Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Question 92229, which courses British armed forces personnel have attended in Israel since October 2023.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Fewer than five British Armed Forces personnel have studied on non-combat military academic courses in Israel since October 2023. Which courses they attended is being withheld in order to protect personal information.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date was the Gazelle AH Mk1 helicopter withdrawn from service In Northern Ireland.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Gazelle AH Mk1 helicopter was withdrawn from service in Northern Ireland on 26 October 2023.
Asked by: Simon Hoare (Conservative - North Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the official closing date under section 14 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiry entitled Al-Sweady Inquiry.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The final report of the Al-Sweady Inquiry was published on 17 December 2014. The last members of the Inquiry staff were released in January 2015 and final administrative wind-up procedures completed in March 2015. Officials are carrying out searches of files and archives to determine whether a Section 14 letter was received and I will write to the hon. Member once those searches are complete.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025 to question 94926 on Ajax Vehicles: Health and Safety, if he will set out the criteria that will allow the pause to be lifted.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Investigations by the Defence Accident Investigation Branch supported by the Army Safety Investigation Team and General Dynamics are ongoing. Further detail will be available once the investigation has concluded. Any decisions on the pause will be made by Ministers.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 27 November on MOD Security Review, HCWS 1103, how many contracts have been placed for Remote Piloted Aerial Systems since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department has placed nineteen contracts relating to Remote Piloted Aerial Systems since 5 July 2024.
Asked by: Lillian Jones (Labour - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to build energetics and munitions factories, particularly in Ayrshire.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We are committed to ensuring the Defence industry is a powerhouse for economic growth through strengthened industrial relationships and domestic investment. As published in the UK Defence Footprint Scotland has seen £2.1 billion of Defence spending in 2024-25. We have committed £6 billion this Parliament towards munitions, as outlined in the Strategic Defence Review 2025, which supports defence capacity whilst generating local jobs and economic prosperity. This investment includes £1.5 billion for building six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK to deliver an 'always on' pipeline, locations and arrangements of which are being assessed through ongoing work. Whilst the secretary of state announced a list of sites under consideration on 19 November, it is currently premature to finalise specific site proposals and their assessment, more detail will be available once the necessary preparatory work has been completed.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the risk posed by UK armed forces of using 3D printers manufactured by Chinese firm Bambu Labs.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has strict security procedures in place to ensure all sensitive information is protected. Safeguarding the UK’s national security is the foundation of everything the MOD does.
Our policies and procedures take account of the potential risk from all types of 3D printers, not just those manufactured in China, and we are working across the MOD to ensure risks are appropriately managed.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November to Question 93042 on Unmanned Air Systems: Manufacturing Industries, whether his Department keep records of each country of origin that has supplied drones to Ukraine.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Department does hold information on suppliers we contract to produce equipment which is gifted to Ukraine, including where they are based.
Through our joint leadership of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group and Coalition of the Willing, we are actively encouraging our allies to ramp up drone production following increased drone strikes in Ukraine and incursions into European airspace.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Underwater robot could improve pipeline and cable security, published on 9 June 2025, if he will list all contracts placed by his Department with Atlantas Marine since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department has placed one contract with Atlantas Marine since 5 July 2024, this can be found below.
Contract Name | Supplier Name |
Video Ray Defender (VRD) ROVs Training and Maintenance. | ATLANTAS MARINE LIMITED |
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Ministerial led review into the Ajax programme will be used to guide any future decisions regarding the Ajax programme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministerial Review has already begun. The review will be supported by an expert challenge panel including the Secretary of State's Strategic Advisor Malcolm Chalmers, and military personnel. I have committed to report progress on the Ajax investigation via a written statement before Christmas recess begins.