Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the tender process for the New Medium Helicopters to replace the Puma fleet.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The second stage of the New Medium Helicopter competition commenced on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK.
Only Leonardo Helicopters UK elected to submit a tender which has been evaluated but since the procurement process is still active, it is too early to assess the effectiveness of the competition.
Officials continue to consider the New Medium Helicopter business case as part of the Government’s approval process, with a decision to be made as part of the upcoming Defence Investment Plan.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his German counterpart on the sale of 36 Eurofighters to Turkey.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The Secretary of State for Defence regularly engages with his Eurofighter Partner Nation counterparts, including Germany. Discussions routinely cover an array of bilateral issues, as well as opportunities to support Türkiye to enhance their defence capabilities as a NATO partner.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As of 9 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had distributed £2.2 million in payments, prioritising elderly applicants and those with serious health conditions to ensure timely support for those most in need. The first payments were issued within 15 weeks of the scheme going live, and while some complex cases require additional time, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to ensuring all eligible individuals receive the support they are entitled to.
The MOD is actively monitoring and assessing application data to evaluate the Scheme’s progress and continues to work with stakeholders, including local councils, the NHS, LGBT and military charities, and Veterans’ networks, to raise awareness and provide support. To date, £90,000 in grants has been allocated to charities, such as Fighting With Pride, to assist Veterans with their applications and ensure the scheme is accessible.
The MOD remains focused on addressing challenges, such as processing complex cases and improving outreach, and will continue to monitor the Scheme’s performance to ensure it meets its objectives of recognising and supporting those affected by the historic ban.