Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on UK defence companies working with the Office of Strategic Capital.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Defence Officials, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence, have engaged with US counterparts from the Office of Strategic Capital regarding strategic partnering, most recently in September 2025. Officials have discussed a number of topics, including UK defence industry, Trusted Capital, and opportunities for engagement.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what ice cutter capability the UK has for use in the High North.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy (RN) does not currently operate a dedicated ice cutter capability in the High North. However, the Ministry of Defence recognises the increasing strategic importance of the region and continually assesses its capability requirements for the High North.
All spending decisions on platforms will be made as part of the Defence Investment Plan.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his officials last met with counterparts from the Office of Strategic Capital at the US Defense Department.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Defence Officials, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence, have engaged with US counterparts from the Office of Strategic Capital regarding strategic partnering, most recently in September 2025. Officials have discussed a number of topics, including UK defence industry, Trusted Capital, and opportunities for engagement.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the Office of Strategic Capital.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Defence Officials, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence, have engaged with US counterparts from the Office of Strategic Capital regarding strategic partnering, most recently in September 2025. Officials have discussed a number of topics, including UK defence industry, Trusted Capital, and opportunities for engagement.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last met with his US counterpart; and what issues were discussed.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Defence Secretary regularly engages with the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. They most recently met on 10 December in Washington DC where they discussed a number of defence and security issues, including Ukraine, AUKUS, the upcoming US National Defense Strategy and strategic alignment.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to increase the number of people who can be accommodated at HMS Caledonia.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Accommodation requirements are kept under regular review to ensure they meet operational needs. The Ministry of Defence has no current plans to increase the permanent accommodation capacity at HMS Caledonia.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the suitability of accommodation at HMS Caledonia.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As of December 2025, the Ministry of Defence has assessed the suitability of accommodation at HMS Caledonia as meeting the required standards for safety, security, and habitability according to Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations (JSP 464).
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much money his Department has spent on (i) maintaining and (ii) improving accommodate at HMS Caledonia in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) do not specifically separate maintenance costs for the HMS Caledonia Single Living Accommodation (SLA) blocks from within the overall site infrastructure running costs. It is therefore not possible to give a figure for this part of the question.
We have inherited a situation where there has been no capital infrastructure investment in the last 10 years in improving the SLA blocks at HMS Caledonia. This is as a result of the site being planned for closure in the Better Defence Estates 2016 announcement, and not being removed from the disposals programme until it was transferred to the Royal Navy and recommissioned in April 2023.
Future planning requirements for the site are being developed.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide a breakdown of the current accommodation available at HMS Caledonia including (i) room type, (ii) capacity and (iii) construction date.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
HMS Caledonia has eight blocks of permanent accommodation, which can accommodate approximately 500 personnel. The majority of room types are single living accommodation, but there are also rooms for two personnel, three personnel and family rooms. The accommodation blocks were built between 1940 and 1970 and requirements are kept under regular review to ensure they meet operational needs.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to make a decision on the future of the Submarine Dismantling Programme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The demonstrator submarine, Swiftsure, continues to be dismantled as part of the Submarine Dismantling Project. Working with Babcock, we remain committed to dismantling the platform by the end of 2026. Following Swiftsure, there are six further legacy submarines in Rosyth awaiting to enter the dismantling process.
Realisation of an enduring disposal capability to ensure the safe and secure disposal of the UK’s future decommissioned submarines will be delivered through the Department’s Submarine Disposal Capability Project. The project is currently in its concept phase and the Department is assessing options for the capability and its location with various sites under consideration within the UK. A decision will be communicated to Parliament at the appropriate time.