98 million ounces of gold since March 2002. The Government has no plans to permanently change the stock of gold it holds.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the strategic asset allocation of EEA annually. The allocation is determined in line with the EEA’s policy objectives and its investment principles of readiness, risk tolerance and optimising risk-adjusted return.

Gold remains an important component of the EEA’s diversified portfolio.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his department has modelled the a) financial and b) strategic implications of increasing UK official gold holdings to (i) 500 tonnes, (ii) 750 tonnes, (iii) 1,000 tonnes and (iiii) 1,500 tonnes.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) has held 9.98 million ounces of gold since March 2002. The Government has no plans to permanently change the stock of gold it holds.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the strategic asset allocation of EEA annually. The allocation is determined in line with the EEA’s policy objectives and its investment principles of readiness, risk tolerance and optimising risk-adjusted return.

Gold remains an important component of the EEA’s diversified portfolio.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his department has considered proposals since 1 January 2022 to increase the quantity or proportion of gold held in the UK’s official reserves.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) has held 9.98 million ounces of gold since March 2002. The Government has no plans to permanently change the stock of gold it holds.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the strategic asset allocation of EEA annually. The allocation is determined in line with the EEA’s policy objectives and its investment principles of readiness, risk tolerance and optimising risk-adjusted return.

Gold remains an important component of the EEA’s diversified portfolio.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Bank of England has provided advice to his department since 1 January 2022 on the appropriate level of gold held in the UK’s official reserves.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) has held 9.98 million ounces of gold since March 2002. The Government has no plans to permanently change the stock of gold it holds.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the strategic asset allocation of EEA annually. The allocation is determined in line with the EEA’s policy objectives and its investment principles of readiness, risk tolerance and optimising risk-adjusted return.

Gold remains an important component of the EEA’s diversified portfolio.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria does the Department use in considering whether an increase in the quantity of monetary gold held in the Exchange Equalisation Account is appropriate.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) has held 9.98 million ounces of gold since March 2002. The Government has no plans to permanently change the stock of gold it holds.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the strategic asset allocation of EEA annually. The allocation is determined in line with the EEA’s policy objectives and its investment principles of readiness, risk tolerance and optimising risk-adjusted return.

Gold remains an important component of the EEA’s diversified portfolio.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his department last conducted a review of the appropriate proportion of the UK’s official international reserves to be held in gold; and whether he will publish the conclusions of that review.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) has held 9.98 million ounces of gold since March 2002. The Government has no plans to permanently change the stock of gold it holds.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the strategic asset allocation of EEA annually. The allocation is determined in line with the EEA’s policy objectives and its investment principles of readiness, risk tolerance and optimising risk-adjusted return.

Gold remains an important component of the EEA’s diversified portfolio.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his department has made of the potential benefits and costs of holding an increased proportion of official reserves in assets that do not constitute liabilities of another sovereign state or financial institution.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on market movements. The UK’s official reserves are held in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) and managed to ensure that the policy objectives set out in the EEA Act 1979 can be met at all times.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the EEA’s strategic asset allocation annually. In doing so, the liquidity, credit and market risk of the reserves is managed in line with the EEA’s investment principles: readiness, risk tolerance and, subject to these, optimising risk-adjusted return. Reserve composition decisions reflect these principles.

Information on the size and composition of the reserves is published monthly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has considered reducing the proportion of the official reserves invested in foreign sovereign debt and increasing the proportion held in monetary gold.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on market movements. The UK’s official reserves are held in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) and managed to ensure that the policy objectives set out in the EEA Act 1979 can be met at all times.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the EEA’s strategic asset allocation annually. In doing so, the liquidity, credit and market risk of the reserves is managed in line with the EEA’s investment principles: readiness, risk tolerance and, subject to these, optimising risk-adjusted return. Reserve composition decisions reflect these principles.

Information on the size and composition of the reserves is published monthly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether geopolitical risk is explicitly considered when determining the strategic asset allocation of the Exchange Equalisation Account.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on market movements. The UK’s official reserves are held in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) and managed to ensure that the policy objectives set out in the EEA Act 1979 can be met at all times.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the EEA’s strategic asset allocation annually. In doing so, the liquidity, credit and market risk of the reserves is managed in line with the EEA’s investment principles: readiness, risk tolerance and, subject to these, optimising risk-adjusted return. Reserve composition decisions reflect these principles.

