Ministry of Defence

We protect the security, independence and interests of our country at home and abroad. We work with our allies and partners whenever possible. Our aim is to ensure that the armed forces have the training, equipment and support necessary for their work, and that we keep within budget.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

John Healey
Secretary of State for Defence

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Baroness Smith of Newnham (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Defence)

Conservative
James Cartlidge (Con - South Suffolk)
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence

Scottish National Party
Dave Doogan (SNP - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Defence)

Green Party
Ellie Chowns (Green - North Herefordshire)
Green Spokesperson (Defence)

Liberal Democrat
James MacCleary (LD - Lewes)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Defence)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Baroness Goldie (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Defence)
Earl of Minto (Con - Excepted Hereditary)
Shadow Minister (Defence)
Mark Francois (Con - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Shadow Minister (Defence)
Ministers of State
Lord Coaker (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Al Carns (Lab - Birmingham Selly Oak)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Luke Pollard (LAB - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Louise Sandher-Jones (Lab - North East Derbyshire)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Wednesday 28th January 2026
Select Committee Docs
Friday 30th January 2026
11:00
Select Committee Inquiry
Wednesday 28th January 2026
Defence in the High North

The inquiry will examine the current and emerging threats in the region. It will ask what the UK’s defence and …

Written Answers
Monday 2nd February 2026
Ajax Vehicles
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the range of Ajax without refuelling.
Secondary Legislation
Thursday 15th January 2026
Armed Forces Commissioner (Service Complaints Investigations) Regulations 2026
The Armed Forces Commissioner Act 2025 (c. 23) (“AFCA 25”) amended the Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52) (“AFA 06”) …
Bills
Thursday 15th January 2026
Armed Forces Bill 2024-26
A Bill to continue the Armed Forces Act 2006; to amend that Act and other enactments relating to the armed …
Dept. Publications
Monday 2nd February 2026
10:25

Ministry of Defence Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
View All Ministry of Defence Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Ministry of Defence does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Introduced: 6th November 2024

A Bill to establish, and confer functions on, the Armed Forces Commissioner; to abolish the office of Service Complaints Ombudsman; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 3rd September 2025 and was enacted into law.

Ministry of Defence - Secondary Legislation

The Armed Forces Commissioner Act 2025 (c. 23) (“AFCA 25”) amended the Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52) (“AFA 06”) to introduce a new office of Armed Forces Commissioner. The Armed Forces Commissioner will also exercise the functions of the Service Complaints Ombudsman and the AFCA 25 accordingly abolishes this office.
These Regulations make provision in connection with the Armed Forces Commissioner Act 2025 (c. 23) (“AFCA 25”). The AFCA 25 amended the Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52) (“AFA 06”) to establish a new office of Armed Forces Commissioner. The Armed Forces Commissioner will also exercise the functions of the Service Complaints Ombudsman and the AFCA 25 accordingly abolishes this office.
View All Ministry of Defence Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

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Petitions with most signatures
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7,117 Signatures
(621 in the last 7 days)
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4,313 Signatures
(113 in the last 7 days)
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372 Signatures
(8 in the last 7 days)
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340 Signatures
(2 in the last 7 days)
Ministry of Defence has not participated in any petition debates
View All Ministry of Defence Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Defence Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Defence Committee
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Portrait
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Defence Committee Member since 11th September 2024
Derek Twigg Portrait
Derek Twigg (Labour - Widnes and Halewood)
Defence Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Fred Thomas Portrait
Fred Thomas (Labour - Plymouth Moor View)
Defence Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Michelle Scrogham Portrait
Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Defence Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Jesse Norman Portrait
Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Defence Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Emma Lewell Portrait
Emma Lewell (Labour - South Shields)
Defence Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Lincoln Jopp Portrait
Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Defence Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Alex Baker Portrait
Alex Baker (Labour - Aldershot)
Defence Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Calvin Bailey Portrait
Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Defence Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Ian Roome Portrait
Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Defence Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Mike Martin Portrait
Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Defence Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Defence Committee: Upcoming Events
Defence Committee - Oral evidence
One-off Session on the Future of Warfare
3 Feb 2026, 10 a.m.
At 10:30am: Oral evidence
Sir Hew Strachan - Wardlaw Professor of International Relations at University of St Andrews
Air Marshal (Retd) Edward Stringer - Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange
Dr Keith Dear - CEO and Founder at Cassi

