Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding allocated to the armed forces.
Answered by Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Defence
UK defence spending is at its highest level in history and increasing in real terms. We have increased the budget for our Equipment Plan and set out our longer-term aspiration to invest 2.5% of GDP on defence.
We continue to meet all operational commitments, including participating in every single NATO mission and tackling attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the military capability provided by (a) Challenger 3 armoured vehicles and (b) other tanks.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Army’s Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank Programme will deliver 148 modernised Main Battle Tanks, providing Defence’s only guaranteed, 24 hour, all weather, mobile anti-tank capability, delivering a step change in lethality and survivability over its predecessors. Alongside Ajax and Boxer, Challenger 3 will form the backbone of the Armoured Brigade Combat Teams, which are the cornerstone of the UK warfighting capability and an essential component of NATO’s deterrence objectives.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Ukraine has the military weapons required to defend its territories.
Answered by James Heappey
Defence continues to play a leading role in helping Ukraine defend its territories, working with Allies and partners to support Ukraine's right to be a sovereign, independent and democratic nation.
We have already committed £1.3 billion for military operations and aid, including giving Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, to meet Ukrainian Armed Forces' requests for assistance. We are also making a major contribution to the coordination of military support from our Allies and partners to enable Ukraine to repel Russian aggression.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What recent assessment he has made of the strength of the armed forces.
Answered by James Heappey
The total strength of the Armed Forces is 168,880.