Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the public purse of the Royal Air Force transitioning to 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel by 2040; and whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of the long-term fiscal implications of sustainable or synthetic aviation fuel prices for Defence aviation.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Air Force (RAF) procures its aviation fuel in the UK from commercial suppliers at market rates. As a result, this makes accurate long-term cost forecasting challenging. The price of aviation fuel, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), is subject to market fluctuations, and the level of RAF fuel consumption varies due to numerous factors.
The RAF has not committed to transitioning to 100% SAF by 2040. The RAF will follow the incremental transition to sustainable aviation fuel as set out in the UK Government's SAF mandate, which requires aviation fuel to contain 22% SAF by 2040. This date aligns with the RAF's aim to become a net-zero air force.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the net zero targets for the Ministry of Defence and its arm’s-length bodies are; and what guidance has been issued on adopting net zero targets earlier than 2050.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Net Zero target in the Climate Change Act 2008, is a target for the whole of the UK, not individual departments or arms-length bodies.
Greening Government Commitments are the central framework setting out the actions UK Government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impacts on the environment, including setting targets to reduce emissions.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are reviewing the Greening Government Commitments to ensure that they remain aligned with Government priorities.
For the Ministry of Defence, guidance was published by the last Government in the 2021 Climate Change and Sustainability Strategic Approach which set a target of reducing emissions from its built estate by at least 30% by 2025.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 93956 on Driving Tests, what the marginal cost charged to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency by the Ministry of Defence is for the deployment of defence driving examiners.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my answer to Question 95727 which answered this same question.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-12-01/95727
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 93956 on Driving Tests, what is the estimated total cost of the Ministry of Defence charges to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency for the use of 36 defence driving examiners for one day per week over a 12-month period.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
In response to a Military Aid to the Civil Authorities request from the Department for Transport, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has agreed to provide 36 defence driving examiners (DDE) to conduct driving tests for one day a week for 12 months. This support will seek to reduce current civilian driving test wait times.
Actual costs will be calculated and charged following the completion of this support, the estimated cost is approximately £100,000. The MOD has agreed to charge marginal costs, rather than full costs, in line with HM Treasury guidelines as set out in JDP 02 UK Operations: the Defence Contribution to Resilience.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy vessels are deployed in the Middle East, including the types of vessels deployed, for each of the last ten years for which the latest data is available; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of this presence given regional security threats.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The number of ships that have been deployed to the Middle East region (which includes the Gulf and the Eastern mediterranean) for the past ten years shown in the table below:
Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
Number of Ships | 17 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
The number of deployments to the Middle East region will vary over time for many reasons, such as support for specific operations (for example, delivering humanitarian aid, non-combatant evacuation operations); changes to operating concepts and transiting through the region enroute to another area of operations. I am unable to provide specific detail on the type of vessels deployed to protect the operational security of the fleet.
The Ministry of Defence keeps its force posture in the Middle East under continual review to safeguard the UK’s national security interests and operational requirements. We remain committed to working with our partners across the region.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent changes to the UK’s amphibious capability, including a) the decommissioning or reduced availability of amphibious platforms, b) the effect on the UK’s ability to conduct independent or NATO amphibious operations, and c) any change in doctrine arising from these reductions on the UK's military capabilities.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Royal Marines and UK Commando Forces (UKCF) are being transformed through the Littoral Strike/Commando Force programme which is tailored to UK and NATO requirements. The decommissioning of amphibious platforms reflects a planned transition towards a new generation of amphibious capabilities. Our focus is on delivering these new capabilities which are currently being considered through the Defence Investment Plan, and we do not anticipate any impact on the planned operational programme of UKCF during this time. The UK retains the ability to conduct independent operations and our commitment to NATO remains unchanged. Recent adjustments to amphibious capability have not altered the UK's doctrinal commitment to amphibious operations.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of readiness of the (a) Army and (b) RAF to respond to a high-intensity conflict, including (i) levels of critical munitions, (ii) levels of personnel and (iii) equipment availability rates.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Armed Forces readiness is directed by the Armed Forces Plan, in which the Chief of the Defence Staff directs his Military Command Chiefs to hold a variety of Force Elements at varying levels of readiness. This readiness in aligned to our NATO Force Model along with our Sovereign defence and our ability to respond to crisis.
Defence continues to focus on ensuring its readiness, including for a high-intensity conflict, in line with the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The SDR is already being implemented, and the Defence Investment Plan will further shape our priorities to ensure we can continue to meet the threats we face.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will set out the (a) frigate and (b) destroyer refit programmes that have been (i) cancelled and (ii) deferred on grounds of cost since July 2024.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy constantly reviews maintenance and refit requirements across the fleet to achieve maximum availability of its platforms for operational tasking.
No Type 45 refit programmes have been cancelled or deferred on the grounds of cost since July 2024.
In November 2024, the Secretary of State for Defence announced that the Type 23 frigate HMS Northumberland was to be retired due to the structural damage discovered during refit which rendered the vessel uneconomical to repair.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will set out the current operational status of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, including which (a) frigates and (b) destroyers are (i) ready for deployment, (ii) at sea, (iii) in refit, (iv) in extended maintenance, and (v) expected to be unavailable for operational tasking for more than six months.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
For operational security reasons, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose elements of the Fleet's long-term schedule and readiness profiles. The Ministry of Defence continues to ensure that it has sufficient assets available to deliver our highest priority operational outputs.
Currently the Royal Navy has 53 Surface Ships in service, at varying states of operational availability and readiness. The RFA has 10. It is important to see availability as a constant cycle as ships move through maintenance, training, and deployment and recovery phases, with around 50% of the fleet at high readiness or above at any one time.
The Royal Navy continues to modernise its Fleet through careful management of a surface fleet transition plan to ensure the highest priority outputs are maintained through this decade and the next. We are replacing our Type 23 Frigates with eight of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warfare ships, the Type 26 Frigates. They will be bolstered by five general purpose Type 31 Frigates, providing opportunity to project power, support NATO operations and influence on the global stage.
More information on Readiness Days can be found here: Committees.parliament.uk/publications/49894/documents/267958/default/
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the current status of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) fleet, including which vessels are (a) in service, (b) operational, (c) laid up and (d) awaiting repair; and if he will set out the expected in-service dates for (i) replacement and (ii) new-build RFA vessels.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
For operational security reasons, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose elements of the Fleet's long-term schedule and readiness profiles. The Ministry of Defence continues to ensure that it has sufficient assets available to deliver our highest priority operational outputs.
Currently the Royal Navy has 53 Surface Ships in service, at varying states of operational availability and readiness. The RFA has 10. It is important to see availability as a constant cycle as ships move through maintenance, training, and deployment and recovery phases, with around 50% of the fleet at high readiness or above at any one time.
The Royal Navy continues to modernise its Fleet through careful management of a surface fleet transition plan to ensure the highest priority outputs are maintained through this decade and the next. We are replacing our Type 23 Frigates with eight of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warfare ships, the Type 26 Frigates. They will be bolstered by five general purpose Type 31 Frigates, providing opportunity to project power, support NATO operations and influence on the global stage.
More information on Readiness Days can be found here: Committees.parliament.uk/publications/49894/documents/267958/default/