To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Guided Weapons
Wednesday 6th March 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK has adequate ground-based surface-to-air defence capabilities to defend itself from potential medium- and long-range missile attacks.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

To complement the Air Defence already provided by the RAF’s Typhoon Force, Defence has committed funds in year to significantly enhance its Counter-Uncrewed Air Systems capabilities. The British Army, through its Land Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) Programme, plans to spend more than £3 billion over the next ten years modernising its GBAD, with substantial investment in scaling, extending, and integrating its Air Defence capability. Similarly, the Secretary of State has recently announced a £405 million upgrade to the Royal Navy’s Sea Viper Air Defence System that will enable it to defeat ballistic missile threats. Further detail on Defence’s plan for protecting the United Kingdom against attack from the skies can be found in the Defence Command Paper Refresh which was published on 18 July 2023.


Written Question
Nuclear Weapons: Military Bases
Thursday 29th February 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's policy is on stationing non-UK nuclear weapons at UK military sites.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

It remains longstanding UK and NATO policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location.


Written Question
Shropshire: Domestic Visits
Thursday 29th February 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will visit (a) RAF Cosford and (b) the RBSL Challenger 3 manufacturing facilities in (i) the Borough of Telford and Wrekin and (ii) Shropshire in 2024.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I visited RBSL in Telford, Shropshire on 13 February 2024 to see both Boxer and Challenger 3 manufacturing facilities.

I understand that the Defence Secretary has responded to the hon. Member separately on his written invitation to visit both of these sites.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Discharges
Wednesday 13th December 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to reduce the length of time between the (a) date that armed services personnel are informed by a medical board that they are unfit for service and (b) date of discharge.

Answered by James Heappey

The date that a Service person is due to be discharged is calculated on an individual basis, taking into consideration a number of factors, including entitlements to any remaining individual leave allowance, Resettlement Leave, Invaliding leave and Terminal Leave. If there are additional considerations, such as an extension to attend a recovery course, then a decision will be taken on a case-by-case basis.

There are no current plans to reduce the time between the date that a Service person is informed by a medical board that they are unfit for service, and the date of their discharge.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Social Media
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to increase the number of hours of training for armed forces personnel on the security risks of using private social media.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence does not have any plans to update military law regarding the use of social media by Armed Forces personnel.

Policy and guidance on the use of social media is set out in the MOD’s Acceptable Use Policy (JSP 740), which is available to all armed forces personnel. The MOD recognises the importance of educating personnel on the security risks of social media and runs both security awareness campaigns and online learning programs. The MOD has recently introduced new cyber security training for all personnel that includes a module on social media and will continue to use different communication means to reinforce the message.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Social Media
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he will take steps to update military law to ensure the secure use of social media by armed forces personnel.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence does not have any plans to update military law regarding the use of social media by Armed Forces personnel.

Policy and guidance on the use of social media is set out in the MOD’s Acceptable Use Policy (JSP 740), which is available to all armed forces personnel. The MOD recognises the importance of educating personnel on the security risks of social media and runs both security awareness campaigns and online learning programs. The MOD has recently introduced new cyber security training for all personnel that includes a module on social media and will continue to use different communication means to reinforce the message.


Written Question
Veterans: Identity Cards
Wednesday 6th September 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on implementing phase 2 of the roll-out of veterans' identity cards.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Angus (Mr Doogan) to Question 193995 on 18 July 2023.


Written Question
Espionage: Airspace
Thursday 23rd February 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to counter the potential threat from surveillance balloons over (a) the UK and (b) UK military bases.

Answered by James Heappey

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Deane to Questions 140020 and 140021 on 14 February 2023.


Written Question
Russia: Arms Trade
Tuesday 14th February 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold discussions with the NATO Secretary General on ending the export of defence equipment to Russia by NATO members.

Answered by James Heappey

We are not aware of any NATO Allies exporting defence equipment to Russia. The Secretary of State for Defence routinely engages with his NATO counterparts and the NATO Secretary General regarding NATO's posture towards Russia.


Written Question
War Graves: Shropshire
Monday 6th February 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial support his Department provides for the maintenance and care of war graves in Shropshire; and how his Department coordinates that maintenance with the Church of England.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The care and maintenance of the graves of those personnel who lost their lives in the two World Wars throughout the UK is undertaken on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The Department provides an annual Grant-in-Aid contribution to the Commission to fund the enduring work and in doing so provides the largest element of the Commission’s funding. In taking this work forward the Commission and the MOD engage with the relevant authorities as required, including the Church of the England.