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Defence Committee - Oral evidence
One-off Session on Undersea Activity
10 Feb 2026, 10 a.m.
At 10:30am: Oral evidence
Commodore (Rtd) John Aitken OBE - Underwater System Services General Manager at Thales
Brett Phaneuf - Founder and Chief Executive at Submergence Group LLC (USA) / M Subs Ltd (UK)
Professor Peter Roberts - Associate Fellow at Centre for Public Understanding of Defence and Security, University of Exeter

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Defence Committee - Private Meeting
24 Feb 2026, 10 a.m.
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Defence Committee - Private Meeting
3 Mar 2026, 10 a.m.
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Defence Committee: Previous Inquiries
The Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review The Security of 5G SDSR 2015 and the Army inquiry Russia: implications for UK defence and security inquiry Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2015–16 inquiry BBC Monitoring inquiry Defence Acquisition and Procurement inquiry Awards for Valour (Protection) Bill inquiry Naval Procurement: Type 26 and Type 45 inquiry NATO Warsaw summit and Chilcot Report Work of the Department 2017 inquiry F-35 Procurement inquiry North Korea inquiry Indispensable allies: US, NATO and UK Defence relations inquiry Defence Acquisition and Procurement inquiry Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17 inquiry Locally Employed Civilians inquiry The effects of BAE restructuring on UK Defence inquiry National Security Capability Review inquiry The Royal Marines and UK amphibious capability inquiry The Government’s Brexit position paper: Foreign policy, defence and development: a future partnership paper inquiry Military exercises and the duty of care: follow up inquiry Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report 2016 inquiry UK National Shipbuilding Strategy inquiry The indispensable ally? US, NATO and UK Defence relations inquiry Locally employed interpreters inquiry Trident missile testing inquiry Investigations into fatalities involving British military personnel inquiry SDSR 2015 and the RAF inquiry Defence industrial policy: procurement and prosperity inquiry Military Exercises and the Duty of Care: Further Follow-Up inquiry Evidence from the new Defence Secretary inquiry UK Defence and the Strait of Hormuz inquiry Ministry of Defence Annual Reports and Accounts 2018-19 inquiry Procurement Update inquiry Domestic Threat of Drones inquiry UK Defence and the Far East inquiry Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report 2018 inquiry Work of the Service Complaints Ombudsman inquiry UK Response to Hybrid Threats inquiry INF Treaty withdrawal inquiry Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 inquiry Departmental Priorities – Post-NATO Summit inquiry Work of Defence Equipment and Support inquiry Work of the Chief of Defence Staff inquiry Mental Health and the Armed Forces, Part Two: The Provision of Care inquiry Future anti-ship missile system inquiry Statute of limitations – veterans protection inquiry UK Military Operations in Mosul and Raqqa inquiry Mechanised Infantry Vehicle Procurement inquiry Modernising Defence Programme inquiry Departmental priorities inquiry Armed forces and veterans mental health inquiry Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report 2017 inquiry Global Islamist Terrorism inquiry MoD Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13 Work of the Chief of the Defence Staff MoD Supplementary Estimates 2012-13 Operations in Afghanistan Strategic Defence and Security Review & the National Security Strategy The Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 1: Military Casualties Operations in Libya Developing Threats to Electronic Infrastructure The Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 2: Accommodation Defence Implications of Possible Scottish Independence Impact on UK Defence of the proposed merger of BAE systems and EADS MoD Main Estimates 2013-14 Towards the next Defence and Security Review: Part One Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Educating Service Personnel Children Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 4: Service Personnel Education Defence Acquisition Defence and cyber-security UK Armed Forces Personnel and Legal Framework for Future Operations Future Army 2020 Future Maritime Surveillance Lariam inquiry Publication of the SDSR UK military operations in Syria and Iraq inquiry Shifting the Goalposts? Defence Expenditure and the 2% pledge Flexible Response? An SDSR checklist of potential threats Towards the next defence and security review: Part Three Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14 The situation in Iraq and Syria Decision-making in Defence Policy Future Force 2020 Armed Forces (Services Complaints and Financial Assistance) Bill MoD Main Estimates 2014-15 Inquiry Defence Growth Partnership Ministry of Defence Mid Year Report Towards the next Defence and Security Review: Part Two: NATO Afghanistan - Camp Bastion Attack Defence Materiel Strategy Afghanistan The Armed Forces Covenant in Action Part 5: Military Casualties Pre-appointment hearing: Service Complaints Commissioner Defence contribution to the UK’s pandemic response Progress in delivering the British Army’s armoured vehicle capability Foreign Involvement in the Defence Supply Chain The Integrated Review – Threats, Capabilities and Concepts Defence and Climate Change National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh Armed Forces Readiness Future Aviation Capabilities Defence in the Grey Zone Women in the Armed Forces: Follow-Up The UK contribution to European Security The Armed Forces Covenant AUKUS Afghan Data Breach and Resettlement Schemes Defence in the High North NATO, US and UK Defence Relations National security and investment Beyond endurance? Military exercises and the duty of care Defence in the Arctic MoD support for former and serving personnel subject to judicial processes Defence in the Arctic (Sub-Committee) Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report 2018 Defence industrial policy: procurement and prosperity Departmental Priorities – Post-NATO Summit Domestic Threat of Drones Evidence from the new Defence Secretary Global Islamist Terrorism INF Treaty withdrawal UK Military Operations in Mosul and Raqqa Future anti-ship missile system Statute of limitations – veterans protection Mental Health and the Armed Forces, Part Two: The Provision of Care Work of Defence Equipment and Support Ministry of Defence Annual Reports and Accounts 2018-19 European Defence Industrial Development Programme Modernising Defence Programme Military Exercises and the Duty of Care: Further Follow-Up Procurement Update Work of the Service Complaints Ombudsman UK Defence and the Far East UK Defence and the Strait of Hormuz UK Response to Hybrid Threats Work of the Chief of Defence Staff

