Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the press conference he gave on 19th November 2025 regarding the use of lasers by the Russian ship Yantar, what changes has he made to the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement.

The Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence continuously assess our Rules of Engagement to ensure our Armed Forces can act appropriately in response to malign activities and evolving threats, including unsafe or unprofessional behaviour by foreign vessels and aircraft.

For reasons of national security, I am not able to disclose specific detail on Rules of Engagement.