Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 July 2022 to Question 29920 on Watchkeeper WK450, how much from the public purse has been spent on Watchkeeper to date.

To date, £1.31 billion has been spent from the public purse on Watchkeeper. This includes all monies spent during the Assessment phase, during Demonstration Manufacture and Initial Support and as part of In-Service Support, out until 31 May 22.

In preparing the answer to this question issues have been uncovered about the accuracy of answers provided to previous Parliamentary questions. These are being urgently investigated and I will write to the right hon. Gentleman and other colleagues as soon as this has been concluded, and I will place copies of all such letters in the Library of the House.