Information on the size and composition of the reserves is published monthly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the United Kingdom’s official gold reserves in the context of changes in the level of gold reserves held by other central banks since 2022.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) has held 9.98 million ounces of gold since March 2002. The Government has no plans to permanently change the stock of gold it holds.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the strategic asset allocation of EEA annually. The allocation is determined in line with the EEA’s policy objectives and its investment principles of readiness, risk tolerance and optimising risk-adjusted return.

Gold remains an important component of the EEA’s diversified portfolio.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his department has made of the counterparty-risk characteristics of monetary gold compared with foreign-currency securities held within the UK’s official reserves.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) has held 9.98 million ounces of gold since March 2002. The Government has no plans to permanently change the stock of gold it holds.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the strategic asset allocation of EEA annually. The allocation is determined in line with the EEA’s policy objectives and its investment principles of readiness, risk tolerance and optimising risk-adjusted return.

Gold remains an important component of the EEA’s diversified portfolio.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his department has assessed the implications for UK reserve management of foreign sovereign assets having been frozen or otherwise restricted as a consequence of international sanctions since 2022.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on market movements. The UK’s official reserves are held in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) and managed to ensure that the policy objectives set out in the EEA Act 1979 can be met at all times.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the EEA’s strategic asset allocation annually. In doing so, the liquidity, credit and market risk of the reserves is managed in line with the EEA’s investment principles: readiness, risk tolerance and, subject to these, optimising risk-adjusted return. Reserve composition decisions reflect these principles.

Information on the size and composition of the reserves is published monthly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what stress tests his department applies to the Exchange Equalisation Account in respect of movements in (a) the US dollar, (b) the euro, (c) the yen, (d) interest rates and (e) the gold price.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on market movements. The UK’s official reserves are held in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) and managed to ensure that the policy objectives set out in the EEA Act 1979 can be met at all times.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the EEA’s strategic asset allocation annually. In doing so, the liquidity, credit and market risk of the reserves is managed in line with the EEA’s investment principles: readiness, risk tolerance and, subject to these, optimising risk-adjusted return. Reserve composition decisions reflect these principles.

Information on the size and composition of the reserves is published monthly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a sustained depreciation in the US dollar on the value and resilience of the UK’s official reserves.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on market movements. The UK’s official reserves are held in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) and managed to ensure that the policy objectives set out in the EEA Act 1979 can be met at all times.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the EEA’s strategic asset allocation annually. In doing so, the liquidity, credit and market risk of the reserves is managed in line with the EEA’s investment principles: readiness, risk tolerance and, subject to these, optimising risk-adjusted return. Reserve composition decisions reflect these principles.

Information on the size and composition of the reserves is published monthly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of fragmentation of the international financial system on the appropriate composition of the UK’s official reserves.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on market movements. The UK’s official reserves are held in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) and managed to ensure that the policy objectives set out in the EEA Act 1979 can be met at all times.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England agree the EEA’s strategic asset allocation annually. In doing so, the liquidity, credit and market risk of the reserves is managed in line with the EEA’s investment principles: readiness, risk tolerance and, subject to these, optimising risk-adjusted return. Reserve composition decisions reflect these principles.

Information on the size and composition of the reserves is published monthly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 13 July to question 16362, a) what was the drawdown from the Civil Contingencies Fund in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to date and b) what proportion of that drawdown was recovered from the individual departments.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Contingencies Fund (formerly known as the Civil Contingencies Fund) is a long-standing Treasury fund that enables HM Treasury to make repayable cash advances to government departments and certain public bodies to meet urgent cash requirements pending parliamentary approval of funding.

Information on advances from, and repayments to, the Fund is published in the annual Contingencies Fund Accounts with most detail in Note 5 Advances and repayments. The Accounts for 2024-25 and 2025-26 are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contingencies-fund-account-2024-to-2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contingencies-fund-account-2025-to-2026

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026 to question 16362, whether her Department maintains (a) a central register and (b) an estimate of funding allocated for civil contingencies and emergency planning across departments during the spending review period.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

HM Treasury allocated significant funding to departments at Spending Review 2025 (SR25) to protect the public and the environment from emergencies, and for civil preparedness. This includes £4.2bn to build and maintain flood defences, £520m to build resilience for future health emergencies, and £1.2bn digital investment which will tackle urgent cyber security and technical risks. Looking ahead, the government has committed to spend 1.5% of GDP on security and resilience by 2035, as part of its 5% pledge to NATO.

