Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide a breakdown of the £7bn announced for defence housing that will be spent on (a) Service Family Accommodation and (b) Single Living Accommodation.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking an extensive review of its entire Military Accommodation portfolio, including how the department will make best use of the properties that have been reacquired from Annington, and which homes and locations can most benefit from investment.
The Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, will set out wider plans to improve the standard of Service family homes. The sites that will be refurbished are being worked through carefully, with the ambition to fairly make improvements across the devolved nations within the UK. It is too early to say where funding will be spent.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of continuing to fund (a) Strategic Environment Assessments, (b) Habitat Regulations Assessment screening, (c) the costs of Independent Examination and (d) Neighbourhood Plan Referendums.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards.
We will ensure that local planning authorities continue to be appropriately funded for their neighbourhood planning function, including funding for neighbourhood planning examinations and conducting referenda.
Local planning authorities can continue to provide other forms of support to neighbourhood planning groups, including in relation to carrying out strategic environment assessments and habitats regulation assessments where they are needed.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of force protection at (a) RAF Brize Norton and (b) all other UK military bases (i) on the UK mainland and (ii) overseas.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As per my statement on 23 June 2025, an investigation is underway into the incident. The Strategic Defence Review identified Brize Norton as needing investment. After many years of under-investment and hollowing out under the previous administration, we have identified this as an area requiring greater focus.
Immediate measures were put in place following the incident to enhance existing security arrangements at RAF Brize Norton, with increased vigilance at all other sites. You will appreciate that we will not comment on the specifics of those arrangements. We have also directed a full review of security arrangements across all Defence sites.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to reinforce the internal fencing at (a) RAF Brize Norton and (b) all other UK military bases (i) on the UK mainland and (ii) overseas.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As per my statement on 23 June 2025, an investigation is underway into the incident. The Strategic Defence Review identified Brize Norton as needing investment. After many years of under-investment and hollowing out under the previous administration, we have identified this as an area requiring greater focus.
Immediate measures were put in place following the incident to enhance existing security arrangements at RAF Brize Norton, with increased vigilance at all other sites. You will appreciate that we will not comment on the specifics of those arrangements. We have also directed a full review of security arrangements across all Defence sites.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to reinforce the perimeter at (a) RAF Brize Norton and (b) all other UK military bases (i) on the UK mainland and (ii) overseas.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As per my statement on 23 June 2025, an investigation is underway into the incident. The Strategic Defence Review identified Brize Norton as needing investment. After many years of under-investment and hollowing out under the previous administration, we have identified this as an area requiring greater focus.
Immediate measures were put in place following the incident to enhance existing security arrangements at RAF Brize Norton, with increased vigilance at all other sites. You will appreciate that we will not comment on the specifics of those arrangements. We have also directed a full review of security arrangements across all Defence sites.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Nursing and Midwifery Council on the potential impact of the use of nurse as a title for staff who are not qualified nurses on patient safety.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that the protection in law of certain professional titles is important for public safety. Protecting a title provides assurance to the public that the person using that title is competent and safe to practise. Although ‘registered nurse’ is a protected title, ‘nurse’ is currently not a protected title. The Government is aware of the concerns which this generates.
On the 12 May we announced our intention to amend the criminal offence of ‘misuse of professional titles’ so that the title of ‘nurse’ is protected, as part of the Government’s professional regulation reform programme.
The term ‘nurse’ is used across multiple professions, for example, ‘dental nurse’, ‘veterinary nurse’ and ‘nursery nurse’. It is not our intention to prevent the legitimate use of the title ‘nurse’ within these instances. The legislation will therefore include exemptions to allow other professionals to use the title legitimately, without the risk of prosecution.
The Government will continue to work with key stakeholders, including the Nursing and Midwifery Council, on developing the protection of title offence.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government press release entitled UK to deliver on 5% NATO pledge as Government drives greater security for working people, published on 23 June 2025, if she will list (a) all Government departments that will be included in the commitment to spend 1.5% of GDP on resilience and security and (b) the financial quantum in each case.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It includes investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.
Our National Security Strategy confirms our belief that these types of investment are vital to national security and we are pleased that this is now recognised by NATO. As set out in the Spending Review 2025, this government is making significant investment into these areas and we are confident we will meet the 1.5% target on defence and security related spending.
Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government press release entitled UK to deliver on 5% NATO pledge as Government drives greater security for working people, published on 23 June 2025, whether the 1.5 percent to be allocated to resilience and security will include the costs of Sizewell C.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It will include investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.
Our National Security Strategy confirms our belief that these types of investment are vital to national security and we are pleased that this is now recognised by NATO. As set out in the Spending Review 2025, this government is making significant investment into these areas and we are confident we will meet the 1.5% target on defence and security related spending.
Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her planned timetable is for setting out how the UK will fund GDP on defence expenditure of (a) 3 percent in the next Parliament and (b) 3.5 percent by the Parliament after next.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
As confirmed in the Spending Review 2025, this government has a fully funded path to reaching 2.6% NATO qualifying defence spending by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% by the end of the next parliament, when fiscal and economic conditions allow. We will set budgets for the next Spending Review period at SR27. The NATO Defence Investment Pledge will be reviewed by NATO Allies in 2029.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 59131 on Intelligence Services: Finance, if she will specify the total financial quantum of the greater elements of the Single Intelligence Account spend referred to.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In line with practice among our allies, and recognising the increased contribution provided by our security and intelligence agencies on defence, we are including greater elements of the Single Intelligence Account spend in our NATO defence reporting. This will bring total NATO qualifying spending to 2.6% by 2027-28. NATO sets the definition for NATO qualifying defence spending, against which the Government reports, in line with guidance provided by NATO. The SIA budget is set out in the Spending Review 2025 document. (Spending Review 2025 document - GOV.UK)
The inclusion of departmental spending that falls under NATO qualifying defence spending definitions will continue to be periodically reviewed in line with NATO guidance.