Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Armed Forces Recruiting Programme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Armed Forces Recruiting Service contract with Serco commenced on 1 April 2025, with full unification of recruitment being implemented by October 2027, replacing separate schemes for the Royal Navy, Army, and RAF. This will create a streamlined, accessible single-entry point to attract diverse talent and modernise recruitment - making it faster and simpler.
Between the contract start and full implementation in October 2027, we are in a funded discovery phase involving development, testing, and configuration, supported by the Single Services to ensure a smooth transition.
A robust governance and reporting framework oversees progress, supports decision-making, manages risks, issues, and escalations, and monitors performance. Serco is integrated into all levels of this framework to foster collaboration and shared responsibility for a successful transition.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37596 on Ammunition: Lost Property and Theft, whether any losses have been referred to the Service Prosecuting Authority.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
All losses and thefts of ammunition are rigorously investigated, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence Police, Service Police and Home Office Police Forces as appropriate. No ammunition was reported stolen during that period and no reports to the Service Prosecution Authority were made.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 28 April 2025 on Creation of the King’s Gurkha Artillery, HCWS 605, whether any financial incentives been offered to encourage serving Gurkhas to transfer to the new unit.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The King’s Gurkha Artillery (KGA) will be employed in the Close Support discipline within the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
The KGA will initially be trained on the Light Gun, then ARCHER. They will be trained on the remote-controlled Howitzer 155 artillery system when it comes into service.
No financial incentives have been offered. However, the new unit will offer career and development opportunities for Gurkha soldiers who join the KGA in recognition of their service to the UK.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 28 April 2025 on Creation of the King’s Gurkha Artillery, HCWS 605, what equipment will the unit be primarily issued with.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The King’s Gurkha Artillery (KGA) will be employed in the Close Support discipline within the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
The KGA will initially be trained on the Light Gun, then ARCHER. They will be trained on the remote-controlled Howitzer 155 artillery system when it comes into service.
No financial incentives have been offered. However, the new unit will offer career and development opportunities for Gurkha soldiers who join the KGA in recognition of their service to the UK.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 28 April 2025 on Creation of the King’s Gurkha Artillery, HCWS 605, what role the King’s Gurkha Artillery will fulfil within the Royal Artillery.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The King’s Gurkha Artillery (KGA) will be employed in the Close Support discipline within the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
The KGA will initially be trained on the Light Gun, then ARCHER. They will be trained on the remote-controlled Howitzer 155 artillery system when it comes into service.
No financial incentives have been offered. However, the new unit will offer career and development opportunities for Gurkha soldiers who join the KGA in recognition of their service to the UK.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential financial implications of the proposed Security Pact with the European Union.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
We are ready to negotiate a Security and Defence Partnership agreement with the EU. This should build on the EU’s existing partnership agreements with other third countries, while recognising the unique nature of our security relationship.
We are also ready to look at wider cooperation, beyond a Security and Defence Partnership agreement, on the key issues facing our continent’s security: how to ramp up our defence industrial capacity, financing and capability development.
However, we will not be providing a running commentary on the details of these discussions.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel are currently held at readiness for UK resilience tasks.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As of the 23 April 2025, Defence holds c. 1,600 personnel at readiness for operations designed to support UK resilience. The tasks they are attributed to are wide ranging, from support in the instance of flooding (provided by the UK Standby Battalions) to the provision of fuel tanker drivers in the instance of a national shortage (Op ESCALIN).
Of these 1,600 personnel, 900 are held at extremely high readiness within the UK Standby Battalions for domestic resilience tasks. This responsibility rotates through units and, as of 23 April 2025, is held by personnel from across the Army including the infantry, cavalry, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
We take resilience tasks to mean operations designed to provide assistance to the civil authorities where there is either a capacity or skillset shortfall, excluding the provision of additional security in the instance of a significant terrorist attack.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what units are currently held at readiness for UK resilience tasks.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As of the 23 April 2025, Defence holds c. 1,600 personnel at readiness for operations designed to support UK resilience. The tasks they are attributed to are wide ranging, from support in the instance of flooding (provided by the UK Standby Battalions) to the provision of fuel tanker drivers in the instance of a national shortage (Op ESCALIN).
Of these 1,600 personnel, 900 are held at extremely high readiness within the UK Standby Battalions for domestic resilience tasks. This responsibility rotates through units and, as of 23 April 2025, is held by personnel from across the Army including the infantry, cavalry, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
We take resilience tasks to mean operations designed to provide assistance to the civil authorities where there is either a capacity or skillset shortfall, excluding the provision of additional security in the instance of a significant terrorist attack.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 07 April 2025 to Question 43150 on Strategic Defence Review, when the Prime Minister last met with (a) Lord Robertson, (b) General Barrons and (c) Fiona Hill.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As the Prime Minister reported in his Statement on Defence and Security in the House of Commons, the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) is being finalised. It will help set the path for Britain's defence for the next decade.
The Defence Secretary meets regularly with the Review team and has done throughout the SDR process.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to decarbonise schools in South Suffolk constituency.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I refer the hon. Member for South Suffolk to the answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 45368.