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the range of Ajax without refuelling.

Notwithstanding, the current reviews I can tell him that the operational range of the Ajax platform will be confirmed once the Capability Drop 4 build standard is reached, following Reliability Growth Trials.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
26th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of military hospital provision.

Armed Forces personnel in the UK routinely receive secondary care, including specialist hospital treatment, through the NHS, working with the Defence Medical Services (DMS) to ensure that specific defence requirements are met.

The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine is the UK's primary military medical facility. Based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, military medical personnel are integrated with NHS staff to provide specialist treatment for injured military personnel, including those evacuated from overseas. It further serves as a centre for training and research.

Additionally, there are over 1000 military Doctors, Nurses and Allied Health Professionals permanently based in 56 NHS trusts across the UK, ensuring military medics maintain the skills they require to support military operations across the globe and providing essential support to our NHS. Through this partnership, Defence is supporting the government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future with military healthcare professionals routinely treating members of the general public, however, for security reasons they are not always identifiable as being serving members of the Armed Forces.

DMS is working closely with NHS England and health services in the Devolved Administrations to ensure non-deployable personnel awaiting NHS treatment are returned to fighting fitness. Further, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to meet the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations including rebuilding capacity and capability, in partnership with the NHS, to meet the demands of warfighting.

Louise Sandher-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how he is using allied health professionals to support soldier rehabilitation.

All Armed Forces personnel are supported by dedicated and comprehensive rehabilitation services. Allied health professionals play a crucial role in supporting the treatment and rehabilitation of Armed Forces personnel in the UK and on operations to ensure our Armed Forces are fit to fight and can fight back to fitness.

Louise Sandher-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he takes to ensure that military operations conducted from facilities in the UK are compliant with international law.

UK military operations are conducted in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. Military personnel are bound by the laws of England and Wales for their actions under the Armed Forces Act 2006. All decisions on whether to approve foreign nations’ use of military bases in the UK for operational purposes consider the legal basis for any proposed activity.

Louise Sandher-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
9th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 94244 tabled by the hon. Member for South Suffolk on 25 November 2025.

