Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the reduction of the whole-life cost in the Ground-Based Air Defence programme in the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority's Major Projects Annual Report 2025–26, which elements have been (a) removed, (b) deferred and (c) made dependent on future funding.

The reduction in the reported Whole life Cost reflects a change to the reporting basis rather than a reduction in the approved Ground Based Air Defence requirement. The earlier figure included estimated funding beyond the Ministry of Defence’s confirmed rolling 10-year planning profile, whereas the later figure did not. No elements have been removed from the approved requirement.