Ministry of Defence

The NATO qualifying status of these costs will be considered in the usual way.

Since ARAP launched in 2021, the Government has relocated over 34,000 individuals under the Afghan Resettlement Programme. As over 95% of all ARAP applications considered so far have been found ineligible, ARAP is considered to have fulfilled its original objectives. The Government closed the ARAP and ACRS schemes to new applicants on 1 July 2025. There are currently no plans to develop a replacement for ARAP.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continually works across government to understand, deter, and where possible mitigate, the impact of a nuclear attack on the UK. As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the Cabinet Office led Home Defence Programme will consider the impact of a range of threats to the UK and how they could be mitigated.

The MOD routinely tests the nuclear survivability, including Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse survivability, of its critical capabilities to understand the ability of our armed forces to operate in a nuclear environment. Due to operational security, we can not provide details on the outcomes of these tests.

Following the announcement by the Secretary of State for Defence in September 2024 of the ambition to make a conditional offer of employment to candidates within 10 days, and a provisional training start date within 30 days if they desire it, the Armed Forces have been focused on implementing this initiative into their recruitment pipelines. Significant work to expedite basic eligibility checks has been required to ensure an appropriate level of candidate checks is completed before conditional offers are issued, and they are working to expedite checks. I will make further announcements on progress in due course.

As stated in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), there is a persistent and growing underwater threat to the UK and NATO from a modernising Russian submarine force. We cannot disclose further details for operational security reasons.

The SDR endorsed Atlantic Bastion, which is the Royal Navy's plan to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and NATO against this threat. All capability requirements to deliver the SDR vision are being considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan, to be published in autumn 2025.

Individuals with tattoos are able to join the Army, subject to some restrictions. There have been some recent changes made to the Army’s visible tattoo policy following a review this year. I can confirm that, moving forwards, only tattoos on the face and front of the ear will be a bar to entry, in addition to tattoos that are deemed as offensive, obscene or racist.

Further information and guidance for prospective candidates can be found online: https://jobs.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/can-i-apply/tattoos-and-piercings/

The following table shows the Ministry of Defence (MOD) civil servant strength by Full Time Equivalent (FTE) and Headcount for periods from 1 April 1995 to 1 April 2025.

These figures show MOD civil servants, including personnel in Executive Agencies and their predecessor organisations, dating back to 1995.

The table includes personnel employed in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) in support of Naval operations. These personnel are classified as civil servants for contractual purposes but exclude locally engaged civilians (LECs), who are employed under alternate terms and conditions. Please note that RFA data was not recorded in personnel numbers until 1 April 1999. RFA personnel are classified as Headcount personnel.

The Department will continue to utilise Defence commercial processes to deliver an appropriate and robust security solution. All Ministry of Defence (MOD) procurements must comply with specific legal obligations regarding the fair treatment of all suppliers.

It is recognised that small medium enterprises seeking to work in Defence face unique challenges. However, the Department is committed to removing unnecessary barriers to participation in our supply-chain and improving the way that MOD ad its major suppliers engage and support them.

Substantial additional support for defence SMEs was recently unveiled by the Government to help address these barriers. This includes tailored guidance on how to access the defence supply chain and an ambitious but achievable target that we will spend £7.5 billion with SMEs by 2028.

The Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. Exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

The Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. Exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

The Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. Exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

The Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. Exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

The Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. Exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

The Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. Exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

The Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. Exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

The Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. Exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

For reasons of operational security, I am unable to provide further details relating to Electronic Counter Measures.

The UK Government greatly values the Gurkhas’ long and distinguished history of service in our Armed Forces and remains committed to supporting the welfare of Gurkha Veterans and their families in both the UK and Nepal.

In March 2025, I met with the Nepali Ambassador H.E. Chandra Ghimire for a productive discussion that reflected our shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and addressing key concerns between Nepal and the UK. Additionally, in June 2025, Ministry of Defence officials met with representatives of the Nepali Government and Gurkha Veterans as part of the Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee’s Working Group, which continues to serve as a platform for constructive dialogue and collaboration.

The 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme is different to other Armed Forces Pension Schemes, but these differences are objectively and reasonably justified. The legal basis for the Scheme has been upheld by three Judicial Reviews since 2003, including the European Court of Human Rights in 2017.

Since the Coalition of the Willing Summit in London in March 2025, the UK and France have co-led military planning efforts and brought together over 30 countries at four leader level events including one in Kyiv.

The Prime Minister and President Macron convened a Leader Level Coalition of the Willing meeting on 10 July 2025, confirming the development of mature operational plans to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased, to help secure Ukraine’s skies and seas and to regenerate Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

The Army currently provides specialist Electronic Warfare equipment for use on operations and training exercises. I am unable to provide any further detail relating to this provision for reasons of operational security.

