Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department plans to spend with SMEs in (a) 2026 and (b) 2027.

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

Defence is an engine for growth, and small businesses are the backbone of UK defence, bringing the innovation, agility and fresh thinking that our Armed Forces need to stay ahead of evolving threats.

As announced by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State of Defence last year, this Government is committed to supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), including an ambitious but achievable target to increase our spend with SMEs by £2.5 billion by 2028. The department's forthcoming SME Action Plan will lay out what steps we will be taking during 2026 and 2027 to achieve this uplift by 2028.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his proposed timeline is for publishing a terms of reference for the Defence Investment Plan.

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

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) is the next step in turning the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) into action. It is the first zero-based review of Defence’s budgets in eighteen years and goes significantly further than the last Government’s Equipment Plan by looking across every budget line, including people and infrastructure.

We will publish it as soon as we can, but our aim is to ensure decisions in the DIP are robust and support the development of both current and future capabilities, helping to drive the transformation of our Armed Forces described in the Strategic Defence Review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, whether he has a target number for the number of UK companies that will be involved in the (a) Low-Cost Effectors & Platforms initiative and (b) new surface-to-air missile.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is now entering the international industrial selection phase. UK workshare and company involvement will be dependent on the chosen solutions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, how many UK companies will be involved in the Low-Cost Effectors & Platforms initiative.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is now entering the international industrial selection phase. UK workshare and company involvement will be dependent on the chosen solutions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, how many UK companies will be involved in the manufacture of the new surface-to-air weapon.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is now entering the international industrial selection phase. UK workshare and company involvement will be dependent on the chosen solutions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, what is the estimated total cost to the UK of delivering the new surface-to-air weapon.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is entering the concept demonstration phase. The total cost to the UK of delivering the new surface-to-air weapon system will be dependent on the chosen solution and quantities procured.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many live firing exercises have taken place at the Land Regional Hub Oman in each of the last ten financial years.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Land Regional Hub Oman has transitioned into the Global Hub Oman (GHO) providing Land, Sea and Air capabilities. The Land Training Area: Ras Madrakah Training Area, is part of GHO’s capabilities. The following table provides the number of live firing exercises conducted on Ras Madrakah Training Area, in each of the last 10 financial years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to reduce the quantity of military equipment used at the Land Regional Hub Germany in any of the remaining years of the current Parliament.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Army continually reviews equipment allocations to ensure training needs are met. For operational security reasons, we do not release details of equipment holdings, changes in quantities, or future allocations at specific locations, including the Land Regional Hub Germany.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military equipment is stationed at the Land Regional Hub Oman.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Land Regional Hub Oman has transitioned into the Global Hub Oman (GHO) providing Land, Sea and Air capabilities. For operational security reasons, we do not release details of equipment holdings, changes in quantities, or future allocations at specific locations.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK service personnel have been stationed at the Land Regional Hub Germany in each of the last 10 financial years in a (a) permanent and (b) temporary capacity.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

All of the data provided in this response is as at 31 October 2025 as this is the latest data available.

There are currently 310 Regular Service personnel stationed at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany.

The numbers of Regular service personnel stationed permanently at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany in each of the last 10 financial years is provided in the table below:

The numbers of service personnel deployed temporarily at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany in each of the last 10 financial years is provided in the table below:

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. 'Land Regional Hub' Germany has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA). Land Regional Hub has been defined as sites in Germany administered by the UK. This primarily includes sites in Paderborn and Moenchengladbach.

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

5. [c] - less than 5

6. Deployment data are derived from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) `Move and Track` system. Due to ongoing validation of data from JPA, figures provided are provisional and subject to change. Figures have been derived from the January 2026 deployment extract.

7. Deployed personnel are Military personnel who are deployed on Operations. The Move and Track database records all personnel who enter a deployment theatre for over 24hrs. Each individual has a new record for each change in deployed unit, location, operation or date.

8. ‘UK Forces Service Personnel’ comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS).

9. Service personnel data is derived from the JPA system, which is a combination of mandatory and non-mandatory fields populated by unit administrators and voluntary fields that Armed Forces personnel can choose to complete based on their perceptions.

1. The Date of Deployment is the 'deployed date in' as recorded on JPA 'Move and Track' system. This is the date personnel deployed into the respective count.

1. Please note: the total does not include repeat tours within the same calendar year so each individual is only recorded once per financial year. If personnel began a deployment in multiple financial years, then they would be reported in each financial year they were deployed in. Hence, figures can not be combined to give an overall number of unique personnel deployed over this whole period.

2. The Financial Year for Defence Statistics purposes starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK service personnel are permanently stationed at the Land Regional Hub Germany.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

All of the data provided in this response is as at 31 October 2025 as this is the latest data available.

There are currently 310 Regular Service personnel stationed at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany.

The numbers of Regular service personnel stationed permanently at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany in each of the last 10 financial years is provided in the table below:

The numbers of service personnel deployed temporarily at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany in each of the last 10 financial years is provided in the table below:

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. 'Land Regional Hub' Germany has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA). Land Regional Hub has been defined as sites in Germany administered by the UK. This primarily includes sites in Paderborn and Moenchengladbach.

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

5. [c] - less than 5

6. Deployment data are derived from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) `Move and Track` system. Due to ongoing validation of data from JPA, figures provided are provisional and subject to change. Figures have been derived from the January 2026 deployment extract.

7. Deployed personnel are Military personnel who are deployed on Operations. The Move and Track database records all personnel who enter a deployment theatre for over 24hrs. Each individual has a new record for each change in deployed unit, location, operation or date.

