Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken to publish the Defence Investment Plan on the UK defence industry.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence and other Defence Ministers engage regularly with a wide range of industry stakeholders which make us aware of industry's requirements. These are through established forums, bilateral meetings, and routine commercial engagement, where we comply with market regulation on disclosure of information.
We have signed 4,010 Defence contracts since July 2024, including 1,335 with a value of £1 million or more, and spent more than £31 billion with UK industry last year – an above inflation increase in spending.
This Government has announced a billion-pound helicopter deal which secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit, and supports industry and exports. This demonstrates our commitment to strengthening sovereign industrial capability and modernising key battlefield support assets.
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 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 deliver the new medium-lift helicopter as an uncrewed capability in the (a) current or (b) next Parliament.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The New Medium Helicopter (NMH) has been procured with an open architecture that will enable integration with crewed and uncrewed systems as future requirements and funding are defined by Defence. This approach is supported by the wider benefits delivered through the £1 billion NMH contract, which secures thousands of skilled UK jobs, significantly increases UK industrial workshare, and establishes Yeovil as Leonardo’s global centre of excellence for autonomous helicopter technology.
These investments strengthen the UK’s long-term capacity to develop and exploit emerging uncrewed aviation capabilities. While this provides a clear pathway for future interoperability, the platform will not be delivered as an uncrewed capability in this Parliament or the next.
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 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 integrate new medium-lift helicopter with uncrewed aircraft in the (a) current or (b) next Parliament.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The New Medium Helicopter (NMH) has been procured with an open architecture that will enable integration with crewed and uncrewed systems as future requirements and funding are defined by Defence. This approach is supported by the wider benefits delivered through the £1 billion NMH contract, which secures thousands of skilled UK jobs, significantly increases UK industrial workshare, and establishes Yeovil as Leonardo’s global centre of excellence for autonomous helicopter technology.
These investments strengthen the UK’s long-term capacity to develop and exploit emerging uncrewed aviation capabilities. While this provides a clear pathway for future interoperability, the platform will not be delivered as an uncrewed capability in this Parliament or the next.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has met with representatives from the defence industry on the potential impact of the time taken to publish the Defence Investment Plan on closures of UK defence firms.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence and other Defence Ministers engage regularly with a wide range of industry stakeholders which make us aware of industry's requirements. These are through established forums, bilateral meetings, and routine commercial engagement, where we comply with market regulation on disclosure of information.
We have signed 4,010 Defence contracts since July 2024, including 1,335 with a value of £1 million or more, and spent more than £31 billion with UK industry last year – an above inflation increase in spending.
This Government has announced a billion-pound helicopter deal which secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit, and supports industry and exports. This demonstrates our commitment to strengthening sovereign industrial capability and modernising key battlefield support assets.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to announce his plans to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP (a) before or (b) after the next NATO threat and capability review.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government has already committed to spending 3% of GDP in the next parliament, when fiscal and economic conditions allow.
Furthermore, in June last year the UK made a historic commitment to spend 5% of GDP on core defence and national security by 2035.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there has been a change in the number of usable training villages at the Land Regional Hub Germany since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
There has been no change in the number of usable training villages at the Land Regional Hub Germany. Currently, there are five training villages within the Sennelager Training Area, four of which are active training villages, and one which is no longer in use.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many training villages are currently active on the Land Regional Hub Germany.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
There has been no change in the number of usable training villages at the Land Regional Hub Germany. Currently, there are five training villages within the Sennelager Training Area, four of which are active training villages, and one which is no longer in use.
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 defence industry steps up support for Gulf partners facing Iranian attacks, published on 18 March 2026, whether the new Task Force will be responsible for boosting munitions stockpiles.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Task Force Sabre is actively pulling in allies and industry to drive the pace on the defence kit the Middle East needs. We are bringing in British expertise to help our partners, removing barriers, and championing innovative UK-based industry. Task Force Sabre is not responsible for boosting UK munitions stockpiles, however the work that is being undertaken may give an associated benefit to the UK stockpiles.
Details regarding Defence’s munitions stockpile are classified, and it would therefore be inappropriate to provide further commentary. However, Munition stockpile levels are actively reviewed to ensure current holdings are balanced against threats, availability, industrial capacity and evolving technology. The Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with industry, allies, and partners to ensure that munitions stockpiles remain sufficient to meet the demands of current and future operations.
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 her Department is taking to help reduce sewage discharged by water companies into rivers and estuaries in South Suffolk.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A record £104 billion of private sector investment has been secured to accelerate the cleaning up of our rivers, lakes and seas. This includes over £10 billion to improve about 2,500 storm overflows in England over the next five years.
The Environment Agency has appointed new dedicated regulation and enforcement teams to further hold water companies to account. In East Anglia, these teams have carried out more than 1,700 inspections of assets since April 2025, including 72 in the South Suffolk area, pushing companies to fix faults and meet discharge rules.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Joint statement from Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom on joint defence financing and procurement, published on 17 March 2026, if he will list the other partners referred to.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Last week the Chancellor announced that the UK is exploring a new defence mechanism for financing driving joint demand by 2027 with the Netherlands and Finland and other EU and NATO partners.
We continue to work with likeminded allies who are interested in this model.