Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what steps they are taking to improve the amphibious capabilities of the Royal Navy.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Following the Strategic Defence Review 2025, the Royal Navy is progressing plans to enhance its amphibious capabilities through investment in new amphibious shipping including the Multi Role Strike Ship, Littoral Response Groups and the ongoing modernisation of the Commando Force. Final decisions on capability will be informed by the Defence Investment Plan in autumn 2025.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support and protect Army personnel and veterans from vexatious legal claims, and to provide veterans with protection against prosecutions.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The vast majority of Service personnel maintain the highest standards of behaviour, in the most challenging of circumstances. There are safeguards in place to reduce the risk of vexatious claims against them.
The Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act was introduced in 2020 with the aim to provide greater certainty for service personnel and veterans in relation to claims and potential prosecution for historical events that occurred on overseas operations. This includes a statutory presumption against prosecution, meaning that it will be "exceptional" for Service personnel or veterans to be prosecuted in those circumstances.
The Act does not prevent victims of alleged offences by Service personnel from bringing forward their allegations, which will be investigated and, where appropriate, prosecuted.
All members of the Armed Forces, including the Reserve Forces and Ministry of Defence civilians, plus veterans, are provided with welfare and legal support at public expense where they face criminal or civil allegations that relate to actions taken during their employment or service, and where they were performing their duties. This applies regardless of where in the world the alleged offence took place, or when.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the closure of the Typhoon fighter jet factory in Warton.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We continue to support BAE Systems in their ongoing export campaigns for Typhoon. We recognise the central role played by Combat Air in our industrial strategy and its vital contribution to the UK economy.
Over the next 10 years, Defence has plans to invest up to £30 billion on Combat Air through the Typhoon, F-35 and the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a significant proportion of which will be devoted to UK companies, particularly in north-west England.
As well as delivering a world class Combat Air fleet for our Armed Forces, this is supporting over 40,000 long-term, high-quality UK manufacturing jobs.
Recent orders placed by Spain and Italy for 25 and 24 aircraft respectively, negotiations on a potential deal with Türkiye, together with another 20 Typhoon expected to be ordered by Germany later this year, means that high-quality manufacturing jobs in BAE Systems are secure well into the 2030s.
This is because the UK leads on the manufacturing of 37% of all new Typhoon aircraft in accordance with the Eurofighter industrial workshare agreed by the four core nations (UK, Germany, Italy and Spain).
The work to deliver and integrate a new British-made ECRS Mk2 radar and integration of a new helmet called Striker II onto our existing fleet of Typhoon will also be carried out by BAE Systems Warton.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they consulted the government of United States before closing the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) was a scheme developed by the UK Government to provide support to our Afghan Partners and allies. As such, the decision to close ARAP to new principal applications was taken by the UK Government.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking as part of the Valour programme to support veterans in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
This Government remains committed to delivering on our manifesto promise to ensure that veterans in South Shropshire and across the country achieve the recognition, support and opportunities they deserve.
That is why we recently launched VALOUR, our commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. This will be an institutionally resilient system that will reform the system at the local, the regional, and the national level, ensuring that support is available across the country, and that it is tailored to the needs of veterans in the communities where they live.
The VALOUR pilot was launched on 26 June 2025, in partnership with Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire, and will help to develop a blueprint to roll out VALOUR across the country next year.
Details regarding the VALOUR development funding will be released in the coming months. Existing organisations throughout South Shropshire will be able to apply for this funding and, if successful, will be recognised as a VALOUR support centre. This process will recognise existing best practice in local communities, while maintaining agility and flexibility across the sector.
I would ask the hon. Member to encourage organisations and veterans in your constituency to sign up for updates and to register their interest in taking part in future surveys or focus groups on VALOUR. This collaborative approach will ensure that this service works for those who need it. More information is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/valour-information-and-next-steps
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 9 June 2025 to Question 52037 on F-35 Aircraft: Meteor Missiles, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the delay to the integration of the Meteor air-to-air missile with F-35B aircraft on F-35 capability.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
With the F-35 Lightning, the RAF is already equipped with one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world, and the integration of METEOR will further improve the aircraft's capability in future years. While Meteor integration is in progress, the UK's fleet of F-35 aircraft already carry AIM-120 AMRAAM. Once operational, Meteor and AMRAAM will offer a complementary capability.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many scalable tactical vests his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
To meet the ongoing demand for scalable tactical vests (STV) in August 2024, 1,980 STV textile covers in civilian blue (No Multi-Terrain Pattern) and without the Soft Armour Filler(SAF), were ordered. Defence Equipment and Support have ordered 15 Special Measure bespoke STV (SAF and MTP cover) since July 2024 for those that do not fit in any of the 12 standard sizes.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the new Defence Research and Evaluation organisation to be fully operational.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In response to the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations, and as part of Defence Reform, the department is currently making substantive changes to the end-to-end process for Science, Technology, Innovation, Integration, Acquisition and Support. These changes will ensure Defence: better adopts leading edge research from academia, allies and wider government; works more closely with UK based industry especially SMEs to mature leading edge technology; better leverages the UK’s leading financial sector for the benefit of defence; and catalyses UK based industry to execute differentiating innovation; all at a pace to enable us to react to the threats faced by the nation.
The DRE will be formed by an evolution of Dstl and Defence Science and Technology. There is still design work to be completed and will be announced in due course. The intention remains to focus the organisation on that work that must be done in Government for UK defence and security, including: early-stage research that must be led by officials; maintaining critical national capabilities in essential areas such as chemical and biological defence, novel and unconventional weapons, explosives and energetics and counter-terrorism technology where the market cannot sustain; and ensure Ministry of Defence is an intelligent customer for Science and Technology.
The SDR stated that the department may wish to keep the Dstl brand. Dstl is a widely respected brand internationally and nationally.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in procuring autonomous and unmanned platforms for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
For the Royal Air Force, Protector and Storm Shroud are entering operational service this year.
For the Royal Navy, the Concept of Hybrid Carrier Air Wings continues to develop to greatly enhance the striking power of our carriers. Molloy T150 uncrewed rotary wing logistics support air systems have deployed as part of OP HIGHMAST. The Peregrine rotary wing system has also entered operational service in the Gulf. Development continues on uncrewed surface vessels and uncrewed underwater vehicles.
Further systems are under development or undergoing trials in a range of roles across both services. This will continue to be accelerated, with further workstreams through the Defence Investment Plan.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are planning to purchase further E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft in accordance with recommendation 47 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is continuing with its procurement of E-7 Wedgetail in order to meet the national and NATO requirements for an Airborne Early Warning & and Control capability which is interoperable with its allies.
The recent Strategic Defence Review recommended that further E-7 aircraft should be procured when funding allows, taking account of infrastructure and operating costs.