In 2024-25, Ministry of Defence spend on equipment was £24.92 billion, which is around 0.85% of GDP. This is an increase of over £2 billion from the equipment budget for 2023-24.

While the current financial year is ongoing and work on the Defence Investment Plan continues, it is not possible to provide figures for the remaining financial years of this Parliament.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his recent WMS on Ajax of 22 January 2026, whether the current or former National Armament Director advised him that Ajax was safe to enter operational service.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 December 2025 to Question 98361 which remains extant.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much revenue has been received from foreign military sales of Eurofighter Typhoons.

The UK Ministry of Defence has supported UK industry with successful export campaigns of Eurofighter Typhoon to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2006 - c.£6 billion), Oman (2012 - c.£2.5 billion), Qatar (2017 - c.£6 billion) and Türkiye (2025 - up to £8 billion).

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to withdraw the Watchkeeper RPV from operational service with the Army.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 October 2025 to Question 77261 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr Obese-Jecty) which remains extant.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-09-15/77261

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the latest out of service date for the Watchkeeper RPV system.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 October 2025 to Question 77261 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr Obese-Jecty) which remains extant.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-09-15/77261

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the latest estimated in-service date for Project Corvus, the planned replacement for the Watchkeeper RPV.

With the retirement of Watchkeeper Mk 1, the Army will transition rapidly to a new, advanced system that draws on the latest operational lessons and technological innovations.

On current plans, Project CORVUS is scheduled to be delivered in November 2026, in advance of the Watchkeeper Out of Service Date of March 2027.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the total budget now allocated for the Watchkeeper RPV, between November 2024 (the previously announced cancellation date) and March 2027.

With the retirement of Watchkeeper Mk 1, the Army will transition rapidly to a new, advanced system that draws on the latest operational lessons and technological innovations.

The total budget allocated over the period November 2024 to March 2027 for the Watchkeeper Remotely Piloted Vehicle is £115.886 million.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered gifting Watchkeeper to Ukraine.

The UK and partners will continue to ensure we equip Ukraine as best we can to defend its sovereign territory and ensure it is in a position of strength for any peace negotiations.

Since Watchkeeper Mk1 entered service in 2010, drone technology has evolved at remarkable pace, driven by the extensive use of unmanned systems in the war in Ukraine. The Department has therefore prioritised this effort on more cost-effective drones that deliver comparable capability and can operate in the most demanding environments.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether all 62 recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review 2025 will be included in the Defence Investment Plan.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) set a path for the next decade and beyond, over which Defence will be transformed. The Government accepted all 62 of the SDR’s recommendations. This is priority business, executed through a whole-of-Defence effort and driven through the reformed structures of Defence. This work is underpinned by a commitment to spend £270 billion on Defence in this Parliament, to reach 3% of GDP spend on Defence in the next Parliament, and to increase this to 3.5% by 2035. The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) will turn the SDR’s vision and recommendations into an affordable delivery plan. It will highlight how the Government's historic investment in Defence will deliver warfighting readiness to deter increasing threats and drive Defence as an engine for jobs and growth.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what cost envelope the Defence Investment Plan will report.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer the right hon. Member for Liverpool Garston (Maria Eagle) provided on 3 September 2025 to his Question 70714.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the five shortlisted projects are from the Defence AI sprint.

The five shortlisted projects are:

  1. Advanced Reasoning for Decision Advantage (ARDA)
  2. AI Exploitation for the Digital Targeting Web
  3. Autonomous Mission Execution
  4. Underwater Acoustic Foundation Model
  5. AI Enabled Cyber Defence

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Advanced Reasoning for Decision Advantage (ARDA) is within the projects shortlisted from the Defence AI Sprint.

Yes.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department will confirm the appointment of the Armed Forces Commissioner.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2026 to Question 103963 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty).

Louise Sandher-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timeline is for the operational deployment of autonomous surface vessels by the Royal Navy.

The Royal Navy’s ‘Hybrid Navy’ proposition will embrace autonomy in the coming years with the future programme being developed in accordance with the Strategic Defence Review. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the domain capabilities over the next five years, with the exact numbers and levels of investment apportioned to these systems to be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the revenue to be raised by foreign military sales of Eurofighter Typhoons to Turkey.

