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 Oral Statement of 9 March 2026 on Middle East: Defence, Col 78, whether additional security measures were put in place following the removal of his Department's video on social media of a British-run military repair facility in Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
On 7 March 2026 we further highlighted our support for Ukraine through our maintenance, repair and overhaul systems facilities in Ukraine. These pioneering facilities are helping keep Ukraine’s defiant Armed Forces in the fight against Putin’s brutal attacks and we are rightly proud of that support.
All social and press content was approved by Ministry of Defence officials ahead of publication, but because we take security seriously, we took steps to further reassure ourselves after publication of this content. From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine and we will never waver in that support.
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 Oral Statement of 9 March 2026 on Middle East: Defence, Col 78, whether his Department received external advice to remove the video on social media of a British-run military repair facility in Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
On 7 March 2026 we further highlighted our support for Ukraine through our maintenance, repair and overhaul systems facilities in Ukraine. These pioneering facilities are helping keep Ukraine’s defiant Armed Forces in the fight against Putin’s brutal attacks and we are rightly proud of that support.
All social and press content was approved by Ministry of Defence officials ahead of publication, but because we take security seriously, we took steps to further reassure ourselves after publication of this content. From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine and we will never waver in that support.
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 Oral Statement of 9 March 2026 on Middle East: Defence, Col 78, for how long was his Department's video of a British-run military repair facility in Ukraine on social media before it was removed.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
On 7 March 2026 we further highlighted our support for Ukraine through our maintenance, repair and overhaul systems facilities in Ukraine. These pioneering facilities are helping keep Ukraine’s defiant Armed Forces in the fight against Putin’s brutal attacks and we are rightly proud of that support.
All social and press content was approved by Ministry of Defence officials ahead of publication, but because we take security seriously, we took steps to further reassure ourselves after publication of this content. From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine and we will never waver in that support.
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 Oral Statement of 9 March 2026 on Middle East: Defence, Col 78, who issued the instruction to remove the video on social media of a British-run military repair facility in Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
On 7 March 2026 we further highlighted our support for Ukraine through our maintenance, repair and overhaul systems facilities in Ukraine. These pioneering facilities are helping keep Ukraine’s defiant Armed Forces in the fight against Putin’s brutal attacks and we are rightly proud of that support.
All social and press content was approved by Ministry of Defence officials ahead of publication, but because we take security seriously, we took steps to further reassure ourselves after publication of this content. From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine and we will never waver in that support.
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 Oral Statement of 9 March 2026 on Middle East: Defence, Col 78, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the removal of his Department's video on social media of a British-run military repair facility in Ukraine on on the safety of UK personnel.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
On 7 March 2026 we further highlighted our support for Ukraine through our maintenance, repair and overhaul systems facilities in Ukraine. These pioneering facilities are helping keep Ukraine’s defiant Armed Forces in the fight against Putin’s brutal attacks and we are rightly proud of that support.
All social and press content was approved by Ministry of Defence officials ahead of publication, but because we take security seriously, we took steps to further reassure ourselves after publication of this content.. From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine and we will never waver in that support.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Q13 of the oral evidence given by the Prime Minister to the Liaison Committee on 23 March 2026, HC 1770, if she will set out a funding plan to spend 3% of GDP on defence before the next Parliament.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government has set an ambition to spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence next Parliament, when economic and fiscal conditions allow. Departmental budgets have been set for the Spending Review period, and will be reviewed at Spending Review 2027.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK service personnel have been stationed at the British Army Training Unit Suffield 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)
Data regarding permanent Service personnel stationed at British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) can be found below.
Number of UK Regular Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed at BATUS, Suffield, Canada 2016 - 2025
Year | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
Regulars | 210 | 250 | 240 | 260 | 220 | 210 | 170 | 110 | 60 | 40 |
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many permanent staff were stationed at British Army Training Unit Suffield in each of the last 10 financial years.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Data regarding permanent Service personnel stationed at British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) can be found below.
Number of UK Regular Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed at BATUS, Suffield, Canada 2016 - 2025
Year | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
Regulars | 210 | 250 | 240 | 260 | 220 | 210 | 170 | 110 | 60 | 40 |
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had internal discussions regarding the implementation of efficiency savings in his Department in the current financial year since 1 April 2026.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Defence Investment Plan will be published before 1 June 2026.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.