8. ‘UK Forces Service Personnel’ comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS).

9. Service personnel data is derived from the JPA system, which is a combination of mandatory and non-mandatory fields populated by unit administrators and voluntary fields that Armed Forces personnel can choose to complete based on their perceptions.

1. The Date of Deployment is the 'deployed date in' as recorded on JPA 'Move and Track' system. This is the date personnel deployed into the respective count.

1. Please note: the total does not include repeat tours within the same calendar year so each individual is only recorded once per financial year. If personnel began a deployment in multiple financial years, then they would be reported in each financial year they were deployed in. Hence, figures can not be combined to give an overall number of unique personnel deployed over this whole period.

2. The Financial Year for Defence Statistics purposes starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many live firing exercises have taken place at the Land Regional Hub Germany in each of the 10 previous financial years.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Live Firing exercises that took place at the Land Regional Hub Germany over the last ten years are recorded by calendar year rather than financial year. The number of Live Firing exercises that all took place on the Sennelager Training area in each of the last 10 year are as follows:

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the military equipment currently stationed at the Land Regional Hub Germany.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Army continually reviews equipment allocations to ensure training needs are met. For operational security reasons, we do not release details of equipment holdings, changes in quantities, or future allocations at specific locations, including the Land Regional Hub Germany.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Mauritian Government on the potential impact of Treaty of Pelindaba on the operation of nuclear weapons on the Diego Garcia military base.

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

As the hon. Gentleman will recall from me repeatedly saying in the Commons, and again from his time as a Defence Minister, it is longstanding UK policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location. The UK and Mauritius enjoy a strong bilateral relationship, but the Secretary of State has not met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, how much money has been allocated by his Department for the Low-Cost Effectors and Platforms initiative.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is entering the concept demonstration phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he expects to receive any further proposals for the Defence Investment Plan from the (a) Chief of the Air Staff, (b) Chief of the General Staff and (c) First Sea Lord.

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

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible. As part of this process, senior military leaders, including the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the First Sea Lord, are fully engaged in defence planning.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has discussed any draft versions of the Defence Investment Plan with the (a) Chief of the Air Staff, (b) Chief of the General Staff and (c) First Sea Lord.

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

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible. As part of this process, senior military leaders, including the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the First Sea Lord, are fully engaged in defence planning.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has received final proposals for the Defence Investment Plan from the (a) Chief of the Air Staff, (b) Chief of the General Staff and (c) First Sea Lord.

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

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible. As part of this process, senior military leaders, including the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the First Sea Lord, are fully engaged in defence planning.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any draft versions of the Defence Investment Plan have been approved by the (a) Chief of the Air Staff, (b) Chief of the General Staff or (c) First Sea Lord.

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

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible. As part of this process, senior military leaders, including the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the First Sea Lord, are fully engaged in defence planning.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate has he made of the total cost of issuing operational tour bonuses in each remaining financial year of the current Parliament.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Operational Allowance (OA) is a location‑driven allowance that recognises increased and enduring danger in Specified Operational Locations (SOLs). The number of Service Personnel in receipt of OA reflects the number of Service Personnel deployed to SOLs.

SOL status is kept under regular review and is considered by the Permanent Joint Headquarters’ (PJHQ) Operational Records Board on a six‑monthly basis. As operational activity varies according to Defence commitments, entitlement to OA fluctuates accordingly.

It is not possible to forecast how many individuals will receive OA in future financial years, nor the cost. Forecasting would require assumptions about the scale, location, and duration of future operational activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals does he expect to receive an operational tour bonus in each remaining financial year of the current Parliament.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Operational Allowance (OA) is a location‑driven allowance that recognises increased and enduring danger in Specified Operational Locations (SOLs). The number of Service Personnel in receipt of OA reflects the number of Service Personnel deployed to SOLs.

SOL status is kept under regular review and is considered by the Permanent Joint Headquarters’ (PJHQ) Operational Records Board on a six‑monthly basis. As operational activity varies according to Defence commitments, entitlement to OA fluctuates accordingly.

It is not possible to forecast how many individuals will receive OA in future financial years, nor the cost. Forecasting would require assumptions about the scale, location, and duration of future operational activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Armed Forces in the Urgent Question on 5 January 2026, which military cohorts (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have met with to discuss the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government has engaged closely with a wide range of military stakeholders in relation to the Troubles Bill to ensure that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill effectively supports veterans. This has involved meeting with veterans and current serving members of the Armed Forces whose service took place across different time periods, including during Op BANNER, and across a wide range of regiments. This has included myself, and other Ministerial colleagues across Government meeting with members of the Associations on several occasions.

It may be helpful to further quantify that since 5 July 2024, in my previous, and current Ministerial role, I have conducted over 70 veterans’ engagements, where I spoke with hundreds of veterans, from all Services and cohorts, from a wide range of different associations, about a number of matters.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Armed Forces in the Urgent Question on 5 January 2026, which associations (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have met with to discuss the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government has engaged closely with a wide range of military stakeholders in relation to the Troubles Bill to ensure that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill effectively supports veterans. This has involved meeting with veterans and current serving members of the Armed Forces whose service took place across different time periods, including during Op BANNER, and across a wide range of regiments. This has included myself, and other Ministerial colleagues across Government meeting with members of the Associations on several occasions.

