Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) current and (b) planned capabilities the UK has for defence against attacks by (i) cruise missiles, (ii) drone swarms and (iii) ballistic missiles.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Current capabilities which would be used to defeat cruise missiles, drone swarms and ballistic missiles include existing Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force capabilities. Type 45 destroyers, Ground Based Air Defence, Combat Air platforms and supporting air defence sensing and command and control, as well as Counter-Uncrewed Air System capabilities would all play a part in a response.
His Majesty’s Government announced a £1 billion UK spend on Integrated Air and Missile Defence in the Strategic Defence Review which will shape future Integrated Air and Missile Defence capability. Further announcement on Integrated Air and Missile Defence investment will be made within the Defence Investment Plan.
We have also recently approved £318 million for dragonfire which will help support protection against air threats with the first system being installed on a type 45 destroyer in 2027.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many of the first-wave Neighbourhood Health Centre sites have prioritised neurology within a) initial service plans and b) delivery models.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. It outlines how specialised neurology services should support integrated and responsive care for individuals with long-term neurological conditions through collaboration between hospital and community providers. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.
At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the Neurology Transformation Programme.
We have announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme, with 120 delivered by 2030, with rollout starting in areas of the greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest
We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in different places across the country.
We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course. This will set out how the National Health Service, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop and implement plans.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has been issued to Neighbourhood Health Centre sites on integrating specialist neurology services with neighbourhood-based care teams.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. It outlines how specialised neurology services should support integrated and responsive care for individuals with long-term neurological conditions through collaboration between hospital and community providers. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.
At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the Neurology Transformation Programme.
We have announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme, with 120 delivered by 2030, with rollout starting in areas of the greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest
We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in different places across the country.
We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course. This will set out how the National Health Service, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop and implement plans.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 79968, whether she plans to publish the findings of the independent audit of Palestinian Authority curriculum reform.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the Palestinian Authority (PA) contracting an independent audit firm to complete a review of curriculum reform in early 2026, and we would expect the results of that audit to be made public. The UK will continue to press for implementation of the PA's reform commitments, and will assess progress in the education area based on the audit results.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to review elements of UK support for the Palestinian Authority in the context of textbooks for the 2025–26 school year.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the Palestinian Authority (PA) contracting an independent audit firm to complete a review of curriculum reform in early 2026, and we would expect the results of that audit to be made public. The UK will continue to press for implementation of the PA's reform commitments, and will assess progress in the education area based on the audit results.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many unmanned aerial vehicles the armed forces have procured in 2025 and will procure in 2026.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence has had delivery of over 1,500 uncrewed systems over the last year, and has delivered approximately 95,000 drones to Ukraine since July 2024. For security reasons we cannot provide a breakdown of what systems have been procured.
Drones, including unmanned aerial systems, are integral to the modern way of warfighting, exemplified in the lessons gleaned from the war in Ukraine. The Strategic Defence Review announced an increase in autonomy investment of £2 billion in this Parliament, taking total Defence investment in autonomy to circa £4 billion. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan to be published this year.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve glioblastoma survival rates.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to supporting an innovative clinical research ecosystem in the United Kingdom so that patients in this country can be among the first to benefit as we make the National Health Service fit for the future.
The Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers which will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, such as glioblastomas, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. This will ensure that the NHS will remain at the forefront of medical innovation and is able to provide patients with the newest, most effective treatment options, and ultimately boost survival rates.
Early next year, the Government will publish a National Cancer Plan which will set out targeted actions to reduce the lives lost to cancers and improve the experience of patients, including rarer cancers such as glioblastomas.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current lead times are for procuring new tanks, artillery systems and missile platform and how do those times compare to other NATO countries; and what steps he is taking to reduce those timelines.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Industrial Strategy set out an average of six years to contract for major defence platforms. Whilst differing procurement systems make direct comparisons with other countries challenging, our new segmented approach to procurement, supported by accelerated commercial pathways, is designed to enable programmes to get to contract faster. We are making progress towards the target date of 1 April 2026 for establishment of the segmented approach in line with the Strategic Defence Review.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on reducing procurement timelines for major military platforms from six years to two.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Industrial Strategy set out an average of six years to contract for major defence platforms. Whilst differing procurement systems make direct comparisons with other countries challenging, our new segmented approach to procurement, supported by accelerated commercial pathways, is designed to enable programmes to get to contract faster. We are making progress towards the target date of 1 April 2026 for establishment of the segmented approach in line with the Strategic Defence Review.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether additional 155mm artillery shell production orders will be placed with BAE Systems’ Washington plant.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We can confirm that additional 155mm artillery shell production orders will be placed with BAE Systems’ Washington plant.