Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 16457 on Puma Helicopters, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of fulfilling the short-term capability gaps in (a) Cyprus and (b) Brunei prior to the entry of the H-145 platform into service in 2026; and how he plans to manage these costs within his Department's existing budget.

The Department is scoping a variety of options to fulfil the short-term capability gaps before H-145 enters service from 2026. A final decision is yet to be made on the specific capability solution; thus we are not yet able to disclose our proposed capability solution. Any incurred costs will be managed within current budgets to ensure the solutions provide maximum value for money.