It may be helpful to further quantify that since 5 July 2024, in my previous, and current Ministerial role, I have conducted over 70 veterans’ engagements, where I spoke with hundreds of veterans, from all Services and cohorts, from a wide range of different associations, about a number of matters.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Armed Forces in response to the question from the hon. Member for South Suffolk during the Urgent Question on Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Armed Forces Recruitment and Retention of 5 January 2026, Official Report, column 63, if he will provide a list of the veterans groups that (a) he and (b) Ministers have met to discuss the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government has engaged closely with a wide range of military stakeholders in relation to the Troubles Bill to ensure that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill effectively supports veterans. This has involved meeting with veterans and current serving members of the Armed Forces whose service took place across different time periods, including during Op BANNER, and across a wide range of regiments. This has included myself, and other Ministerial colleagues across Government meeting with members of the Associations on several occasions.

It may be helpful to further quantify that since 5 July 2024, in my previous, and current Ministerial role, I have conducted over 70 veterans’ engagements, where I spoke with hundreds of veterans, from all Services and cohorts, from a wide range of different associations, about a number of matters.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications to join the (a) Army, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Royal Navy were rejected due to medical reasons since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The following table provides the number of applications rejected with the reason ‘Medical’ from 5 July 2024 to 31 January 2026.

Total applications rejected for medical reasons between 5 July 2024 to 31 January 2026¹

[1] All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 in line with disclosure control policy. Figures ending in 5 are rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid bias.

These figures represent the number of applications rejected and not the number of people rejected; one applicant can apply (and be rejected) multiple times. The figures show the number of rejected applications in the specified time period regardless of when the application was received.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 104231 on Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government has engaged closely with a wide range of military stakeholders in relation to the Troubles Bill to ensure that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill effectively supports veterans. This has involved meeting with veterans and current serving members of the Armed Forces whose service took place across different time periods, including during Op BANNER, and across a wide range of regiments. This has included myself, and other Ministerial colleagues across Government meeting with members of the Associations on several occasions.

It may be helpful to further quantify that since 5 July 2024, in my previous, and current Ministerial role, I have conducted over 70 veterans’ engagements, where I spoke with hundreds of veterans, from all Services and cohorts, from a wide range of different associations, about a number of matters.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 104230 on Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government has engaged closely with a wide range of military stakeholders in relation to the Troubles Bill to ensure that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill effectively supports veterans. This has involved meeting with veterans and current serving members of the Armed Forces whose service took place across different time periods, including during Op BANNER, and across a wide range of regiments. This has included myself, and other Ministerial colleagues across Government meeting with members of the Associations on several occasions.

It may be helpful to further quantify that since 5 July 2024, in my previous, and current Ministerial role, I have conducted over 70 veterans’ engagements, where I spoke with hundreds of veterans, from all Services and cohorts, from a wide range of different associations, about a number of matters.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 103365 on Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government has engaged closely with a wide range of military stakeholders in relation to the Troubles Bill to ensure that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill effectively supports veterans. This has involved meeting with veterans and current serving members of the Armed Forces whose service took place across different time periods, including during Op BANNER, and across a wide range of regiments. This has included myself, and other Ministerial colleagues across Government meeting with members of the Associations on several occasions.

It may be helpful to further quantify that since 5 July 2024, in my previous, and current Ministerial role, I have conducted over 70 veterans’ engagements, where I spoke with hundreds of veterans, from all Services and cohorts, from a wide range of different associations, about a number of matters.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the next NATO threat and capability review will take place.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The next full capability review will occur within NATO’s current four-year NDPP cycle, which runs until 2027.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, whether the £1 billion contract includes the £60 million committed to the Proteus programme.

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

Given the hon. Gentleman’s former role as the Minister for Defence Procurement he will be aware of the details of the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract. We have improved upon that deal, renewing and strengthening MOD’s relationship with a key industry partner.

Aside from the contract to supply 23 AW149 aircraft, Leonardo have agreed that future military international orders will be built in the UK, with an increased workshare for the UK above 40%. Moreover, Leonardo have also agreed to make the United Kingdom the home of exports for the AW149, with the potential for over £15 billion of export opportunities over the next decade.

In addition, Leonardo have agreed to make Yeovil their global centre of excellence for autonomous helicopters, building on the ongoing successful development of Project Proteus.

The £1 billion deal with Leonardo for NMH does not include funding committed to Proteus. Proteus is a £60 million programme, with information on the additional funding to be published in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Enemy weapons detector in the hands of soldiers five years early, published on 14 February 2026, how many SONUS systems will be delivered to the British army in the (a) current and (b) next financial year.

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

The SONUS system is an Acoustic Weapon Locating capability part of a wider programme which is delivering the next generation of Weapon Locating Sensors to enhance the capabilities of the 5^th Regiment Royal Artillery.

In January 2026, Leonardo UK was awarded a contract to deliver eight SONUS Acoustic Weapon Locating Sensors to the British Army. This state-of-the-art technology will play a critical role in enhancing the Army’s ability to detect and locate weapon systems with precision and efficiency.

As part of the delivery schedule, 5th Regiment Royal Artillery will receive two sensors by the end of FY 2025-26, enabling the achievement of Minimum Deployable Capability. The remaining six systems will be delivered in FY 2026-27, achieving the Full Deployable Capability before year end.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times has (a) he and (b) his ministerial team met with the lead reviewers of the Strategic Defence Review since 2 June 2025.

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

The Strategic Defence Review sets a path for the next decade and beyond to transform Defence and make the UK stronger both at home and abroad. The Government endorsed the Review’s vision and accepted all 62 recommendations. The lead reviewers played a valuable role in shaping its analysis and recommendations and, while they have no formal role now, we are regularly engaged with them .