It will take time to collate the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s questions. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

It will take time to collate the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s questions. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

It will take time to collate the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s questions. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

It will take time to collate the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s questions. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

It will take time to collate the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s questions. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

It will take time to collate the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s questions. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) publishes annual accredited official statistics on the strength of MOD-sponsored Cadet Forces. The latest statistics can be found at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-sponsored-cadet-forces-statistics-2025 and as at 1 April 2025, there were 50,350 cadets in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). A specific monthly figure for July 2024 is not published.

It should be noted that during this period, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) numbers have increased. CFAVs are the life blood of the Cadet Forces, without whom the cadet experience could not be enjoyed by thousands of young people across the country.

We want more young people to be able to gain the fantastic benefits of being cadets, and we are pleased that the Strategic Defence Review has recommended a significant growth in numbers. We will be growing both in the community and in schools by 30% by 2030. The increase of CFAVs will only support this expansion and further detail will come out in due course.

Military or Army drones are designed for tactical and operational applications such as surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and strike. Operation of these systems require assured Military Aviation Authority (MAA) training to ensure both their effectiveness on the battlefield and the safety of other air users.

Sports drones, or racing drones as they are commonly known, are used for competitive drone racing or freestyle flying. Designed and built for speed and agility they are commonly flown on closed circuits in controlled environments. Their utility in Defence is principally for development of skills and competency in the use of uncrewed systems.

The British Army Drone Sport Association (BADSA) is the Governing Body for drone sports in the British Army. Drones used for sport-related activity are separate to official Army drone capabilities and are purchased via a different procurement route, off the shelf.

The following table shows the type and number of sporting drones, by unit, purchased by the Joint Drone Academy (JDA).

Additionally, some units have purchased drones for sport using unit funds which fall outside of the scope of the JDA.

The procurement of 12 F-35A rather than 12 F-35B is expected to deliver a saving of up to 25% per aircraft. Final prices will be identified during contract negotiation.

As of 30 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had received 1,099 formal applications, of which none had been rejected.

We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved.

To date, 81 payments have been made, comprising:

• 73 Dismissed or Discharged (DD) payments of £50,000 each, totalling £3.6 million.
• 8 Impact Payments ranging from £1,000 to £20,000, totalling £72,000.

This means that 7.37% of claims have been successfully concluded.

The Scheme, introduced on 13 December 2024, with a budget of up to £75 million, aims to recognise the harm caused by the historic ban on LGBT personnel in the Armed Forces (1967–2000). Efforts are underway to accelerate processing times, including increasing resourcing, automating the payments system and increasing the frequency of Independent Panel sittings to two per week to ensure applications are reviewed and processed more swiftly.

Defence’s LGBT Restorative Action Team is working closely with external and internal Defence communications teams to deliver campaigns to drive awareness of, and encourage, eligible LGBT Veterans to claim under the FRS. Defence is also working with local councils, the NHS, LGBT and military charities, to better inform affected Veterans of the FRS and how to apply.

The LGBT Restorative Action Team also continues to engage with relevant Veterans networks, and customer facing teams, to ensure that eligible applicants of FRS receive the appropriate information, support, and guidance. To further support this effort, Defence has allocated £90,000 worth of grants to charities, including Fighting With Pride, to support Veterans with their FRS applications.

The Government encourages those affected by the Ban to visit Gov.UK for further information, guidance, and support on how to make an application: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-of-the-lgbt-ban-financial-recognition-scheme

As of 30 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had received 1,099 formal applications, of which none had been rejected.

We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved.

To date, 81 payments have been made, comprising:

• 73 Dismissed or Discharged (DD) payments of £50,000 each, totalling £3.6 million.
• 8 Impact Payments ranging from £1,000 to £20,000, totalling £72,000.

This means that 7.37% of claims have been successfully concluded.

The Scheme, introduced on 13 December 2024, with a budget of up to £75 million, aims to recognise the harm caused by the historic ban on LGBT personnel in the Armed Forces (1967–2000). Efforts are underway to accelerate processing times, including increasing resourcing, automating the payments system and increasing the frequency of Independent Panel sittings to two per week to ensure applications are reviewed and processed more swiftly.

Defence’s LGBT Restorative Action Team is working closely with external and internal Defence communications teams to deliver campaigns to drive awareness of, and encourage, eligible LGBT Veterans to claim under the FRS. Defence is also working with local councils, the NHS, LGBT and military charities, to better inform affected Veterans of the FRS and how to apply.

The LGBT Restorative Action Team also continues to engage with relevant Veterans networks, and customer facing teams, to ensure that eligible applicants of FRS receive the appropriate information, support, and guidance. To further support this effort, Defence has allocated £90,000 worth of grants to charities, including Fighting With Pride, to support Veterans with their FRS applications.

