Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Declaration of Intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The French Republic and Ukraine relating to the deployment of multinational forces in support of the defence, reconstruction and strategic sustainability of Ukraine, whether any security guarantees for the deployment of the Multinational Force Ukraine have been agreed with the US.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As reiterated by the Prime Minister, we have seen excellent progress in US-led negotiations in recent weeks.
At the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris on 6 January, Leaders committed to work together to provide robust security guarantees and economic recovery support measures for Ukraine as part of any peace agreement. We are working closely with our US allies on the nature of these guarantees, and discussions remain ongoing.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the evidential basis is for the proposed 0.2-hectare exemption from mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recently announced its intention to introduce a new 0.2 ha area exemption to ease burdens on small developers and local authorities whilst maintaining nature recovery at scale. A full consultation response is coming shortly, along with an evidence assessment. A full Impact Assessment will follow later in the year.
An implementation timeline will also be published along with the consultation response, setting out when changes will take effect. Until this is confirmed, the current BNG requirement remains in place and developers and local authorities should continue to follow existing guidance and legislation when delivering BNG.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to provide certainty for people with (a) proposals currently in the planning process and (b) planning permission already granted where Biodiversity Net Gain requirements apply.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recently announced its intention to introduce a new 0.2 ha area exemption to ease burdens on small developers and local authorities whilst maintaining nature recovery at scale. A full consultation response is coming shortly, along with an evidence assessment. A full Impact Assessment will follow later in the year.
An implementation timeline will also be published along with the consultation response, setting out when changes will take effect. Until this is confirmed, the current BNG requirement remains in place and developers and local authorities should continue to follow existing guidance and legislation when delivering BNG.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to help ensure that the proposed changes to Biodiversity Net Gain requirements do not delay the development of planning applications.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recently announced its intention to introduce a new 0.2 ha area exemption to ease burdens on small developers and local authorities whilst maintaining nature recovery at scale. A full consultation response is coming shortly, along with an evidence assessment. A full Impact Assessment will follow later in the year.
An implementation timeline will also be published along with the consultation response, setting out when changes will take effect. Until this is confirmed, the current BNG requirement remains in place and developers and local authorities should continue to follow existing guidance and legislation when delivering BNG.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to the Biodiversity Net Gain regulations on the workload for local planning authorities.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recently announced its intention to introduce a new 0.2 ha area exemption to ease burdens on small developers and local authorities whilst maintaining nature recovery at scale. A full consultation response is coming shortly, along with an evidence assessment. A full Impact Assessment will follow later in the year.
An implementation timeline will also be published along with the consultation response, setting out when changes will take effect. Until this is confirmed, the current BNG requirement remains in place and developers and local authorities should continue to follow existing guidance and legislation when delivering BNG.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the changes to Biodiversity Net Gain requirements on nature recovery in South Suffolk.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recently announced its intention to introduce a new 0.2 ha area exemption to ease burdens on small developers and local authorities whilst maintaining nature recovery at scale. A full consultation response is coming shortly, along with an evidence assessment. A full Impact Assessment will follow later in the year.
An implementation timeline will also be published along with the consultation response, setting out when changes will take effect. Until this is confirmed, the current BNG requirement remains in place and developers and local authorities should continue to follow existing guidance and legislation when delivering BNG.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many drones his Department will purchase for (a) Ukraine and (b) the armed forces in March 2026.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22 December 2025, to Question 100491. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on uncrewed systems, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
At the last Ukraine Defence Contact Group in October 2025, the Defence Secretary confirmed that £600 million has been invested by the UK this year to accelerate drone delivery to Ukraine, with more than 85,000 military drones delivered in between April and October 2025 out of our aim of 100,000 in this financial year.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
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 Germany sign £52m contract for cutting-edge artillery, published on 28 December, when he expects RCH 155 to conclude its assessment phase.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The joint Assessment Phase, in collaboration with Germany, is expected to conclude in Quarter four of 2029. Similarly to Germany, the Department's aim is to commit to production on the common build standard as soon as possible, subject to receiving a costed proposal. The assessment and demonstration activities will be conducted concurrently, to accelerate delivery and achieve a Minimum Deployable Capability within this decade.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what criteria will the success of the new National Armaments Director be assessed.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The performance of the National Armaments Director (NAD) will be assessed against a set of objectives which will be agreed and measured through appropriate governance. These objectives will align with their accountability to Parliament, with the intent set out in the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy, and the NAD Group’s organisational performance.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
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 Germany sign £52m contract for cutting-edge artillery, published on 28 December, when he expects for the UK to receive an Early Capability Demonstrator platform of the RCH 155.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We expect the delivery of the Early Capability Demonstrator platform in Quarter two 2028.