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he had plans to deploy a Type 45 Destroyer to Cyprus prior to 2 March 2026.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Chief of Defence Staff has said, following Iran’s reckless retaliation, recommended last Tuesday that HMS Dragon should be deployed. Ministers then signed this off immediately.

HMS Dragon will be armed with the necessary available capabilities to meet the operational need and will remain in the region for as long as required to meet our objectives.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has begun preparations for the deployment of HMS Dragon to Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Chief of Defence Staff has said, following Iran’s reckless retaliation, recommended last Tuesday that HMS Dragon should be deployed. Ministers then signed this off immediately.

HMS Dragon will be armed with the necessary available capabilities to meet the operational need and will remain in the region for as long as required to meet our objectives.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether DragonFire will be installed on HMS Dragon for its deployment to Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Chief of Defence Staff has said, following Iran’s reckless retaliation, recommended last Tuesday that HMS Dragon should be deployed. Ministers then signed this off immediately.

HMS Dragon will be armed with the necessary available capabilities to meet the operational need and will remain in the region for as long as required to meet our objectives.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planned length is of HMS Dragon's deployment to Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Chief of Defence Staff has said, following Iran’s reckless retaliation, recommended last Tuesday that HMS Dragon should be deployed. Ministers then signed this off immediately.

HMS Dragon will be armed with the necessary available capabilities to meet the operational need and will remain in the region for as long as required to meet our objectives.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, what proportion of the £1 billion contract will be spent on delivering (a) NMH and (b) Proteus.

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

Given the hon. Gentleman’s former role as the Minister for Defence Procurement he will be aware of the details of the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract. We have improved upon that deal, renewing and strengthening MOD’s relationship with a key industry partner.

Aside from the contract to supply 23 AW149 aircraft, Leonardo have agreed that future military international orders will be built in the UK, with an increased workshare for the UK above 40%. Moreover, Leonardo have also agreed to make the United Kingdom the home of exports for the AW149, with the potential for over £15 billion of export opportunities over the next decade.

In addition, Leonardo have agreed to make Yeovil their global centre of excellence for autonomous helicopters, building on the ongoing successful development of Project Proteus.

The £1 billion deal with Leonardo for NMH does not include funding committed to Proteus. Proteus is a £60 million programme, with information on the additional funding to be published in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, how much additional money will be allocated to Proteus.

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

Given the hon. Gentleman’s former role as the Minister for Defence Procurement he will be aware of the details of the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract. We have improved upon that deal, renewing and strengthening MOD’s relationship with a key industry partner.

Aside from the contract to supply 23 AW149 aircraft, Leonardo have agreed that future military international orders will be built in the UK, with an increased workshare for the UK above 40%. Moreover, Leonardo have also agreed to make the United Kingdom the home of exports for the AW149, with the potential for over £15 billion of export opportunities over the next decade.

In addition, Leonardo have agreed to make Yeovil their global centre of excellence for autonomous helicopters, building on the ongoing successful development of Project Proteus.

The £1 billion deal with Leonardo for NMH does not include funding committed to Proteus. Proteus is a £60 million programme, with information on the additional funding to be published in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Enemy weapons detector in the hands of soldiers five years early, published on 14 February 2026, how many SONUS systems have been procured as of 24 February 2026.

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

The SONUS system is an Acoustic Weapon Locating capability part of a wider programme which is delivering the next generation of Weapon Locating Sensors to enhance the capabilities of the 5^th Regiment Royal Artillery.

In January 2026, Leonardo UK was awarded a contract to deliver eight SONUS Acoustic Weapon Locating Sensors to the British Army. This state-of-the-art technology will play a critical role in enhancing the Army’s ability to detect and locate weapon systems with precision and efficiency.

As part of the delivery schedule, 5th Regiment Royal Artillery will receive two sensors by the end of FY 2025-26, enabling the achievement of Minimum Deployable Capability. The remaining six systems will be delivered in FY 2026-27, achieving the Full Deployable Capability before year end.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Defence Investment Plan will contain costings for all defence programmes.

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

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Industrial Plan and this will be published as soon as possible.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel have been stationed at the Land Regional Hub Oman in a (a) permanent and (b) temporary capacity in each of the last 10 financial years.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Land Regional Hub Oman has transitioned into the Global Hub Oman (GHO) providing Land, Sea and Air capabilities. As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of Service personnel currently stationed at the Hub on a permanent basis were less than five, as shown below:

Number of UK Regular¹ Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed² at Global Hub Oman (GHO)³, as at 1 October 25

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.
5. [c] - less than 5

As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel stationed permanently at the Hub in each of the last 10 financial years are below:

Number of UK Regular¹ Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed² at Global Hub Oman (GHO)³, 2016 - 2025

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

5. [c] - less than 5

As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel deployed temporarily at the Hub in each of the last 10 financial years are below:

Number of Unique UK Armed Forces Service Personnel³ Deployed² to Global Hub Oman (GHO)⁷ by Financial Year^5,6,8

Notes

1. Deployment data are derived from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) `Move and Track` system. Due to ongoing validation of data from JPA, figures provided are provisional and subject to change. Figures have been derived from the January 2026 deployment extract.
2. Deployed personnel are Military personnel who are deployed on Operations. The Move and Track database records all personnel who enter a deployment theatre for over 24hrs. Each individual has a new record for each change in deployed unit, location, operation or date.

3. ‘UK Forces Service Personnel’ comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS).

4. Service personnel data is derived from the JPA system, which is a combination of mandatory and non-mandatory fields populated by unit administrators and voluntary fields that Armed Forces personnel can choose to complete based on their perceptions.

5. The Date of Deployment is the 'deployed date in' as recorded on JPA 'Move and Track' system. This is the date personnel deployed into the respective count.