The UK Government is committed to supporting the export of defence equipment, including the Eurofighter Typhoon. The sale of Typhoon jets to Türkiye is worth up to £8 billion, supporting 20,000 highly skilled UK jobs. This deal represents the leading edge of our future relationship with Türkiye, making both our nations, Europe and NATO stronger, safer and more prosperous.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many aircraft does the Empire Test Pilots’ School currently (a) own or (b) lease.

QinetiQ, which operates the Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) under contract with the Ministry of Defence, owns a fleet of 18 aircraft used in the delivery of the programme.

The types and volume of leases change annually given the trading system in place for access to assets with other NATO Military Schools and Training and Evaluation units, coupled with access where possible to UK Military assets. For ETPS 2025, 21 additional assets were used under such leases.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to pursue further deals to export UK assembled Eurofighters.

The UK Government is committed to supporting the export of British defence equipment, including UK-assembled Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.

As seen with the recent Typhoon export to Türkiye - worth c.£8 billion and supporting 20,000 UK jobs - these deals play a vital role in supporting the UK defence industry, sustaining high-skilled jobs, and contributing to the economy. The Secretary of State for Defence continues to work closely with international partners and allies to promote the Eurofighter Typhoon as a world-class multi-role combat aircraft.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with his Canadian counterpart on the export of Eurofighters for the RCAF.

The Secretary of State for Defence regularly engages with international counterparts to discuss a range of defence and security matters, including the sale of Eurofighter Typhoons. While the UK Government is committed to expanding the number of Typhoon users it would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of ongoing commercial discussions or potential procurement decisions by other nations.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2026 to Question 103848 on Defence Equipment, of the £10.4 billion industry spend in the UK how much was received by (a) subsidiaries of foreign suppliers and (b) British owned suppliers.

The £10.4 billion figure quoted for expenditure with UK industry is drawn from the Ministry of Defence’s Regional Expenditure statistics, which categorise spend by location of work rather than by company ownership.

The underlying data does not capture information on the ownership structure of suppliers, therefore, the Department is unable to provide a breakdown of the spend as the “Location of Work” codes identify where contracted activity is carried out within the UK.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many major procurement programmes are on hold pending the Defence Investment Plan.

There are currently no major programmes on hold pending the Defence Investment Plan. (DIP). The Department is working flat out to deliver the DIP, which will be published as soon as possible. The DIP is the first time in 18 years Defence has completed a single, comprehensive review of programmes and is backed by the Government’s largest sustained increase in defence investment since the end of the Cold War, spending £270 billion on defence in this Parliament alone.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
26th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will fund the cost of slabs for Liberty Steel Dalzell from British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant for production of FSS ships.

Ministry of Defence (MOD) funding for the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme is provided to industry through the MOD's fixed price contract with Navantia UK (NUK). As the prime contractor, it is NUK's responsibility to deliver the FSS ships under the terms of the contract, which includes the purchase of materials and managing their supply chains accordingly.

The sourcing of steel for the FSS programme is therefore a matter for NUK, whose goal is to maximise UK steel content wherever it is technically and commercially feasible, while protecting the delivery schedule.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
23rd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to replace HMS Middleton when it returns from the Middle East to maintain the permanent naval fighting presence in the region.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 January 2026 to Question 106665 to the Member for Huntingdon (Mr Obese-Jecty).

Al Carns
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
19th Jan 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government how many armed forces families have been displaced from their Service Family Accommodation (1) within barracks, and (2) on housing estates close to their place of work, to house families of Afghan refugees since 6 January 2022.

No Armed Forces families have been displaced from their Service Family Accommodation either within barracks, or on housing estates close to their place of work, to house Afghan families.

No Service Families are on waiting lists or have been assigned accommodation a significant distance from their work because priority for housing was given to Afghan families.

The Ministry Of Defence’s priority is and will always remain, to accommodate Serving personnel and their families.

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
19th Jan 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government how many soldiers and their families are on accommodation waiting lists or assigned to accommodation a significant distance from their work because priority for housing was given to the families of Afghan refugees.