Departments are required to maintain contingency plans for managing risks and emergencies within their SR25 budgets. HM Treasury also maintains a central Reserve, for any unforeseen and unavoidable risks which cannot be managed within departmental budgets.

HM Treasury monitors risks to departmental budgets and shares them with the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) on a quarterly basis, in line with Charter of Budget Responsibility and recommendations made by the OBR as part of the DEL Review.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2026 to question 17245, to what countries and on what date has the Rapid Deployment Team been sent to provide consular assistance.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office deploys Rapid Deployment Teams when additional support is needed following a crisis or major incident affecting British nationals overseas. Further to my reply on 15 July 2026 to Question 17245, I refer the Honourable Member to the table below, which lists the countries and locations where Rapid Deployment Teams have provided assistance since 2011, the earliest year for which data is available.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the National Audit Office's report entitled Government cyber resilience, published on 29 January 2025, how many of the critical IT systems with significant gaps in government cyber resilience have since been reassessed.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The critical systems referenced in the National Audit Office report were assessed by GovAssure – Government's cyber assurance programme. Of the 72 assessed systems referenced in the report, 18 have been reassessed since publication.

GovAssure requires organisations to scope and assess their critical IT systems on an annual basis in tranches, prioritising Critical National Infrastructure systems first. Once assessed, organisations will work through Targeted Improvement Plans, so systems may not be immediately reassessed the following year whilst remediation is ongoing.

Government has acknowledged that it faces significant cyber security and resilience risks and has set out its wider package of measures to tackling these through the Government Cyber Action Plan, published in January 2026 and backed by over £210 million.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the UK’s foreign-currency reserve assets is invested in securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the UK’s exposure to US-dollar-denominated assets within the official reserves.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) what data his Department holds on the percentage of Child Maintenance Service users who have reported difficulty using the telephone or online contact channels, and (b) what modelling has been undertaken on the potential for artificial intelligence to improve this.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is delivering a Modernisation Programme to improve customer access, efficiency and transparency. This includes integrated online application services, the My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC) service, which provides customers with online access to case information and payment schedules, and Customer Connect, which enables secure online communication between parents and caseworkers. Telephone and assisted digital support remain available for customers who need additional assistance.

The programme has also introduced improved digital communications, enhanced data sharing to support faster and more accurate maintenance calculations, and predictive analytics to help identify cases at risk of non-compliance, which allows us to review the cases more swiftly and take action to ensure compliance is maintained.

The Child Maintenance Service does not hold specific information on the percentage of users who have reported difficulty using its telephone or online contact channels. Where the Department is made aware of issues affecting a customer’s use of its services, those issues are managed and tracked through to resolution. While the Department records where customers choose not to use the online service, it does not hold information on the specific reasons for this.

The Department has not undertaken any modelling on the potential for artificial intelligence to improve these channels.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the UK’s official reserve assets carries (a) sovereign, (b) financial institution and (c) other counterparty credit exposure.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his department has made of changes in the share of global foreign-exchange reserves accounted for by the US dollar when determining the asset allocation of the Exchange Equalisation Account.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential role of gold in reducing currency concentration risk within the UK’s official reserves.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his department has established a target range for the proportion of official reserves held in assets without counterparty credit risk.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the proportion of official reserves held in gold by (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France, (c) Germany, (d) Italy, (e) Poland, (f) the United States and (g) other G7 countries.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his department has made of the effect on the Exchange Equalisation Account of a (a) 10 per cent, (b) 20 per cent and (c) 30 per cent depreciation of the US dollar against sterling.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of levels of gold purchases by overseas central banks since 2022 on UK reserve-management policy.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what limits his department places on the maximum proportion of the UK’s official reserves that may be exposed to any single foreign currency.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government does not comment on market movements. Assets in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA) are held to meet the EEA’s core policy objectives as defined in the EEA Act 1979. All EEA investment decisions, including the currency and asset composition of the Account, are made using the following investment principles:

Investment Principle 1 (readiness) – The EEA must be ready to meet its policy objectives at all times, at an acceptable cost and high degree of certainty.