6. Please note: the total does not include repeat tours within the same calendar year, so each individual is only recorded once per financial year. If personnel began a deployment in multiple financial years, then they would be reported in each financial year they were deployed in. Hence, figures cannot be combined to give an overall number of unique personnel deployed over this whole period.

7. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

8. The Financial Year for Defence Statistics purposes starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

9. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

1. [c] - less than 5

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are permanently stationed at the Land Regional Hub Oman.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Land Regional Hub Oman has transitioned into the Global Hub Oman (GHO) providing Land, Sea and Air capabilities. As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of Service personnel currently stationed at the Hub on a permanent basis were less than five, as shown below:

Number of UK Regular¹ Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed² at Global Hub Oman (GHO)³, as at 1 October 25

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.
5. [c] - less than 5

As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel stationed permanently at the Hub in each of the last 10 financial years are below:

Number of UK Regular¹ Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed² at Global Hub Oman (GHO)³, 2016 - 2025

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

5. [c] - less than 5

As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel deployed temporarily at the Hub in each of the last 10 financial years are below:

Number of Unique UK Armed Forces Service Personnel³ Deployed² to Global Hub Oman (GHO)⁷ by Financial Year^5,6,8

Notes

1. Deployment data are derived from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) `Move and Track` system. Due to ongoing validation of data from JPA, figures provided are provisional and subject to change. Figures have been derived from the January 2026 deployment extract.
2. Deployed personnel are Military personnel who are deployed on Operations. The Move and Track database records all personnel who enter a deployment theatre for over 24hrs. Each individual has a new record for each change in deployed unit, location, operation or date.

3. ‘UK Forces Service Personnel’ comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS).

4. Service personnel data is derived from the JPA system, which is a combination of mandatory and non-mandatory fields populated by unit administrators and voluntary fields that Armed Forces personnel can choose to complete based on their perceptions.

5. The Date of Deployment is the 'deployed date in' as recorded on JPA 'Move and Track' system. This is the date personnel deployed into the respective count.

6. Please note: the total does not include repeat tours within the same calendar year, so each individual is only recorded once per financial year. If personnel began a deployment in multiple financial years, then they would be reported in each financial year they were deployed in. Hence, figures cannot be combined to give an overall number of unique personnel deployed over this whole period.

7. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

8. The Financial Year for Defence Statistics purposes starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

9. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

1. [c] - less than 5

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his statement of 22 May 2025 on Diego Garcia Military Base, Official Report, Column 1284, if he will provide the basis for his comments that the UK would face legal rulings within weeks.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 March 2026 to Question 116019 to the hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, what is the name of the first project to be delivered by 2027.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is entering the concept demonstration phase. No project name has yet been allocated and the name of the weapon system will depend on which proposal is taken forward into production.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, what is the name of the first project to be delivered by 2027.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is entering the concept demonstration phase. No project name has yet been allocated and the name of the weapon system will depend on which proposal is taken forward into production.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he held discussions with Ministers regarding the deployment of capabilities to Cyprus between 19 February and 2 March 2026.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Defence Secretary strongly recognises the strategic importance Cyprus provides to the UK and its allies, with discussions regarding capability deployments in the region being seen as a priority for our operational interests and broader security cooperation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, whether the new surface-to-air missile will be assessed using Minimum Deployable Capability.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is now entering the international industrial selection phase. The new weapon system will be introduced through the spiral acquisition model, delivering a Minimum Deployable Capability followed by iterative enhancements.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, what will the new surface-to-air weapon be called.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is entering the concept demonstration phase. No project name has yet been allocated and the name of the weapon system will depend on which proposal is taken forward into production.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and Poland agree enhanced missile defence and helicopter training cooperation, published on 13 January, if he will list the new capabilities for which the UK and Poland have agreed exploration of development and procurement.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The UK and Poland will engage in joint training which will include a mix of live training and Digital Synthetic elements to maximise the benefits to both nations’ service personnel.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and Poland agree enhanced missile defence and helicopter training cooperation, published on 13 January 2026, whether the joint training will involve any live exercises.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The UK and Poland will engage in joint training which will include a mix of live training and Digital Synthetic elements to maximise the benefits to both nations’ service personnel.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to increase training of Royal Air Force engineers in extreme cold temperatures in each remaining year of the current Parliament.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

ECW training is conducted as required to support operational and exercise commitments, particularly in the High North. The RAF regularly train and operate alongside NATO allies and Nordic partners in extreme cold environments.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 107088 on Poland: Defence Procurement.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

I responded to the hon. Member on 10 March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 106547 on Poland: Military Aid.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

I responded to the hon. Member on 10 March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February on Unmanned Air Systems: Training, how many individual small uncrewed air systems training programmes are delivered by the Land Warfare Centre each year.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Training pathways for the use of small Uncrewed Air Systems (sUAS) are expanding rapidly as the Army continues to build skills in robotics and autonomous systems, informed by lessons learned from Ukraine.

Centralised sUAS training delivered by the Land Warfare Centre has been in development for much of this training year. As pathways mature, the Centre is currently scheduled to deliver 65 courses in Training Year 2026-27, with this number expected to increase or remain consistent in future years depending on uptake.

Alongside this, distributed training—delivered by individual units within the Field Army—remains a significant element of the Army’s approach. 283 distributed courses have been scheduled in the current training year, and the number of available course places is expected to grow in future years.