The Government encourages those affected by the Ban to visit Gov.UK for further information, guidance, and support on how to make an application: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-of-the-lgbt-ban-financial-recognition-scheme

The procurement of 12 F-35A rather than 12 F-35B as part of the next procurement package is expected to deliver a saving of up to 25% per aircraft for the taxpayer.

Negotiations with the Joint Programme Office to agree the contract and the schedule for order and delivery of the aircraft are ongoing.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommended that, to ensure the RAF remains at the leading edge of combat air's evolution, additional F-35 aircraft will be required over the next decade. The SDR further stated that this could include a mix of F-35A and F-35B models, based on military requirements, to deliver greater operational flexibility and value for money.

The Strategic Defence Review recommended that the Hawk T1 and T2 be replaced with a cost-effective advanced jet trainer. The future platform of the Royal Air Force aerobatic team is being considered at the same time, and a programme team is being established to deliver that capability.

The Strategic Defence Review committed £1.5 billion investment for an "always on" pipeline for munitions and to build at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK. Feasibility studies are already underway to explore potential manufacturing sites across all four nations. Accordingly, the Ministry of Defence will work closely with cross-Government partners to identify locations for manufacturing sites.

The £15 billion investment in the sovereign warhead programme this Parliament includes sustaining our existing stockpile, developing Astraea; our sovereign replacement warhead programme, and modernising our infrastructure. We will uphold our commitments as a responsible nuclear weapons state.

It is longstanding UK and NATO policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location. Accordingly, I will not comment on timeframes in which UK F35A aircraft will have access to US air-launched nuclear weapons.

In 2024, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) received 27,491 applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme. Additionally the Department reviewed and confirmed the ineligible outcome of 1,070 principal applications where the applicant had requested a review. Of those applications reviewed, seven were overturned. These figures include first time, duplicate and additional principal applications. The MOD also made decisions on 7,046 principal first time applications, with 375 (5.3%) being found eligible.

From 1 January to 30 June 2025, the MOD received 17,625 principal applications. The Department reviewed the ineligible outcome of 91 principal applications where the applicant had requested a review. Of those applications reviewed, six were overturned. These figures include first time, duplicate and additional principal application. The MOD also made decisions on 3,579 principal first time applications, with 73 being found eligible.

In 2024, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) received 27,491 applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme. Additionally the Department reviewed and confirmed the ineligible outcome of 1,070 principal applications where the applicant had requested a review. Of those applications reviewed, seven were overturned. These figures include first time, duplicate and additional principal applications. The MOD also made decisions on 7,046 principal first time applications, with 375 (5.3%) being found eligible.

From 1 January to 30 June 2025, the MOD received 17,625 principal applications. The Department reviewed the ineligible outcome of 91 principal applications where the applicant had requested a review. Of those applications reviewed, six were overturned. These figures include first time, duplicate and additional principal application. The MOD also made decisions on 3,579 principal first time applications, with 73 being found eligible.

In 2024, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) received 27,491 applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme. Additionally the Department reviewed and confirmed the ineligible outcome of 1,070 principal applications where the applicant had requested a review. Of those applications reviewed, seven were overturned. These figures include first time, duplicate and additional principal applications. The MOD also made decisions on 7,046 principal first time applications, with 375 (5.3%) being found eligible.

From 1 January to 30 June 2025, the MOD received 17,625 principal applications. The Department reviewed the ineligible outcome of 91 principal applications where the applicant had requested a review. Of those applications reviewed, six were overturned. These figures include first time, duplicate and additional principal application. The MOD also made decisions on 3,579 principal first time applications, with 73 being found eligible.

The Defence Housing Strategy will not be published before the rise of the House on 22 July 2025. However, it will be published later this year.

The Strategic Defence Review sets out this Government’s commitment to enhancing the standard of Service Family Accommodation and Single Living Accommodation, which is essential for the morale and retention of Service personnel.

The Ministry of Defence (Defence Digital) has recently signed a new Mobile Device and Airtime Contract with BT. The main service provider under this contract is EE, with the option to use Vodafone as an alternative provider should mobile coverage prove poor with EE.

The UK Armed Forces have made, and continue to make, significant investments in advanced Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) capabilities to ensure operational effectiveness in modern combat scenarios. Training exercises routinely integrate EW systems to replicate real-world conditions, enabling personnel to develop critical skills in detecting, countering, and exploiting electromagnetic signals. The quality of such equipment reflects the UK's commitment to maintaining a technologically advanced and highly capable military force. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) have also conducted specific assessments and evaluations on behalf of the Ministry of Defence regarding the quality and performance of EW equipment utilised by the Services' during training exercises.

I am withholding information on the list of electronic warfare equipment used on the grounds of national security as its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.