Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether the North East of England continues to lag behind other regions of the United Kingdom in the number of defence-related manufacturing and industrial jobs; and what steps his Department is taking to increase defence employment and investment in the region.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The North East is an important part of the UK defence industrial base. The MOD expenditure with industry in the region rose from £187 million in 2024-25 to £198 million in 2025-26, a 6% increase after accounting for inflation.
Of this total amount, £96 million was spent with small and medium-sized enterprises.
We are supporting further investment and jobs through the North East Regional Defence and Security Cluster (RDSC), linking industry, academia and Government. We are also investing in skills in the region, with over £9 million combined invested to Durham, Newcastle and Teesside universities, through the Defence Strategic Priority Grant competition and Durham, Newcastle and Northumbria becoming founding members of the Defence Universities Alliance.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what offers his Department has received from renewable energy developers to fund or contribute towards upgrades to the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As far as I am aware, the only engagement the Ministry of Defence has had with a renewable energy developer concerning the management of wind turbine interference in the vicinity of the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array is regarding borehole sensor technology.
The Department has considered this proposal and has supported a technical investigation by experts from the Atomic Weapons Establishment to assess their feasibility. However, the MOD's safeguarding decisions are based on scientific evidence and operational requirements, and any proposed mitigation must be shown to be effective and reliable before it could be taken forward.
The MOD continues to work closely with DESNZ to safeguard the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array while supporting the Government's clean energy ambitions.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether technological upgrades to the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array could enable additional onshore wind development without compromising its operational capability.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has worked closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNEZ) over onshore wind deployment in the vicinity of the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array, which supports the United Kingdom's obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. As part of this work, the MOD supported experimental testing of alternative technologies and has considered assessments undertaken by specialist technical advisers and independent seismology experts.
DESNZ has recently consulted on a revised approach to managing onshore wind turbine interference in the vicinity of the Array. The MOD and DESNZ have also commissioned an independent scientific review of alternative technological solutions.
Previously, evidence made available to the Department has not demonstrated that proposed alternative technological solutions provide viable mitigation for operational use. The consultation responses and independent scientific review are currently being considered and DESNZ will publish a government response reflecting the outcome of both processes soon.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of upgrading the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array, including through the installation of borehole seismic monitoring equipment.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Monitoring equipment at the Eskdalemuir Seismometer Array is continually reviewed to ensure it meets national requirements and the requirements of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organisation International Monitoring System.
There is currently an ongoing independent review of mitigation proposals for reduction of seismic ground vibration received at the Eskdalemuir seismic array and the effect on the detection capability of the array, commissioned by the Ministry of Defence and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. This includes a review of borehole emplacement and digital signal processing approaches.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the scientific evidence and methodology underpinning restrictions on wind energy development around the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array were last independently reviewed.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The current methodology used to assess the impact of wind turbines on the Array's ability to detect underground seismic events has been developed using specialist scientific advice and remains the basis for safeguarding decisions. The methodology itself was retained as part of the revised safeguarding approach published in March 2026 following public consultation.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the funding allocated in the Defence Investment Plan to Directed Energy Weapons will be spent on (a) laser-directed energy weapons, including DragonFire, and (b) Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapons.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The £490 million allocated within the Defence Investment Plan for Directed Energy Weapons supports the development of both laser-directed energy weapons, including the DragonFire system, and Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapons.
The Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract valued at £316 million (excluding VAT) for the procurement of two DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon units. This contract forms part of the overall funding allocation for Directed Energy Weapons within the four-year Defence Investment Plan.
However, the Ministry does not disclose the precise breakdown of funding between individual Directed Energy Weapon technologies or programmes. This is to protect commercial interests and to ensure the Department's ability to secure value for money in future procurement activities is not compromised.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of UK missile production capacity in meeting the requirements of a sustained high-intensity conflict; and whether that assessment has been informed by missile consumption rates in the recent conflict between the United States and Iran.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK’s munition stockpile levels and operational planning assumptions are classified; disclosure of such information could undermine national and operational security. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works with the Military Commands and industry to regularly review munitions demand, supply resilience and opportunities to increase production capacity. This ensures our munitions planning assumptions remain aligned with the evolving threat environment and lessons identified from recent operations.
As we have set out in the Defence Investment Plan, we are investing in increasing munitions production capacity, including plans for six new energetics and munitions factories and an "always on" production model for some key munitions.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the long-term sustainability of UK naval shipbuilding capacity following the completion of programmes funded under the Defence Investment Plan.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government assesses the long-term sustainability, capability and capacity of UK naval shipbuilding through the ongoing work of the National Shipbuilding Office (NSO), as part of the National Armaments Director Group, and the Royal Navy.
The Defence Investment Plan provides a significant forward programme of naval procurement, and the NSO, RN and wider NADG will continue to work closely with industry to understand future workforce, capacity and infrastructure requirements in the immediate and long term.
The NSO will publish a Shipbuilding and Maritime Technology Action Plan later this year which will detail this government’s approach to ensuring the long-term growth and sustainability of the UK Shipbuilding sector.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has assessed the risk of a reduction in the Royal Navy frigate force resulting from the withdrawal of Type 23 frigates before the entry into service of replacement Type 26 and Type 31 frigates.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 July 2026 to Question 17101 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr Obese-Jecty).
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-08/17101
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to maintain Royal Navy escort numbers pending the entry into service of the planned fleet of Type 26 and Type 31 frigates.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 July 2026 to Question 17101 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr Obese-Jecty).
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-08/17101