Exact figures on the number of units training specifically on small Uncrewed Air Systems (sUAS) are not held centrally. However, as of March 2026, 127 Army units are reported to be conducting training on Uncrewed Air Systems, the vast majority of which relates to sUAS.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February on Unmanned Air Systems: Training, how many individual units in the Field Army currently train in the use of small uncrewed air systems.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Training pathways for the use of small Uncrewed Air Systems (sUAS) are expanding rapidly as the Army continues to build skills in robotics and autonomous systems, informed by lessons learned from Ukraine.

Centralised sUAS training delivered by the Land Warfare Centre has been in development for much of this training year. As pathways mature, the Centre is currently scheduled to deliver 65 courses in Training Year 2026-27, with this number expected to increase or remain consistent in future years depending on uptake.

Alongside this, distributed training—delivered by individual units within the Field Army—remains a significant element of the Army’s approach. 283 distributed courses have been scheduled in the current training year, and the number of available course places is expected to grow in future years.

Exact figures on the number of units training specifically on small Uncrewed Air Systems (sUAS) are not held centrally. However, as of March 2026, 127 Army units are reported to be conducting training on Uncrewed Air Systems, the vast majority of which relates to sUAS.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry during the Urgent Question on Ministry of Defence: Palantir Contracts of 10 February 2026, Official Report, column 691, whether the publication of files relating to Peter Mandelson will include reference to his visit to Palantir headquarters in Washington DC on 27 February 2025.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many candidates remain in the selection process to hire an Armed Forces Commissioner.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The selection process for appointing the first Armed Forces Commissioner remains in progress. The Armed Forces Commissioner will play a pivotal role in improving service life for Service Personnel and their families. It is essential that we identify and appoint the most suitable individual to fulfil this responsibility. We are committed to appointing the right person for this critical role, which is central to delivering a trusted and effective service for our people. Announcements on the outcome of the appointment will be made in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any candidates have been selected in the process to hire an Armed Forces Commissioner.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The selection process for appointing the first Armed Forces Commissioner remains in progress. The Armed Forces Commissioner will play a pivotal role in improving service life for Service Personnel and their families. It is essential that we identify and appoint the most suitable individual to fulfil this responsibility. We are committed to appointing the right person for this critical role, which is central to delivering a trusted and effective service for our people. Announcements on the outcome of the appointment will be made in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Defence Investment Plan will contain costings for all (a) current and (b) future defence programmes.

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

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will state the length of HMS Dragon's deployment to Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming to this decision, discussions were held on this and other topics, with both officials and Ministerial colleagues. HMS Dragon departed from Portsmouth on 10 March 2026 and for operational security reasons, we will not comment on the duration of her deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Navy made a formal offer for the preposition of a Type 45 Destroyer between 1 January 2026 and 2 February 2026.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

We constantly review deployments of Royal Navy assets in line with securing the interests of the UK and our allies. No formal offer was made by the Royal Navy to deploy a Type 45 Destroyer ahead of HMS Dragon’s deployment at the first available moment on 10 March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he held any discussions with (a) officials from his Department or (b) his ministerial colleagues on the deployment of HMS Dragon before 3 March 2026.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming to this decision, discussions were held on this and other topics, with both officials and Ministerial colleagues. HMS Dragon departed from Portsmouth on 10 March 2026 and for operational security reasons, we will not comment on the duration of her deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date did he first discuss the deployment of HMS Dragon to Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming to this decision, discussions were held on this and other topics, with both officials and Ministerial colleagues. HMS Dragon departed from Portsmouth on 10 March 2026 and for operational security reasons, we will not comment on the duration of her deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the decision was made to deploy HMS Dragon to Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming to this decision, discussions were held on this and other topics, with both officials and Ministerial colleagues. HMS Dragon departed from Portsmouth on 10 March 2026 and for operational security reasons, we will not comment on the duration of her deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when HMS Dragon will be deployed to Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming to this decision, discussions were held on this and other topics, with both officials and Ministerial colleagues. HMS Dragon departed from Portsmouth on 10 March 2026 and for operational security reasons, we will not comment on the duration of her deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, how much of the £1 billion announced will be spent in each remaining financial year of the current Parliament.

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

The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion over the next decade.

The NMH Entry Into Service is expected in January 2031, with the first aircraft delivered in the summer of 2030. The final aircraft is expected to be delivered in the autumn of 2033, which is also when the equipment acquisition contract is expected to end.

The financial profile for NMH has not changed since the release of the Invitation To Negotiate in February 2024. Approximately one third of the contract value is expected to be accounted for over the next three Financial Years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, in which year will the £1 billion contract conclude.

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

The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion over the next decade.

The NMH Entry Into Service is expected in January 2031, with the first aircraft delivered in the summer of 2030. The final aircraft is expected to be delivered in the autumn of 2033, which is also when the equipment acquisition contract is expected to end.

The financial profile for NMH has not changed since the release of the Invitation To Negotiate in February 2024. Approximately one third of the contract value is expected to be accounted for over the next three Financial Years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, what is his target date for the delivery of all 23 new medium-lift helicopters.

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

The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion over the next decade.

The NMH Entry Into Service is expected in January 2031, with the first aircraft delivered in the summer of 2030. The final aircraft is expected to be delivered in the autumn of 2033, which is also when the equipment acquisition contract is expected to end.

The financial profile for NMH has not changed since the release of the Invitation To Negotiate in February 2024. Approximately one third of the contract value is expected to be accounted for over the next three Financial Years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, when the first new medium-lift helicopter will be in service.

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

The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion over the next decade.

The NMH Entry Into Service is expected in January 2031, with the first aircraft delivered in the summer of 2030. The final aircraft is expected to be delivered in the autumn of 2033, which is also when the equipment acquisition contract is expected to end.

