Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department's policy of considering the legal basis and policy rationale when approving foreign nations’ use of UK military bases for operational purposes also applies to the use of the military base at Diego Garcia.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Yes, the United States' (US) operational use of Diego Garcia is governed by an Exchange of Notes between the UK and the US.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 19 December to Question 99134, where I confirmed that this Government will continue to work closely with the US to ensure the base's operational effectiveness and that it remains a vital part of our security alliance well into the next century.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure complaints in his Department exceeded the required 50-working-day timeframe for issuing an outcome in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Between 1 January and 31 October 2025, a total of 86 Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP) complaints were processed. Of these, 71 (83%) were resolved within the 50-working-day timeframe, while 15 (17%) exceeded this timeframe.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve (a) transparency and (b) communication in cases of alleged armed forces pension overpayments.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Armed Forces pension overpayments can occur for various reasons, most commonly following the death of a pension recipient.
When an overpayment is identified, the payment agent, Equiniti, will initially inform the pension recipient or their next of kin about the overpayment and outline the available recovery options.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has established a robust process for managing overpayments, which includes providing advice and welfare support. If repaying the debt poses financial difficulties, recipients are encouraged to contact the debt recovery team. In certain cases, following an individual assessment, the debt may be partially written off, or an affordable repayment plan can be arranged.
Members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) have the right to raise a complaint through the Internal Disputes Resolution Procedure (IDRP) if they disagree with any decision or action taken by the scheme administrator. This single-stage process reviews all aspects of the complaint, including any additional evidence or information provided. Individuals wishing to challenge overpayment recovery decisions can do so by contacting the AFPS.
The MOD works closely with the payment agent to review and improve communication regarding overpayment issues, incorporating lessons learned to enhance the process.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has with international allies on the provision of arms and resources to Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence regularly holds discussions with international partners on how to best support Ukraine, including at the recent NATO Defence Ministers meeting. This includes regular discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart.
At the last Ukraine Defence Contact Group in September, Allies committed to continue their support for Ukraine, both in the immediate fight and for the long term.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many national security data breaches were recorded (a) within his Department and (b) by armed forces personnel deployed overseas in 2023.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
The Ministry of Defence is unable to disclose this information for national security reasons.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with his European counterparts on the scope of work of the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
As a founding member, the Ministry of Defence has valued the opportunities for close collaboration and interoperability with our allies which the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) presents since 1996. We take our obligations under the OCCAR Convention seriously.
Our Board of Supervisors member Vice Admiral Sir Rick Thompson meets with his counterparts biannually to discuss both strategic and programmatic matters.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the recent negotiations in the United States Congress on the allocation of funding for military support for Ukraine, whether he has had recent discussions with his NATO counterparts on the implications for their policies of the United States' potential decision to withdraw military support for Ukraine.
Answered by James Heappey
The Secretary of State for Defence regularly holds discussions with his NATO counterparts, including the US, on a range of issues. They will discuss NATO support to Ukraine at the upcoming NATO Defence Ministers Meeting on 15 February. The UK and US together will continue to urge our NATO allies to make the commitments that Ukraine needs to gain a vital edge on the battlefield.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the potential savings of reducing the armed forces by 10,000 personnel in each year until 2030-31.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence is already committed to a reduction in Regular military personnel as part of the restructuring of the Armed Forces following the 2021 Integrated Spending Review. This restructuring presents Defence with the opportunity to undertake the modernisation required to meet all of their current commitments, keep the country safe, and deliver a force that is fit for the challenges of the future. The Government remains committed to ensuring that this country has the world class Armed Forces that it needs and deserves, with an extra £11 billion recently allocated over the next five years that will provide improved resilience and readiness for the military.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the UK’s defence readiness.
Answered by James Heappey
Defence takes a threat-led approach to setting our readiness, ensuring that the Armed Forces are ready to deter adversaries and defend the nation.
Our capability and readiness levels are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are consistent with our strategic approach and are relevant to the threat.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Honiton and Sidmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average waiting time is for a pilot between selection for and beginning Typhoon flight training; and what the longest time is that a pilot has waited to begin that training.
Answered by James Heappey
A pilot is selected to fly Typhoon on completion of their Advanced Fast Jet Training. The average waiting time between selection to fly Typhoon and beginning training on the Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) was 28 weeks, with the longest waiting time being 49 weeks. The wait between selection and starting the Typhoon OCU has begun to reduce, with the most recent wait time being approximately eight weeks.