Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) when he expects the Ministry of Defence to respond to Freedom of Information request FOI2026/00636, submitted by my office on the 9th January 2026, and (b) what the reasons are for the delay in issuing a response.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
It has taken more time than expected to collate the information in scope of this request. I apologise for the delay and will aim to provide a substantive response as soon as possible.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on resolving disputes over pay and work conditions in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We continue to engage constructively with trade unions. It would not be appropriate to offer more detail of these engagements as discussions are ongoing.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered New Zealand's retirement villages sector in developing policy on the future of the social care system in England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the important role retirement villages play in providing high quality, safe, and suitable homes which can help people stay independent and healthy for longer and reduce the need to draw on health and social care provision.
The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to support the development of suitable older people’s housing. We are aware of relevant international evidence in this area, including examples cited in the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report such as older people’s housing models in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under what legislation do British forces operate in UK waters.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
UK forces operate in accordance with both international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and domestic law.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many MOD police officers have been recruited in each year since 2020; and what his Department's recruitment target was in each of those years.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is critical to securing Defence assets and people. Recruitment is kept under constant review and is driven by Defence requirements and takes account of the number of leavers and joiners at any given time.
At the end of December 2025, Defence saw an increase in workforce that delivers the policing, guarding, and security effect across the delivery groups under a single authority (SJC). We are accelerating recruitment of Ministry of Defence Police, MOD Guard Service through targeted campaigns and implementation of targeted retention bonus for hard to recruit locations and there are now some 250 more Military Provost Guard Service than in 2020. This steady growth is supported by plans to increase this in coming months. Defence takes security seriously, which is demonstrated by the carve outs from civil service recruitment freezes and voluntary exit schemes.
The annual budget for the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) are shown below:
Financial Year | Budget £ million |
2019-20 | 152.881 |
2020-21 | 157.726 |
2021-22 | 167.2 |
2022-23 | 167.676 |
2023-24 | 160.848 |
2024-25 | 182.7 |
The workforce numbers for the Ministry of Defence Police are below. Note that the 2025 figure reflects workforce plans set under the previous government:
Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
MDP ¹ | 2643 | 2768 | 2701 | 2593 | 2407 | 2139 |
NUCS ² | 227 | 235 | 230 | 221 | 211 | 196 |
Total | 2869 | 3003 | 2931 | 2814 | 2618 | 2335 |
¹ Ministry of Defence Police officers
² Non-uniformed Civil Servants
Year | Total recruited | Recruitment Target |
2020-21 | 320 | 320 |
2021-22 | 244 | 250 |
2022-23 | 252 | 270 |
2023-24 | 121 | 275* |
2024-25 | 101 | 125 |
2025-26 | 109 to 14 Dec 25 | 250 |
* Original target. Target was replaced during the course of the year by site specific recruitment targets because of ongoing reviews to reduce the number of MDP posts across the UK resulting from introduction of a new operating police model (OPM), reprioritisation of security risk and the replacement of MDP with alternative policing/security providers.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual funding in cash terms has been for MOD Police in each year since 2020.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is critical to securing Defence assets and people. Recruitment is kept under constant review and is driven by Defence requirements and takes account of the number of leavers and joiners at any given time.
At the end of December 2025, Defence saw an increase in workforce that delivers the policing, guarding, and security effect across the delivery groups under a single authority (SJC). We are accelerating recruitment of Ministry of Defence Police, MOD Guard Service through targeted campaigns and implementation of targeted retention bonus for hard to recruit locations and there are now some 250 more Military Provost Guard Service than in 2020. This steady growth is supported by plans to increase this in coming months. Defence takes security seriously, which is demonstrated by the carve outs from civil service recruitment freezes and voluntary exit schemes.
The annual budget for the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) are shown below:
Financial Year | Budget £ million |
2019-20 | 152.881 |
2020-21 | 157.726 |
2021-22 | 167.2 |
2022-23 | 167.676 |
2023-24 | 160.848 |
2024-25 | 182.7 |
The workforce numbers for the Ministry of Defence Police are below. Note that the 2025 figure reflects workforce plans set under the previous government:
Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
MDP ¹ | 2643 | 2768 | 2701 | 2593 | 2407 | 2139 |
NUCS ² | 227 | 235 | 230 | 221 | 211 | 196 |
Total | 2869 | 3003 | 2931 | 2814 | 2618 | 2335 |
¹ Ministry of Defence Police officers
² Non-uniformed Civil Servants
Year | Total recruited | Recruitment Target |
2020-21 | 320 | 320 |
2021-22 | 244 | 250 |
2022-23 | 252 | 270 |
2023-24 | 121 | 275* |
2024-25 | 101 | 125 |
2025-26 | 109 to 14 Dec 25 | 250 |
* Original target. Target was replaced during the course of the year by site specific recruitment targets because of ongoing reviews to reduce the number of MDP posts across the UK resulting from introduction of a new operating police model (OPM), reprioritisation of security risk and the replacement of MDP with alternative policing/security providers.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the workforce numbers were for the Ministry of Defence Police in each year since 2020.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is critical to securing Defence assets and people. Recruitment is kept under constant review and is driven by Defence requirements and takes account of the number of leavers and joiners at any given time.
At the end of December 2025, Defence saw an increase in workforce that delivers the policing, guarding, and security effect across the delivery groups under a single authority (SJC). We are accelerating recruitment of Ministry of Defence Police, MOD Guard Service through targeted campaigns and implementation of targeted retention bonus for hard to recruit locations and there are now some 250 more Military Provost Guard Service than in 2020. This steady growth is supported by plans to increase this in coming months. Defence takes security seriously, which is demonstrated by the carve outs from civil service recruitment freezes and voluntary exit schemes.
The annual budget for the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) are shown below:
Financial Year | Budget £ million |
2019-20 | 152.881 |
2020-21 | 157.726 |
2021-22 | 167.2 |
2022-23 | 167.676 |
2023-24 | 160.848 |
2024-25 | 182.7 |
The workforce numbers for the Ministry of Defence Police are below. Note that the 2025 figure reflects workforce plans set under the previous government:
Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
MDP ¹ | 2643 | 2768 | 2701 | 2593 | 2407 | 2139 |
NUCS ² | 227 | 235 | 230 | 221 | 211 | 196 |
Total | 2869 | 3003 | 2931 | 2814 | 2618 | 2335 |
¹ Ministry of Defence Police officers
² Non-uniformed Civil Servants
Year | Total recruited | Recruitment Target |
2020-21 | 320 | 320 |
2021-22 | 244 | 250 |
2022-23 | 252 | 270 |
2023-24 | 121 | 275* |
2024-25 | 101 | 125 |
2025-26 | 109 to 14 Dec 25 | 250 |
* Original target. Target was replaced during the course of the year by site specific recruitment targets because of ongoing reviews to reduce the number of MDP posts across the UK resulting from introduction of a new operating police model (OPM), reprioritisation of security risk and the replacement of MDP with alternative policing/security providers.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using defence bonds as a way to finance capital-intensive commitments in the Strategic Defence Review.
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 MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on (a) Project Beehive, (b) MMCM program (Marine Mine Counter Measures), (c) SeaCat and (d) the repairs to HMS Bangor.
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 MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many operational vessels are available to the Royal Navy with hospital or casualty receiving facilities.
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.