Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made by the Royal Air Force in redesigning uniform and any relevant body or safety protection apparel to fit the anatomy of women.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Air Force has made significant progress in redesigning uniform and safety protection apparel for the female anatomy.
These include improvements to uniform fitting and size ranges, allowances for provision of sports bras, re-issue of uniform post pregnancy and menopause, and better fitting body armour. Research and development of a female specific flying suit and immersion protection garment is ongoing.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made by the Royal Navy in redesigning uniform and any relevant body or safety protection apparel to fit the anatomy of women.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy daily working uniform for Service Women (Rig 22) is currently in the procurement phase. To alleviate any issues during this time, Service personnel have been recommended to utilise the Special Fit clause in current regulations to allow Crown Expense tailoring where current sizes don’t quite fit adequately.
The Rig 22 thermal layer includes a female fit, with both jackets having been very well received during trials. A full maternity variant of Rig 22 is in the procurement phase, while a maternity outwear layer is already available.
The Royal Navy is also seeking to improve the current in-service base-layer for both warm weather, temperate and cold weather climates. This project will include such considerations as Public Sector Equality Duty, ensuring a better fit for all, as well as improving comfort/interoperability with the Rig 22 layering system.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made by the British Army in redesigning uniform and body protection apparel to fit the anatomy of women.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Over recent years, the Army has undertaken significant work to improve the daily experience for servicewomen by providing more suitable uniform and body armour. Examples include the implementation of a professional sports bra ‘fit and issue’ service, the introduction of an improved fit for the Multi-Terrain Pattern Barrack Shirt and the provision of female-fitting combat footwear. The Army will continue to scope further opportunities to develop the suitability of uniform for servicewomen.
For the body armour aspect of the question, I refer the noble Baroness to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry (Ms Eagle), in the House of Commons on 29 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Swindon North (Mr Stone) in response to Question 49080.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether houses built on land surrounding military bases will be owned by the Ministry of Defence, and whether those houses will be used as service accommodation.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
If land surrounding military bases is owned by the Department, and if a requirement for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) exists in that area, then properties built by the Ministry of Defence on that land would be utilised as SFA. However, if the land surrounding the military base is privately owned, then the use of any houses built on that site would be a matter for the developer.
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 ensure continued private investment in the defence industry in the light of news reports that pension funds are refusing to invest in defence firms.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In December 2024 we published the Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent, which identified the ‘crowding-in’ of private sector investment as critical to the Government’s imperatives of national security and a high growth economy. We want to mobilise the private sector to invest more and we will engage with a wide range of defence and financial services stakeholders to explore how to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Ministry of Defence has entered into any procurement contracts valued in excess of £1 million since 1 July.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence has entered into 281 procurement contracts valued in excess of £1 million since 1 July 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what major projects the National Shipbuilding Office expects to be engaged in between now and July 2025.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The National Shipbuilding Office (NSO) engages extensively in a wide range of shipbuilding pipeline programmes both formally and informally.
Regarding the cross-Government shipbuilding pipeline, the NSO regularly participates in programme boards and decision-making panels to ensure coherence and promote best practice. NSO officials also work directly with programme, commercial and legal teams, and the shipbuilding sector to support the strategic delivery of all these major projects.