Investment Principle 2 (risk tolerance) – The EEA must not take on risk that compromises the ability to meet Principle 1 or that could unduly influence fiscal metrics.

Investment Principle 3 (return) – Subject to meeting Principles 1 and 2, the EEA should seek to optimise risk-adjusted return

Foreign exchange risk is one of the primary market risks faced by the EEA and so is considered by HMT and the Bank of England when making decisions assessing the EEA’s risk tolerance under Investment Principle 2. A portion of EEA assets are also hedged against foreign exchange and interest rate changes.

To manage credit risk, the Bank maintains a framework of issuer credit limits. A similar framework applies to counterparty risk.

The EEA has held 9.98 million ounces of gold on a permanent basis since March 2002 and it remains an important component of the diversified portfolio.

The Bank of England publishes a monthly statistical release setting out the EEA’s holdings split by broad asset class on the third working day at: UK International Reserves - August 2026. In addition, each quarter, one month in arrears, data on the currency breakdown of the UK’s reserves is published by the Bank of England at: Bank of England | Database.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen the resilience of UK critical national infrastructure against attack in the context of the Kremlin's statement of 25 August 2026.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Defence is continuing to work closely with the Cabinet Office and other Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) Lead Government Departments to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations for a new deal for the protection of CNI.

We are working across Government to take a data-driven approach to identifying the CNI most essential to the UK’s ability to sustain and respond to conflict. By contributing Defence data to the Cabinet Office's CNI Knowledge Base, we are fulfilling the commitments set out in the Resilience Action Plan and improving our understanding of the infrastructure, dependencies and vulnerabilities that would be most critical in a conflict scenario.

This analysis is informing our Home Defence planning by ensuring that we align Defence resources and capabilities to the protection of the most important infrastructure against a broad spectrum of threats, from hybrid activity through to conventional conflict

Defence is investing an additional £470 million to improve the security of military sites in the UK. Through the Defence Investment Plan and the wider Home Defence Programme, we are also investing in capabilities including Integrated Air and Missile Defence. Defence is investing £240 million in Project PRESAGIUM, an enhanced counter-drone system, providing effective detection and defeat of emerging drone threats. We are growing and equipping the Reserves to support Homeland Defence tasks and enhancing capabilities to protect critical underwater infrastructure.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 44 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, in what year does he expect the new F-35As will be able to join the NATO Dual Capable Aircraft nuclear mission.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 July 2026 to Question 18244 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr Obese-Jecty).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-13/18244

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 44 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, what funding has been granted to a) developing and b) procuring nuclear weaponry for the new F35As.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 March 2026 to Question 119054 to the hon. Member for Bridlington and the Wolds (Mr Dewhirst).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-03-09/119054

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 50 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, which (a) state and (b) non-state actors are responsible for cyber attacks on Defence systems.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

I refer the hon. Member to answer i gave to the hon. Member for South Shropshire (Stuart Anderson) on 2 September 2026 to Question 19087.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-15/19087

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 50 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, how many of the over 90,000 annual cyber attacks on Defence systems were assessed as (a) serious and (b) successful in the 12 months to September 2026.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Due to operational sensitivities, I am unable to provide a breakdown of the serious and successful cyber-attacks on UK Defence Systems over the last 12 months.

Devon maternity services

Found: Resolved, David Reed to be discharged and Alicia Kearns to be nominated to the International Development

Found: 1998 Exmouth Devon BV22213556/1 Rosemary Reece 01/12/2019 Westminster London SW1P BV22114399/1 David Reed

Found: 1998 Exmouth Devon BV22213556/1 Rosemary Reece 01/12/2019 Westminster London SW1P BV22114399/1 David Reed

Found: 1998 Exmouth Devon BV22213556/1 Rosemary Reece 01/12/2019 Westminster London SW1P BV22114399/1 David Reed

Found: 1998 Exmouth Devon BV22213556/1 Rosemary Reece 01/12/2019 Westminster London SW1P BV22114399/1 David Reed

Found: 1998 Exmouth Devon BV22213556/1 Rosemary Reece 01/12/2019 Westminster London SW1P BV22114399/1 David Reed

Found: 1998 Exmouth Devon BV22213556/1 Rosemary Reece 01/12/2019 Westminster London SW1P BV22114399/1 David Reed