No Armed Forces families have been displaced from their Service Family Accommodation either within barracks, or on housing estates close to their place of work, to house Afghan families.

No Service Families are on waiting lists or have been assigned accommodation a significant distance from their work because priority for housing was given to Afghan families.

The Ministry Of Defence’s priority is and will always remain, to accommodate Serving personnel and their families.

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the Capability Drop status of each Ajax-family vehicle within the fleet operated by the Household Cavalry Regiment as at 22 November 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 January 2026 to his Question 98879. All vehicles referenced in my response are at Capability Drop 3.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the Capability Drop status of each Ajax-family vehicle within the fleet operated by the Queens Royal Hussars as at 22 November 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 January 2026 to his Question 98879. All vehicles referenced in my response are at Capability Drop 3.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many women have left the armed forces in each of the last five years; and what proportion they represented of all outflow in each year.

The attached table shows the Intake and Outflow of Female UK Service personnel (Regulars and Future Reserves 2020), for financial years 2020-21 to 2024-25.

Louise Sandher-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many women have joined the armed forces in each of the last five years; and what proportion they represented of all new recruits in each year.

The attached table shows the Intake and Outflow of Female UK Service personnel (Regulars and Future Reserves 2020), for financial years 2020-21 to 2024-25.

Louise Sandher-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2025 to Question 104851 on Ukraine: Defence Equipment, if he will list the vehicles that will be upgraded.

This Government has allocated £200 million to prepare the UK Armed Forces to deploy as part of the Multinational Force Ukraine. Planning continues at pace; however, it would not be appropriate to provide mission specific detail in relation to any future UK Armed Forces deployment, for reasons of operational security.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2025 to Question 104851 on Ukraine: Defence Equipment, if he will list the communication systems that will be upgraded.

This Government has allocated £200 million to prepare the UK Armed Forces to deploy as part of the Multinational Force Ukraine. Planning continues at pace; however, it would not be appropriate to provide mission specific detail in relation to any future UK Armed Forces deployment, for reasons of operational security.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2025 to Question 104851 on Ukraine: Defence Equipment, if he will list the new counter-drone protection that will be upgraded.

This Government has allocated £200 million to prepare the UK Armed Forces to deploy as part of the Multinational Force Ukraine. Planning continues at pace; however, it would not be appropriate to provide mission specific detail in relation to any future UK Armed Forces deployment, for reasons of operational security.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2025 to Question 104851 on Ukraine: Defence Equipment, if he will list the additional force-protection equipment that will be upgraded.

This Government has allocated £200 million to prepare the UK Armed Forces to deploy as part of the Multinational Force Ukraine. Planning continues at pace; however, it would not be appropriate to provide mission specific detail in relation to any future UK Armed Forces deployment, for reasons of operational security.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
27th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 48156 on Skynet, when the build of the Skynet 6A satellite transitioned into the testing and validation phase.

The Skynet 6 Programme continues to progress to meet Defence’s satellite communication needs. Following build and preparatory activity, the Skynet 6A satellite transitioned into the testing and validation phase in November 2025.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2026 to question 105582 on Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Decommissioning, what programme does the replacement of Pinzgauer fall under.

The long-term replacement for the Pinzgauer vehicle is being considered within the Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) segment of the Land Mobility Programme. The programme is being considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the corrected answer of 13 January 2026 to question 102957 on Artillery: Procurement, for what reason the original order was reduced to one RCH 155 platform.

The UK is procuring one Early Capability Demonstrator platform as part of the Mobile Fires Platform programme, and the original order remains unchanged. The corrected answer to Question 102957 reflected the rectification of an administrative error which inadvertently stated that two demonstrator platforms had been purchased. The correction was issued to ensure the Parliamentary record accurately reflects the Department’s procurement position.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
21st Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria his Department uses to assess requirements to rebuild underlying data analytics architecture, undertake fresh security accreditation and retrain personnel.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) keeps its data analytics infrastructure, security assurance processes and workforce skills under continual review. Decisions to rebuild underlying data analytics architecture are based on whether current systems remain aligned with Defence's enterprise data principles, architectural standards (Exploitable by Design), resilience requirements, and operational needs.