On an ongoing basis, the NSO has engaged in some capacity in the following programmes since 1 July 2024, and expects to remain engaged in some capacity between now and July 2025:
Programme | Department |
Defence Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Type 26 Build | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Type 31 Build | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Ministry of Defence Police Launches | Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Defence Police |
Fleet Solid Support | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Defence Marine Services – Next Generation | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Type 31 Support | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Boats In-Service Support 2026 | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy; Army; Strategic Command |
Naval Support Integrated Global Network | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Programme Euston | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Multi-Role Strike Ship | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Future Air Dominance System | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Commando Force – Surface Manoeuvre | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Future Military Data Gathering | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Mine Hunting Capability | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Strategic Sealift – Future | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Submarine Delivery Agency Roll-on, Roll-off | Ministry of Defence; Submarine Delivery Agency |
Project Powerful | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Other Government Department Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Northern Lighthouse Vessel Pole Star | Northern Lighthouse Board (Department for Transport) |
Northeastern Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority vessel | Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs |
Sussex Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority vessel | Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs |
Kent & Essex Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority vessel | Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs |
Border Force Cutters Ship Life Extension Programme | Home Office |
Border Force Coastal Patrol Vessels Ship Life Extension Programme | Home Office |
Fair Isle Ferry Replacement | Shetland Islands Council (Department for Transport part-funded) |
Maritime Capability Replacement Programme | Home Office |
Futures Afloat | Trinity House (Department for Transport) |
Research Vessel Endeavour | Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Sciences |
Nuclear Transport Solutions Roll-on, Roll-off | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero |
Local and Devolved Government Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Motor Vessel Jura: Offboard Boat | Scottish Government |
Scottish small ferries replacement programme | Scottish Government |
Devon & Cornwall Constabulary Diving Vessel | Devon & Cornwall Constabulary |
Marine Scotland vessel replacement | Scottish Government |
Corran Ferry Replacement | Highland Council (Scottish and UK Governments) |
Lower Dart Ferry Replacement | Devon County Council |
The NSO also expects to be engaged in some capacity in the following programmes between now and July 2025:
Programme | Department |
Defence Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Ice Patrol | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Local and Devolved Government Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Further Scottish Ferry Replacements | Scottish Government |
Windermere Ferry Replacement | Westmorland & Furness Council |
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what major projects the National Shipbuilding Office has engaged in since 1 July.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The National Shipbuilding Office (NSO) engages extensively in a wide range of shipbuilding pipeline programmes both formally and informally.
Regarding the cross-Government shipbuilding pipeline, the NSO regularly participates in programme boards and decision-making panels to ensure coherence and promote best practice. NSO officials also work directly with programme, commercial and legal teams, and the shipbuilding sector to support the strategic delivery of all these major projects.
On an ongoing basis, the NSO has engaged in some capacity in the following programmes since 1 July 2024, and expects to remain engaged in some capacity between now and July 2025:
Programme | Department |
Defence Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Type 26 Build | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Type 31 Build | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Ministry of Defence Police Launches | Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Defence Police |
Fleet Solid Support | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Defence Marine Services – Next Generation | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Type 31 Support | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Boats In-Service Support 2026 | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy; Army; Strategic Command |
Naval Support Integrated Global Network | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Programme Euston | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Multi-Role Strike Ship | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Future Air Dominance System | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Commando Force – Surface Manoeuvre | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Future Military Data Gathering | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Mine Hunting Capability | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Strategic Sealift – Future | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Submarine Delivery Agency Roll-on, Roll-off | Ministry of Defence; Submarine Delivery Agency |
Project Powerful | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Other Government Department Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Northern Lighthouse Vessel Pole Star | Northern Lighthouse Board (Department for Transport) |
Northeastern Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority vessel | Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs |
Sussex Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority vessel | Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs |
Kent & Essex Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority vessel | Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs |
Border Force Cutters Ship Life Extension Programme | Home Office |
Border Force Coastal Patrol Vessels Ship Life Extension Programme | Home Office |
Fair Isle Ferry Replacement | Shetland Islands Council (Department for Transport part-funded) |
Maritime Capability Replacement Programme | Home Office |
Futures Afloat | Trinity House (Department for Transport) |
Research Vessel Endeavour | Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Sciences |
Nuclear Transport Solutions Roll-on, Roll-off | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero |
Local and Devolved Government Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Motor Vessel Jura: Offboard Boat | Scottish Government |
Scottish small ferries replacement programme | Scottish Government |
Devon & Cornwall Constabulary Diving Vessel | Devon & Cornwall Constabulary |
Marine Scotland vessel replacement | Scottish Government |
Corran Ferry Replacement | Highland Council (Scottish and UK Governments) |
Lower Dart Ferry Replacement | Devon County Council |
The NSO also expects to be engaged in some capacity in the following programmes between now and July 2025:
Programme | Department |
Defence Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Ice Patrol | Ministry of Defence; Royal Navy |
Local and Devolved Government Programmes (by programme maturity) | |
Further Scottish Ferry Replacements | Scottish Government |
Windermere Ferry Replacement | Westmorland & Furness Council |
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have appointed a shipbuilding tsar.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Whilst a decision has not yet been made on the appointment of a new shipbuilding Ministerial lead, Ministers are actively engaged in shipbuilding policy and developments. UK shipbuilding is a vital pillar of our Defence industrial base and, as a high-growth sector, will play an important role in our ambitions to secure the nation, kick-start economic growth and become a clean energy superpower.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of how much money they will save by reducing inefficiencies following the appointment of a new National Armaments Director.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We have commenced the recruitment process for the new National Armaments Director. As the role has yet to be appointed, it is too early to estimate the associated financial efficiencies.