Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Box 12 page 105 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, updated on 8 July 2025, what the full scope is of Atlantic Bastion’s approach.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Atlantic Bastion is a portfolio of programmes to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and in support of NATO against a range of underwater threats. It will develop a range of capabilities that enhance existing systems and deploy new platforms into the North Atlantic. It is separate from Baltic Sentry, which is a NATO led activity in the Baltic Sea to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. The Royal Navy will be able to learn from Baltic Sentry and be able to share lessons from Bastion programmes with NATO allies.
Through AUKUS Pillar 2, the nations are working together on an algorithm to support Maritime Patrol Aircraft processing systems. This work will inform future capability development of Bastion systems powered by AI to enhance acoustic detection.
Capability options under Atlantic Bastion are submitted for consideration in the Defence Investment Plan. Options for capabilities that would be deployable from the Type 26 Frigate Force are included in these options.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Box 12 page 105 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what is the composition of the Atlantic Bastion Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate force.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Atlantic Bastion is a portfolio of programmes to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and in support of NATO against a range of underwater threats. It will develop a range of capabilities that enhance existing systems and deploy new platforms into the North Atlantic. It is separate from Baltic Sentry, which is a NATO led activity in the Baltic Sea to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. The Royal Navy will be able to learn from Baltic Sentry and be able to share lessons from Bastion programmes with NATO allies.
Through AUKUS Pillar 2, the nations are working together on an algorithm to support Maritime Patrol Aircraft processing systems. This work will inform future capability development of Bastion systems powered by AI to enhance acoustic detection.
Capability options under Atlantic Bastion are submitted for consideration in the Defence Investment Plan. Options for capabilities that would be deployable from the Type 26 Frigate Force are included in these options.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which areas are covered by Operations (a) Atlantic Bastion and (b) Baltic Sentry.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Atlantic Bastion is a portfolio of programmes to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and in support of NATO against a range of underwater threats. It will develop a range of capabilities that enhance existing systems and deploy new platforms into the North Atlantic. It is separate from Baltic Sentry, which is a NATO led activity in the Baltic Sea to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. The Royal Navy will be able to learn from Baltic Sentry and be able to share lessons from Bastion programmes with NATO allies.
Through AUKUS Pillar 2, the nations are working together on an algorithm to support Maritime Patrol Aircraft processing systems. This work will inform future capability development of Bastion systems powered by AI to enhance acoustic detection.
Capability options under Atlantic Bastion are submitted for consideration in the Defence Investment Plan. Options for capabilities that would be deployable from the Type 26 Frigate Force are included in these options.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 43 of the National Security Strategy 2025, published in June 2025, CP 1338, what progress he has made on establishing UK Defence Innovation.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
UK Defence Innovation launched on 1 July 2025 and expects to be fully operational by July 2026. Work continues at pace on implementing, transitioning, and operationalising the full system. The Strategic Defence Review set out clear priorities for defence, with a strong emphasis on the need for rapid delivery of innovation. The launch of UK Defence Innovation will help to deliver a modern, resilient, and technologically advanced force by accelerating innovation, supporting strategic autonomy, and driving collaboration across defence, industry, and academia.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 71 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 8 July 2025, what recent progress he has made on developing a two-way secondment programme.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence currently has provisions in place for formal inward and outward secondments, which are used successfully across the Armed Forces and Civil Service. We are now exploring options for developing a similar, less formal arrangement, reviewing its potential benefits for Defence and evaluating our capacity to adapt and manage the workforce effectively.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 8750 on Adoption, what recent progress her Department has made on providing support to people affected by historic forced adoption practices between the 1940 and 1970.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government remains committed to ensuring that individuals affected by historical adoption practices receive the support they need and deserve. The department continues to follow up on the 2022 Joint Committee on Human Rights report, including actions to improve access to adoption records, enhance intermediary services, and support the preservation of historical records.
The department continues to fund Adoption England, which has recently published new guidance to support consistent and legally compliant practice across all adoption services. Adoption England funds the pilot initiative FamilyConnect, a national advice line designed to support adopted adults, birth parents, relatives, and professionals by providing intermediary services and assistance with searching and accessing records.
The department is planning to introduce regulatory changes, subject to Parliamentary approval, that will mean adoption case records for those adopted before 30 December 2005 are preserved for a minimum of 100 years.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Social Work England’s decision to raise annual registration fees on the (a) recruitment, (b) retention and (c) wellbeing of social workers; and whether her Department plans to (i) review and (ii) mitigate that increase.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
After undertaking a consultation exercise, Social Work England has increased registration and renewal fees. Social Work England released an equality impact assessment alongside their consultation response.
Registration and renewal fees have not increased since 2015 and the decision to increase fees was necessary to ensure the continuation of effective regulation of the social worker profession, thereby ensuring the protection of the public.
Social workers may be able to claim tax on professional member fees. Details on how to do this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/professional-fees-and-subscriptions.
Additionally, social workers have the option to pay registration and renewal fees in full or in two instalments in October and the following April.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a medal for servicemen and women who leave the armed forces before becoming eligible for medals under existing schemes.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Whilst we are grateful to all those who serve in our Armed Forces, it remains the position that medals are awarded only in recognition of operational Service, acts of gallantry, and long and meritorious Service; they are not awarded for Service alone. The Ministry of Defence has no plans to recommend that consideration is given to the introduction of a new medal for personnel who are not eligible for recognition under existing medallic arrangements. Any proposal for a new medal would require endorsement by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals and approval by His Majesty The King.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 42 of the National Security Strategy 2025, published in June 2025, CP 1338, how much of the £10 billion contingency for the Dreadnought programme he estimates will be spent this Parliament.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
To date £3.37 billion contingency has been utilised with the remainder allocated to future years including beyond the current Parliament. Dreadnought contingency spend is reported to Parliament via the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Annual Update, once final outturn figures are confirmed.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding his Department has allocated to the new single living accommodation block at Weeton Barracks.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
A new Single Living Accommodation project is underway at Weeton Barracks, where contractual costs are approximately £15 million.
The project will provide a modern, sustainable building with 69 bed spaces. The building is due to be completed in December 2025.