Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Army have taken to improve interoperability.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Strategic Defence Review states that the Armed Forces must compete the journey from 'joint' to 'integrated'. On 1 April 2025, the Chief of the Defence Staff became head of the new Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ) with command over the Service Chiefs. This change ensures that authorities for force design and activity delivery now flow top-down from a single point of military authority. The MSHQ has also appointed an interoperability champion to support NATO in its development of its own interoperability plan. We have already seen tangible progress in improving interoperability with allies, for example, the UK's Carrier Strike Group has recently been under NATO Command, integrated into both Alliance operational and tactical command and control Systems.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps the Royal Marines and the United States Marine Corps have taken to improve interoperability.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Royal Marines and the United States Marine Corps have an enduring partnership forged through decades of shared operations and tested in demanding environments. This ensures that they can operate seamlessly together. The United Kingdom and United States have permanent exchange positions in operational and capability organisations, and set shared priorities for interoperability across doctrine, training and capability development annually. Recent joint exercises include BALTOPS and BOLD QUEST, which advanced UK/US digital integration to improve command and control.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he will make it his Department's policy to reinstate the two-power standard as applied to the Royal Navy Fleet.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The 'two-power standard' was set out by the Naval Defence Act 1889 and dictated that the Royal Navy (RN) should maintain a fleet at least as strong as the next two powerful navies combined. Today our security is underpinned by NATO's collective defence, where capabilities are shared across 32 allies.
Modern naval warfare still demands mass, presence, and resilience. For that reason, The Royal Navy is transforming to a hybrid fleet, moving to a dispersed but digitally connected fleet of crewed, uncrewed, and autonomous platforms. This restores mass and power in a cost-effective way whilst ensuring we retain the cutting-edge capabilities expected of a leading NATO navy.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his Department's policy to reinstate compulsory chapels on Royal Navy vessels.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service (RNCS) provides spiritual, pastoral and moral support to all personnel, regardless of faith and belief. Chaplains are routinely embarked on Royal Navy vessels, particularly major warships and deployed task groups, and will use and suitable quiet space for services, prayers and one-to-one support.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to improve the sonar capabilities of the Royal Navy surface fleet.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Innovation Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Spearhead Programme has focussed on accelerating the Navy's understanding of advanced capabilities. Key areas progressed include sensor optimisation, machine learning and artificial intelligence, to improve the sonar capabilities within the surface fleet.
Investment in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Sonar 2087 system has led to improvements to Type 23 capabilities. These improvements will also be pulled through to the Type 26 programme.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on cancelled programmes in the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Army in each year since 2010.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department's spend on cancelled programmes of over £300,000 is published as part of its Annual Report and Accounts.
As would be expected of any responsible organisation, the Ministry of Defence regularly reviews its programmes and assets to determine how best to meet future threats including taking appropriate action to address changes.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to (a) streamline army recruitment and (b) increase (i) regular and (ii) reserve military personnel numbers.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As part of the Strategic Defence Review, the Department has committed to increasing the British Army to at least 76,000 full time soldiers in the next Parliament.
Under this Government, we have driven improvements to recruiting process, stripping out outdated medical policies, reducing the time it takes to receive candidate medical records and widening cross-Government data sharing.
These measures, along with targeted recruiting and a restructure of the Army's recruiting organisation, are delivering results. Year on year the Army's soldier intake numbers are up 13%, officer numbers are up 10%.
Regarding specific measures to increase Army reserve numbers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 June 2025 to Question 57778 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben-Obese Jecty) which remains extant.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a memorial to commemorate Force 135 and all those involved in the liberation of the Channel Islands during World War Two at the National Arboretum.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As advised in the answer I gave to Question 78038 on 18 October 2025, the Ministry of Defence maintains a longstanding policy that it does not typically establish or fund memorials. The normal expectation is that new memorials will be supported through private donations or public subscription and established with the agreement of the relevant local authority. On that basis, there are no plans to assess the potential merits of establishing a memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, to commemorate Liberation Task Force 135.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to support the British Legion’s Poppy Appeal 2025.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our country, to recognise the dedication of those who serve in our Armed Forces today to safeguard the peace we enjoy, and to offer our respect and gratitude for their Service.
The Poppy Appeal is a vital part of the nation's annual Remembrance commemorations, and as a veteran myself I was immensely proud, along with everyone in the Ministry of Defence (MOD), to support the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal 2025.
Through the Armed Forces Covenant, the Government remains committed to ensuring that veterans and their families receive the support they need, including through partnerships with organisations like the Royal British Legion.
The MOD continues to work closely with the Royal British Legion to support their efforts in raising funds and awareness for the Poppy Appeal. This includes amplifying their campaigns through our communication channels and supporting their work to provide vital services to veterans and their families. We also work closely with local authorities and community organisations to promote the Poppy Appeal and ensure that Remembrance events are well-supported across the UK.
We have also actively promoted the Poppy Appeal across the Armed Forces and the wider Defence community, encouraging personnel, veterans, and staff to participate in fundraising activities and, as always, to wear their poppies with pride.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the first Type 32 frigate will be commissioned.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is continuously evaluating its capabilities, including potential enhancements to the Royal Navy's fleet. As stated in the Strategic Defence Review, the Royal Navy is transitioning towards a Hybrid Navy, delivering a mixed fleet of crewed and uncrewed vessels. These will be delivered through faster, smarter procurement and enabled by modular, reconfigurable technology and scalable platforms to increase mass and effect.
Future capability plans for the Royal Navy are being considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan (DIP). It would be inappropriate to provide further detail at this time.