Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what strategy is in place to secure domestic raw material inputs, such as rare earth elements, required for advanced military hardware.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is taking forward a programme of work to improve the resilience of supply chains for the critical materials required to support Defence capability. This includes establishing a dedicated Defence critical materials team and developing a Defence Critical Minerals Priority List to identify and assess those materials most important to Defence, including Rare Earth Elements, tungsten and key steel inputs, helping to inform risk assessment, prioritisation and resilience activity.
The Department is working closely with industry through the Defence Industrial Joint Council (DIJC), alongside wider Government and international partners, to strengthen security of supply and improve understanding of supply chain vulnerabilities. This includes engagement on strategically important materials such as tungsten and steel, and collaboration with allies including Australia and Canada. In 2026, the UK and Australia agreed a Defence Critical Minerals Statement of Intent to support closer cooperation on critical minerals, supply chain resilience and shared capability priorities.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of progress made on reform to defence procurement.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We inherited a procurement system that was slow, costly and unsuited to the challenges we now face as a nation. The Government set out reforms to procurement in the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy, and these are being implemented currently. We are reforming Defence acquisition to deliver capability faster, secure better value for money and strengthen the UK defence industrial base. The Department continues to make progress, from introducing the simpler and a more flexible procurement framework under the Procurement Act 2023, embedding Procurement Segmentation in plans and portfolios, issuing tailored guidance, launching demonstrator projects and introducing seven Commercial Pathways. We continue to test and measure these reforms, support live procurements, and expand adoption across Defence.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the UK Defence Space Strategy is integrated into the wider goals of the National Security Strategy 2025.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Building on the 2022 Defence Space Strategy, the newly published UK Space Strategy 2026, backed by £7.8 billion in funding through to 2029/30 integrates space into these wider defence goals through a One Government approach. The strategy marks a shift from a broad approach to space policy towards one focused on economic growth, defence and national security.
Under this One Government approach, departments will increasingly align policy, investment, procurement, capability development and international cooperation to strengthen resilience and develop sovereign capabilities that preserve the UK’s freedom of action.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what specific commitments have been made to sustain long-term military and economic assistance to Ukraine.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
As the Prime Minister said last week our support for Ukraine remains rock solid and is vital for keeping us safe here in the UK and for ensuring those on the frontlines in Ukraine have the equipment they need to push back Russia. We will continue to stand in solidarity with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
The Prime Minister also announced that the UK is accelerating the delivery of a £45 million package of air defence interceptors to meet Ukraine's most urgent winter requirements and asked Ministers to draw up further sanctions, military aid, and fiscal packages to provide urgent support in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what reforms are being made to procurement pathways to accelerate the delivery of sovereign capabilities.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department is using the flexibilities of the Procurement Act 2023 to support trusted supply chains, including British-based suppliers, where necessary to safeguard sovereign capability. Procurement Segmentation and tailored Commercial Pathways will accelerate delivery by applying proportionate processes, timelines, and risk appetites to each requirement.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic efforts are being pursued to establish binding norms of responsible behaviour in outer space.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
The UK is leading diplomatic efforts to reduce space threats through norms of responsible behaviours, including at the United Nations General Assembly First Committee session in New York this month (October 2026). We participate in the UN Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) on Preventing an Arms Race in Outer Space in All its Aspects which has a mandate to consider both legally and non-legally binding measures. Our priority is agreeing upon non-legally binding measures to reduce the risks of miscalculation, escalation, and conflict in space. We remain open to legally binding measures where, for example, robust verification is feasible.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has increased counter-terrorism policing budgets to address domestic threats.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
Funding for Counter-Terrorism Policing increased to over £1.2 billion this year (2026-27). This funds a range of capabilities, as well as approximately 800 live investigations, which allows policing to respond swiftly and decisively to domestic, hostile state and international terrorist threats.
As part of the recently announced National Policing Response to Antisemitism (14 July 2026, HCWS246), Counter-Terrorism Policing will receive a further £59 million over the next three years to provide further security to vulnerable communities, places and people.
We do not disclose specific breakdowns of funding for security reasons.