Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will undertake an impact assessment on the effect of military personnel cover for workers engaged in industrial action over winter 2022-23 on the UK's armed forces' capability over that period.

Defence considers a range of factors before approving a MACA request - including the extent to which the request can be fulfilled without disrupting core Defence activity. I and my Ministerial colleagues are clear that the primary task of the Armed Forces is the defence of the realm; we would not approve a MACA request if it put our ability to undertake priority Defence activity at inappropriate risk.