The MOD has replaced accreditation with Secure by Design in line with National Cyber Security Centre guidance on assuring systems and services. The MOD's Cyber Security Design Authority provides a reliable, curated source of standards and policies to enable secure design.

Personnel are retrained when new tools, platforms or security standards are introduced, or when capability reviews identify changing skills requirements across Defence's digital and data workforce.

These processes ensure Defence maintains secure, resilient, and modern data capabilities that can effectively support Defence outcomes.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on implementing Sea Viper Evolution.

Both Sea Viper Evolution Programmes continue to make progress. Capability One, the Royal Navy’s entry level Ballistic Missile Defence Capability, is expected to provide Full Operating Capability in late 2032. Capability Two, providing theatre level Ballistic Missile Defence, remains in the Assessment phase to inform future capability and investment choices. This is particularly important where the Royal Navy’s pivot to a Hybrid Fleet will enable new and novel approaches to ballistic missile defence. Continued progress on both programmes remains subject to the Defence Investment Plan.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when Sea Viper Evolution will reach Full Operating Capability.

Both Sea Viper Evolution Programmes continue to make progress. Capability One, the Royal Navy’s entry level Ballistic Missile Defence Capability, is expected to provide Full Operating Capability in late 2032. Capability Two, providing theatre level Ballistic Missile Defence, remains in the Assessment phase to inform future capability and investment choices. This is particularly important where the Royal Navy’s pivot to a Hybrid Fleet will enable new and novel approaches to ballistic missile defence. Continued progress on both programmes remains subject to the Defence Investment Plan.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the MQ-9B Protector has reached Initial Operating Capability.

Protector RG Mk1 has yet to reach Initial Operating Capability programme milestones. Protector has already deployed on operations and is providing valuable Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance support.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the remit of Task Force Rapstone.

Task Force RAPSTONE is an Army initiative to accelerate the fielding of new capabilities into the British Army, drawing on lessons learned from Ukraine.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the scope of Project BOYD.

Project BOYD, delivered by the Royal Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, is a series of operational capability demonstrators harnessing AI to transform complex, time consuming and resource intensive command and control planning cycles through machine-speed, data-centric decision making, in order to generate a decision-action cycle that is palpably better than those of our adversaries.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the number of UK small and medium‑sized defence companies that will use the business centre in Kyiv in its first year of operation.

The business centre is specifically designed to help UK SMEs overcome practical barriers to operating in Ukraine, based on industry and industry bodies feedback. Estimates cannot be disclosed at this stage, as it could prejudice fair competition among potential delivery partners and operational delivery. The Ministry of Defence will work with the selected delivery partner and relevant stakeholders to ensure the scale meets the business need and is enduring.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to introduce a framework to monitor the potential impact of the business centre in Kyiv on UK defence exports to Ukraine.

On completion of the procurement process, the Ministry of Defence will work with the selected delivery partner and relevant stakeholders to develop the business centre’s monitoring framework. As the centre becomes operational, we will integrate its activities within our existing monitoring and reporting frameworks to assess its contribution to UK-Ukraine defence exports, and wider UK trade as conditions change.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the business centre in Kyiv on the time taken to deliver defence equipment to Ukrainian armed forces that is supplied by the UK defence sector.

The business centre is being designed to address the challenges that currently complicate operations for smaller UK companies. This will accelerate business processes and provide greater opportunities for both nations. The Ministry of Defence will work with the selected delivery partner, and relevant stakeholders, to ensure that the hub's operational framework delivers enduring change, including the transition to reconstruction at the appropriate time.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
22nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has he made in facilitating the flow of analysed imagery from NCGI into the Digital Targeting Web.

The Ministry of Defence is on course to deliver the first elements of the Digital Targeting Web (DTW) later this year which is part of the wider modernisation of targeting, intelligence, and command‑and‑control systems across Defence. Separately from DTW, Defence already has an existing multi‑year contract with Google for Secret‑level cloud hosting and data services. This contract provides secure cloud capability across Defence for at least five years.

Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)