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: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to recommendation 48 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, whether they have initiated the review of storage and other regulations of highly expensive weapons used by the Royal Air Force; and if not, when they will do so.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Air Force is in the process of establishing a review in line with Recommendation 48 of the Strategic Defence Review. This work will form part of the Chief of the Air Staff's wider Optimise Directive, which coheres initiatives aimed at delivering benefits across the Royal Air Force and ensuring the best use of resources. Examining investment options for the explosives' storage estate and availability of weapons through the Defence Investment Plan will form a key aspect of the review, which will be completed by June 2026.
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: 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.
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 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.