The financial profile for NMH has not changed since the release of the Invitation To Negotiate in February 2024. Approximately one third of the contract value is expected to be accounted for over the next three Financial Years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has authorised a change to the state of readiness of HMS Prince of Wales.

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

It is the Department’s policy to not disclose the readiness state of individual ships as this would, prejudice the capability, effectiveness and/or security of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March to Question 115855, whether there has been more than one version of the Defence Investment Plan.

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

We are working flat out to finalise the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, whether he plans to procure any further new medium-lift helicopters beyond the 23 announced.

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

The Army does not currently plan to procure any additional medium lift helicopters beyond the 23 already announced.

As with all major capabilities, the size of the medium lift fleet will be kept under review to ensure it remains aligned with Defence planning assumptions and operational need.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to publish a strategy on stockpiling one-way attack drones on UK territory.

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

In addition to the ongoing deployment of the Callen‑Lenz Nyan One‑Way Effector with UK Forces on Operation CABRIT, the Army, supported by Defence Equipment and Support and Defence Science Technology Laboratory, is reviewing long‑term stockpile options to ensure an appropriate balance between resilience, production capacity, the ability to upgrade at pace, and maintaining a predominantly UK/European supply chain.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to stockpile one way attack drones on UK territory.

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

In addition to the ongoing deployment of the Callen‑Lenz Nyan One‑Way Effector with UK Forces on Operation CABRIT, the Army, supported by Defence Equipment and Support and Defence Science Technology Laboratory, is reviewing long‑term stockpile options to ensure an appropriate balance between resilience, production capacity, the ability to upgrade at pace, and maintaining a predominantly UK/European supply chain.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February to Question 110439 on Defence: Expenditure, if he will itemise what the UK will spend on defence in 2027-28 that will not be defined as MOD budget expenditure.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to him on 4 March 2026 in response to his Question 116532.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February to Question 112837 on Navy: North Atlantic Ocean, whether the £14 million referred to is separate to the £10 million of pre-concept funding announced.

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

I can confirm that the £10 million is included in the £14 million pre-concept funding that has been announced.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, why the publication of the latest Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics has been delayed.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The publication of UK Armed Forces Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics for 1 Jan 2026 has been delayed due to technical issues affecting data quality and has a release date of 2 April 2026. This is stated in the Statistics release calendar: Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics: 1 January 2026 - Accredited official statistics announcement - GOV.UK

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Enemy weapons detector in the hands of soldiers five years early, published on 14 February 2026, what is the in service date for SONUS.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to questions 117361 and 117362 on 9 March 2026 which remain extant.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February to Question 110439 on Defence: Expenditure, what the remaining 0.47% of GDP to be spent on defence in 2027-28 that will not be spent on the MOD budget will be spent on.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to him on 4 March 2026 in response to his Question 116532.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, if he will list all possible capabilities developed under the Low-Cost Effectors & Autonomous Platforms initiative.

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

The LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is likely to consist of a range of projects in the future, the first of these is a low-cost air defence effector. No other projects under the LEAP initiative have currently been agreed.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, what percentage of the workshare for the new surface-to-air weapon will take place in the United Kingdom.

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

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is now entering the international industrial selection phase. UK workshare will be dependent on the chosen solution.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Cyprus Government has made representations to his Department on the sovereignty of UK military bases since 1 March 2026.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has not made any representations to the Ministry of Defence on the sovereignty of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia since 1 March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with (a) his Cypriot counterpart and (b) any Cypriot Government official on the sovereignty of UK military bases on Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Our relationship with the Republic of Cyprus has never been closer. During the Defence Secretary’s visit to the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) on 5 March, he met with Defence Minister Palmas and the Head of the Cypriot National Guard.

The Defence Secretary has not held discussions with Defence Minister Palmas or other Cypriot Government officials specifically on the sovereignty of the Sovereign Base Areas on the island of Cyprus. The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are fully sovereign UK territory, established under the 1960 Treaty of Establishment.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what precautions are in place to avoid security breaches originating from his Department's social media channels.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence manages its official social media channels under strict Governance and security policies, supported by mandatory training, active monitoring and established incident response processes.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March to Question 115531 on Defence: Finance, whether (a) his Department or (b) other Government Departments identified where 0.47% of GDP spent not included in the table will come from.

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

The Ministry of Defence compiles and submits the return to NATO setting out the UK's core qualifying defence spend. As the return to NATO reflects the UK's position, its contents represent the agreed position across Government, involving other Departments as necessary.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether a security breach has occurred in any British facilities in Ukraine in the last seven days.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence takes the security of its personnel, facilities, and operations in Ukraine extremely seriously. We do not comment on specific security matters or incidents, as doing so could compromise operational security and the safety of our personnel.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether around-the-clock staffing is in place at HMNB Portsmouth.

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

HM Naval Base Portsmouth operates on a continuous 24‑hour basis. Appropriate Duty Staff are in place at all times to maintain the safety, security, and operational availability of the site. He will recall from his time as a Defence Minister that for security reasons, the Ministry of Defence does not comment on specific staffing levels or detailed security arrangements at any defence establishment.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Navy's Proteus programme will receive funding allocated in the Defence Investment Plan.

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

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy, will be prioritised appropriately against the assessed threat picture as part of the future Integrated Force and will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his proposed timetable is for publishing the Defence Investment Plan.

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

As the Defence Secretary has outlined to the hon. Gentleman a number of times, we will publish it as soon as we can, but our aim is to ensure decisions in the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) are robust and support the development of both current and future capabilities, helping to drive the transformation of our Armed Forces described in the Strategic Defence Review.

