Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the risk that electric buses operating in the UK could be remotely rendered inoperable via their internet-connected systems by hostile state actors.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government takes national security seriously and recognises the systematic challenges of increased connectivity and the cyber security implications for almost every area of government policy, including vehicles. My Department works closely with the transport sector and other government departments to understand and respond to cyber vulnerabilities for all transport modes.
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 16 December 2025 to Question 98592, what independent audit firm the Palestinian Authority has contracted to complete the review of curriculum reform; and which grades that audit will cover.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It will be for the Palestinian Authority to publish the full details of their audit, including the firm hired to conduct it, and we will assess the reliability of that audit based on the information published.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on developing a policy for the active engagement of unmanned aerial systems.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with partners across Government on a range of Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) issues. The Home Office is responsible for C-UAS policy and strategy in the Homeland during peacetime. During wartime, C-UAS policy falls under the Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) framework, which the MOD is responsible for. The process of providing Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA) is well established and ensures a robust framework under which Defence capabilities may be used to support Other Government Departments.
In terms of legislation, work is underway to develop a suitable legislative framework that will enable Defence personnel to operate authorised equipment to protect critical Defence property and activities from the threat of UAS.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are any formal agreements in place with allied nations for the provision of ground-based air defence for the UK homeland.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK is a NATO ally and participant in the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINAMDS) a network of interconnected national and NATO systems comprising sensors, command and control facilities, and weapon systems. This system allows the UK to exchange information with Allied nations on a reciprocal basis, to improve sensor coverage and reaction times across the Alliance. Although there are no formal agreements for the provision of effectors of allied nations to be used to defend the UK homeland. NATO has the ability to position assigned or apportioned ground-based air defence effectors in response to emerging threats.
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 reviewed existing command arrangements for ground-based air defence in relation to the protection of critical national infrastructure.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continually reviews its operational capabilities, including command arrangements for ground-based air defence, to ensure they remain effective and fit for purpose. The protection of the United Kingdom’s critical national infrastructure is a key priority, and the MOD works closely with other Government Departments and agencies to assess and address potential threats. Any updates or changes to command arrangements are informed by regular assessments, operational requirements, and emerging threats to ensure the safety and security of the nation.
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 role of air defence artillery systems in countering unmanned aerial systems.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence regularly engages with subject matter experts, both at home and abroad, to assess the effectiveness of different types of Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS). This includes the role of air defence artillery systems.
The UK operates advanced Counter-Uncrewed Aerial System (C-UAS) capabilities which continue to be developed in response to the changing threat. These systems are operated by various different users within Defence, including air defence units.
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 current UK stockpiles of short-range ground-based air defence missiles compared with stock levels held in 2022.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I am withholding further detail for operational security reasons.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Starstreak and Lightweight Modular Missiles have been ordered since 2022 to replace stocks donated to Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I am withholding further detail for operational security reasons.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of planned expenditure on UK Integrated Air and Missile Defence during the current Parliament will be allocated to effectors, as opposed to sensors and command-and-control systems.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provide sovereign nation capability and support interoperability with NATO allies and partners. These capabilities, integrated with NATO Allies defend our homeland and contribute to the strength of the NATO Alliance.
The Government has committed £1 billion to Integrated Air and Missile Defence in line with the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring investment is prioritised against evolving threats as part of the future Integrated Force. The allocation of investment and timelines for Integrated Air and Missile Defence spending will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
It would not be appropriate to state stockpile levels of munitions for reasons of national security, but these remain under continuous review to maintain operational readiness.
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 adequacy of the UK’s ground-based air defence capability in the event of the UK having to operate without direct United States support.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provide sovereign nation capability and support interoperability with NATO allies and partners. These capabilities, integrated with NATO Allies defend our homeland and contribute to the strength of the NATO Alliance.
The Government has committed £1 billion to Integrated Air and Missile Defence in line with the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring investment is prioritised against evolving threats as part of the future Integrated Force. The allocation of investment and timelines for Integrated Air and Missile Defence spending will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
It would not be appropriate to state stockpile levels of munitions for reasons of national security, but these remain under continuous review to maintain operational readiness.