Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 106 of the Strategic Defence Review 2024, what progress he has made in establishing more flexible regulation in order to facilitate experimentation in autonomy.

The Defence Maritime Regulator (DMR) is currently developing several options for defence to consider and progress. These options are being developed in conjunction with defence stakeholders and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and will be presented for consideration by April 2026. The current options vary in scale and scope, but all allow for the unique legislative freedoms afforded to the Royal Navy and to Defence Shipping to be utilised to support the development of Maritime Autonomy. DMR is supporting the ongoing development of the MCA’s own maritime autonomy programme as the two organisations strive to deliver safe and environmentally sound shipping in the defence and civil sectors.