The DIP will end the hollowing out and underfunding of our Armed Forces that we inherited.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures are in place to avoid the geo-location of British facilities in Ukraine by adversaries.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence takes the security of its personnel, facilities, and operations in Ukraine extremely seriously. Specific details of those measures cannot be disclosed, as doing so could compromise operational security and the safety of our personnel.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has authorised the cancellation of around-the-clock staffing at HMNB Portsmouth.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard) to Question 118824.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the time taken to publish the Schools White Paper on (a) schools and (b) pupils in South Suffolk constituency.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ Schools White Paper and the SEND Consultation Document set out our plans to build an education system that ensures children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) get the right support at every stage of their education.

We are consulting on the reforms in the publication. You can access the consultation here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/.

Mainstream school funding allocations through the national funding formula for 2026/27 were published in November 2025, and incorporated in the 2026/27 dedicated schools grant (DSG) allocations to local authorities, published to the normal timescale in December 2025. This school funding is increasing by 2.6% per pupil in 2026/27 compared to 2025/26. High needs funding also allocated within local authorities’ DSG, which includes funding for special schools, was increased by over £1 billion, or 11%, in 2025/26. Funding will continue at this increased level in 2026/27.

On top of these allocations announced in 2025, we are investing £4 billion over three years to build an inclusive mainstream system. This includes £1.6 billion for a new Inclusive Mainstream Fund from 2026/27 for mainstream schools and other educational settings, with over £500 million per year over the next three years.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the time taken to publish the Schools White Paper on the implementation of planned SEND reforms.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ Schools White Paper and the SEND Consultation Document set out our plans to build an education system that ensures children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) get the right support at every stage of their education.

We are consulting on the reforms in the publication. You can access the consultation here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/.

Mainstream school funding allocations through the national funding formula for 2026/27 were published in November 2025, and incorporated in the 2026/27 dedicated schools grant (DSG) allocations to local authorities, published to the normal timescale in December 2025. This school funding is increasing by 2.6% per pupil in 2026/27 compared to 2025/26. High needs funding also allocated within local authorities’ DSG, which includes funding for special schools, was increased by over £1 billion, or 11%, in 2025/26. Funding will continue at this increased level in 2026/27.

On top of these allocations announced in 2025, we are investing £4 billion over three years to build an inclusive mainstream system. This includes £1.6 billion for a new Inclusive Mainstream Fund from 2026/27 for mainstream schools and other educational settings, with over £500 million per year over the next three years.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the time taken to publish the Schools White Paper on SEND reform on school funding allocations for the 2026-27 academic year.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ Schools White Paper and the SEND Consultation Document set out our plans to build an education system that ensures children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) get the right support at every stage of their education.

We are consulting on the reforms in the publication. You can access the consultation here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/.

Mainstream school funding allocations through the national funding formula for 2026/27 were published in November 2025, and incorporated in the 2026/27 dedicated schools grant (DSG) allocations to local authorities, published to the normal timescale in December 2025. This school funding is increasing by 2.6% per pupil in 2026/27 compared to 2025/26. High needs funding also allocated within local authorities’ DSG, which includes funding for special schools, was increased by over £1 billion, or 11%, in 2025/26. Funding will continue at this increased level in 2026/27.

On top of these allocations announced in 2025, we are investing £4 billion over three years to build an inclusive mainstream system. This includes £1.6 billion for a new Inclusive Mainstream Fund from 2026/27 for mainstream schools and other educational settings, with over £500 million per year over the next three years.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he was aware that Palantir was a client of Global Counsel prior to the Prime Minister's visit to Palantir's headquarters in Washington DC on 27 February 2025.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The visit was part of the Prime Minister's trip to Washington. During this visit the Prime Minister listened to a short presentation about Palantir’s work, followed by a tour of the premises and an introduction to members of staff.

Any contracts for any firm go through the usual rigorous departmental processes and their decision makers.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

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

I am withholding this information for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Lightweight Multirole Missiles his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

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

I am withholding this information for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Sea Viper missiles his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

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

I am withholding this information for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Land Ceptor missiles his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

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

I am withholding this information for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March to Question 116021 on Mauritius: Ministers, whether any meetings have taken place between ministers from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius since August 2025.

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

No.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to deploy HMS Anson to the Middle East.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence does not comment on the tasks or plans for individual submarines for reasons of national security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether DragonFire will be installed on HMS Dragon.

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

DragonFire is a cutting-edge Laser Directed Energy Weapon system that remains in its demonstration and evaluation phase. Under current plans, the DragonFire system will commence delivery in 2027.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals have received an operational tour bonus in each of the ten previous financial years.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The total cost of Operational Allowance paid to Service Personnel in each Financial Year since 2015-16, and the numbers in receipt, are set out below:

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the counter drone capabilities that will be deployed to Cyprus.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

We do not comment on specifics, however, the Government has been increasing the counter-drone capability in Cyprus since January, through the addition of 400 personnel, Typhoon and F-35 jets, air defence missiles, and radar. HMS Dragon is on the way to the region, which will provide additional capability. We will keep the situation under constant review, but I cannot say more than this for operational security reasons.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to authorise any changes to the deployment of HMS Anson.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence does not comment on the tasks or plans for individual submarines for reasons of national security.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the Type 45 Destroyers that (a) have completed, (b) are undergoing and (c) are yet to commence the Power Improvement Project power upgrade.

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

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge) on 11 December 2025, in response to Question 96770 about the Type 45 Destroyer's Power Improvement Project.