Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any officials from his Department held discussions with Global Counsel regarding procurement contracts between 10 February 2025 and 11 September 2025.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Defence officials discuss Armed Forces capabilities as part of the Defence Industrial Strategy and is focused on preserving sovereign capabilities which supports jobs and economic growth across the United Kingdom.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to protect (a) service personnel and (b) their families at RAF Akrotiri since 1 March 2026.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
We are providing non‑essential personnel and their families with supported temporary accommodation elsewhere on the island of Cyprus. For essential personnel who remain on site, our force protection measures are maintained at the highest level. Throughout January and February, we were moving defensive assets to Cyprus and Qatar such as fighter jets, air defence missiles, advanced radar, and systems to take down drones.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the use of the (a) Diego Garcia and (b) RAF Fairford military bases since 28 February 2026.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The US is the UK’s principal defence and security partner. The Secretary of State and his officials are in regular contact with US counterparts on a range of topics to ensure coherence and alignment between our two nations.
As announced by the Prime Minister on 1 March, the Government agreed to a US request to use British bases for specific and limited defensive purposes.
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 adequacy of the security in place at RAF Akrotiri.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
We put in place significant defensive measures between January and February including F35 and Typhoon aircraft, additional radar systems and counter-drone systems.
In light of the increasingly indiscriminate and reckless Iranian attacks we are moving quickly to further reinforce our defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. This includes the deployment of HMS Dragon as well as Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet missiles to counter the threat from drones.
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 European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, whether his Department will procure the 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 entering the concept demonstration phase. Once that initial phase of work has been completed, a decision will be taken on whether to progress to procurement.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the next round of Access for All funding will open.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Funding for future rounds of the Access for All (AfA) programme may be made available as part of the next Spending Review and this could provide an opportunity to fully or partially fund accessibility upgrades at stations. The process and timings for identifying future AfA projects have not yet been decided, although we have committed to reforming the AfA programme as we move towards the establishment of Great British Railways.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how he plans to support people using heating oil as the primary means to heat their homes.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that many households, particularly in rural and off‑gas‑grid areas, rely on heating oil as their primary source of heat. We continue to monitor heating‑oil supply chains ensuring households can access fuel when needed. Households using heating oil benefit from wider cost‑of‑living support, including electricity bill reductions announced in the Autumn Budget, and the Warm Home Discount, which provides eligible households with £150 off energy bills until 2030/31. Through the Warm Homes Plan, households can access Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants, and the Government has consulted on alternative low‑carbon options for properties where heat pumps may not be suitable.
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 are permanently stationed at the British Army Training Unit Suffield.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel currently stationed at British Army Training Unit Suffield are below:
Number of UK Regular1 Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed2 at BATUS3, Suffield, Canada as at 1 October 25
Year | October-2025 |
Regulars | 30 |
Notes
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.
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, published on 7 January 2026, whether he has held discussions with his international counterparts on the length of the deployment of UK service personnel operating as part of the Multinational Force Ukraine.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As detailed planning continues, we will not be drawn into the details of any future UK Armed Forces deployment, due to operational reasons.
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, published on 7 January 2026, what his proposed timeline is for the deployment of UK service personnel to Ukraine as part of the Multinational Force Ukraine once a ceasefire has been agreed.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As detailed planning continues, we will not be drawn into the details of any future UK Armed Forces deployment, due to operational reasons.