Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total amount of public funding allocated to military police services has been in each of the last five financial years.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The information requested is shown below.

Where available, costs for the three Service Police forces for each Financial Year (FY) since 2015 are shown in the folloing tables.

Royal Navy:

British Army:

Royal Air Force:

Notes:

Under UK Financial Regulations the Ministry of Defence is not obliged to hold financial data for more than seven years.

Changes to the budgetary arrangements used by the Services over time preclude the provision of data for some earlier years.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on military police services each year since 2015.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The information requested is shown below.

Where available, costs for the three Service Police forces for each Financial Year (FY) since 2015 are shown in the folloing tables.

Royal Navy:

British Army:

Royal Air Force:

Notes:

Under UK Financial Regulations the Ministry of Defence is not obliged to hold financial data for more than seven years.

Changes to the budgetary arrangements used by the Services over time preclude the provision of data for some earlier years.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to put in place transitional arrangements for BN(O) applicants, dependants and children reaching five years’ residence from 2026 in Lewes constituency.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.

BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.

We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement which was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.

We will now carefully review and analyse all responses received and the findings will support the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.

In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the use RAF A400M Atlas aircraft to provide air-to-air refuelling to Chinook H-47(ER) aircraft would require compensation payments to the Airtanker Consortium.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Chinook H‑47(ER) is being procured with full air‑to‑air refuelling (AAR) receiver capability. On current plans, refuelling support will be provided by the U.S. KC‑130.

Concerning compensation payments to the AirTanker Consortium, whilst the AirTanker contract does not specifically exclude any type of receiver aircraft, it is restricted to AAR for Fixed Wing aircraft. Therefore, AAR for Rotary Wing aircraft is exempt from exclusivity claims.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has considered replacing the DS30M on the batch 2 River class for the Bofors 40 MK4.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The DS30M Mark 2 30mm Automated Small Calibre Gun remains an appropriate armament against the surface threats to which a Batch 2 River-class Offshore Patrol Vessel could be exposed. Any future consideration of alternative weapon systems would be assessed against cost, capability need, platform integration requirements, crew impacts, and overall value for money in the context of the developing Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the ability of RAF A330 Voyager aircraft to provide air-to-air refuelling to Chinook H-47(ER) aircraft.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Chinook H‑47(ER) is being procured with full air‑to‑air refuelling receiver capability. On current plans, refuelling support will be provided by the U.S. KC‑130.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the ability of RAF A400M Atlas aircraft to provide air-to-air refuelling to Chinook H-47(ER) aircraft.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Chinook H‑47(ER) is being procured with full air‑to‑air refuelling receiver capability. On current plans, refuelling support will be provided by the U.S. KC‑130.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the maximum operating weight of a fixed-wing aircraft that can be launched and recovered from a Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier without the use of Assisted Launch and Recovery Equipment.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers are configured to operate Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing aircraft and helicopters and do not have catapults or arrestor gear for conventional fixed-wing operations. The fixed-wing aircraft operated is the F-35B Lightning.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111022, what proportion of the original capability requirements specified for the Ajax-family vehicles have been relaxed or amended due to an inability of the vehicles to meet the original requirements.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to Questions 111022, 111024 and 111025 on 12 February 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111025, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the capability requirements that Ajax-family Capability Drop 4 vehicles will fully comply with.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to Questions 111022, 111024 and 111025 on 12 February 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111024, what proportion of the capability requirements have Ajax-family Capability Drop 3 vehicles been verified to fully comply with.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to Questions 111022, 111024 and 111025 on 12 February 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether funding for training and equipment for the Strategic Reserve will be provided in the Defence Investment Plan.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommended reinvigorating the relationship with the Strategic Reserve, to be sustained through annual training and volunteer roles.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) will outline how we will invest to transform defence in line with the SDR vision. We are working flat out to complete the DIP and publish shortly.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help develop a funding solution for the BBC World Service.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 February in response to Question 114008.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vessels and of what type would be required to escort an aircraft carrier in a peer conflict.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The number and type of vessels required to escort an aircraft carrier will vary depending on the mission, threat, operating area, and the contribution of allies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111023 on Ajax Vehicles: Procurement, what were the nature and purpose of the modifications above the current production baseline.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Modifications to Ajax platforms above the current baseline cover rapid embodiment of design changes which are of demonstrable benefit to the Army. Examples include software enhancements and component reliability improvements. These modifications must be recorded as a concession until such time the design change is approved and the baseline is updated.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of procurement programmes that were cancelled from (a) May 1997 to May 2010, (b) May 2010 to May 2015, (c) May 2015 to July 2024 and (d) July 2024 to present.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

As would be expected of any responsible organisation, the Ministry of Defence regularly reviews its programmes and assets to determine how best to meet future threats including taking appropriate action to address changes.

Prior to 1999-2000, the Department's spend on cancelled programmes over £100,000 were published in their Appropriation Accounts, before transitioning to Resource Accounts until 2023-24, where the current Annual Report and Accounts process began. These accounts are available until 2024-25.

The threshold was changed to £250,000 in 2012-13 and then to £300,000 in 2015-16, which remains the current threshold, to reflect inflation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of 30 reserve service days to cover the relevant training and deployment reservists are expected to undertake.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 February 2026 to Question 112387 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge).

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of compounded leasehold reform on the housing-with-care for older people sector.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 108467 on 3 February 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to give freehold home owners the right to self property management.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with Sussex Integrated Care Board on its policy on access to fertility services.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No such discussions have taken place.

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. We expect these organisations to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guideline and will consider whether its current recommendations for access to National Health Service-funded treatment are still appropriate. The draft guidance was consulted on between 10 September and 21 October 2025, and final guidance is expected to be published in March 2026. We expect ICBs to consider and reflect the updated NICE fertility guideline in their commissioning decisions when it is published, and we are working with NHS England to support greater consistency in provision.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of removing the 10% commission charge on the sale of park homes.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what exchanges of personnel with European navies have taken place in the last 5 years.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Royal Navy maintains a range of personnel exchange and liaison arrangements with European partners through bilateral relationships and NATO activity, supporting interoperability and professional development. These arrangements are reviewed routinely.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what exchanges of personnel with European navies are planned for 2026.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Royal Navy maintains a range of personnel exchange and liaison arrangements with European partners through bilateral relationships and NATO activity, supporting interoperability and professional development. These arrangements are reviewed routinely.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how his Department plans to regulate the property management sector, especially for leaseholders.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Questions UIN 85213 on 4 November 2025 and UIN 113165 on 2 March 2026.

Heating oil prices

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

90th anniversary of the Spitfire

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026

Dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands