Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much and what proportion of his Department’s Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit is committed and accounted for (a) by contracts already in place and (b) other existing spending commitments in (i) 2026-27, (ii) 2027-28 and (iii) 2028-29 financial years.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department does not routinely put forecast figures into the public domain. The Ministry of Defence's forward spending plans are being considered as part of work on the Defence Investment Plan.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether DEFCON 514 is applicable to the contract between his Department and General Dynamics UK for the supply of Ajax-family vehicles.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
DEFCON 514 is not applicable to the Ajax contract with General Dynamics UK, however similar provisions are included.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 111525 on Armed Forces: Mental Health Services, whether veterans receive a second Structured Mental Health Assessment after discharge.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Veterans’ healthcare is the responsibility of the NHS; however, where personnel leaving the Armed Forces have an enduring need for mental healthcare, DMS works in partnership with the NHS to ensure continuation of care. Personnel who have been assessed and diagnosed with a mental health need are able to access Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) for up to six months after discharge to provide continuity of care during the transition period until appropriate handover to other services can be completed as required.
In England, Op COURAGE provides a broad range of specialist mental health and wellbeing care and support for service leavers, reservists and veterans, with similar services available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Importantly, unlike many other services, Op COURAGE accepts self-referral, empowering patients to take control of their care needs. Op COURAGE has received over 35,000 referrals to date; over one third of all referrals were made directly by veterans. I would encourage any veteran who is struggling with their mental health to self-refer or seek the support of their GP to access Op COURAGE.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the average time it takes for service personnel to be issued with a FMed133 following discharge.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the importance of facilitating the transfer of healthcare information to civilian healthcare provider(s) when an individual leaves the Armed Forces.
Service Personnel are issued with an FMed133 at their final medical. Final medicals are completed within the last 90 days of service; therefore, Personnel are issued with their FMed133 prior to discharge.
Personnel are also advised to register with an NHS GP one to three months prior to discharge and provide their NHS GP with a copy of their FMed133.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has assessed the adequacy of National Minimum Wage compliance for Royal Fleet Auxiliary roles.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Royal Fleet Auxillary salaries are benchmarked against comparable roles across the wider maritime industry to ensure competitiveness and reflect market conditions. Constructive pay discussions with the Maritime Trade Unions are ongoing, focused on supporting retention and delivering a modern, growing organisation capable of meeting current and future defence tasking.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 111525, how many Structured Mental Health Assessments (SMHAs) were completed i) in person and ii) virtually.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost; however, Structured Mental Health Assessments (SMHAs) are typically conducted in person as part of the release medical provided on discharge from the Armed Forces.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 16 February 2026 to UIN 111525, how many Structured Mental Health Assessments were completed i) prior to and ii) post discharge.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
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.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
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.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
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.