Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish a breakdown of funding provided to the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia from the APPOLLO programme; and if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of this funding.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The APOLLO programme is delivering seismically compliant infrastructure and living accommodation across the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs).
Under the APOLLO programme, to date, construction has taken place across both the Western (including Akrotiri) and Eastern (including Dhekelia) Sovereign Base Areas. This has resulted in the provision of a new primary school, operational buildings, Defence family housing, and a passenger and freight handling facility. This investment serves to reduce seismic risk, strengthen operational capability, and help improve quality of life for Defence personnel and their families.
All Defence spending commitments, including the APOLLO programme, are currently under review as part of the Defence Investment Plan. As a result, we are unable to publish a breakdown of current and planned funding provided to the SBAs.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer on 8 December 2025 to Question 97994 on Artic: Shipping, what are the (a) command arrangements and (b) cost contributions for shared ice cutter capability in the British Antarctic Territories.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence remains committed to supporting the UK's sovereign and wider interests in the Antarctic. HMS PROTECTOR routinely deploys to the Antarctic Peninsula supporting the UK's responsibilities to the Antarctic Treaty and the British Antarctic Territory.
To deliver the vision of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), we are developing options through the Defence Investment Plan for future Ice Patrol Ship capability. These options will consider requirements for the Antarctic, but also encompass the requirements for Arctic capabilities which the SDR identified as a region of increasing competition. These options will include cost and command factors.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Ajax Programme is within the scope of the Defence Growth Deal for Wales announced in September 2025.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
No, the AJAX Programme is outside the scope of the Defence Growth Deal for Wales.
The aim of the Defence Growth Deal is to drive growth in Wales through connection, resilience, and collaboration. Centred around Autonomy, evolving a skilled workforce, enhancing sovereign capability, connecting companies to the defence sector across the rest of the UK and the world.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered gifting Watchkeeper to Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK and partners will continue to ensure we equip Ukraine as best we can to defend its sovereign territory and ensure it is in a position of strength for any peace negotiations.
Since Watchkeeper Mk1 entered service in 2010, drone technology has evolved at remarkable pace, driven by the extensive use of unmanned systems in the war in Ukraine. The Department has therefore prioritised this effort on more cost-effective drones that deliver comparable capability and can operate in the most demanding environments.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to HCWS1114 on 1 December 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of limiting UK defence industrial content to 35 per cent of SAFE-funded projects on (a) sovereign capability, (b) export competitiveness and (c) supply-chain resilience across the UK defence sector.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The matters raised by the Rt Hon Member are primarily for the Cabinet Office who were responsible for the written statement to which her questions refer, and the Ministry of Defence who are the responsible department for defence industrial matters.
We however continue to deepen and strengthen our cooperation with the EU on a range of related matters - including in tackling hybrid threats - via our new Security and Defence Partnership. Our relationships through NATO of course remain the bedrock of our security and defence.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of planned expenditure on UK Integrated Air and Missile Defence during the current Parliament will be allocated to effectors, as opposed to sensors and command-and-control systems.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provide sovereign nation capability and support interoperability with NATO allies and partners. These capabilities, integrated with NATO Allies defend our homeland and contribute to the strength of the NATO Alliance.
The Government has committed £1 billion to Integrated Air and Missile Defence in line with the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring investment is prioritised against evolving threats as part of the future Integrated Force. The allocation of investment and timelines for Integrated Air and Missile Defence spending will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
It would not be appropriate to state stockpile levels of munitions for reasons of national security, but these remain under continuous review to maintain operational readiness.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK’s ground-based air defence capability in the event of the UK having to operate without direct United States support.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provide sovereign nation capability and support interoperability with NATO allies and partners. These capabilities, integrated with NATO Allies defend our homeland and contribute to the strength of the NATO Alliance.
The Government has committed £1 billion to Integrated Air and Missile Defence in line with the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring investment is prioritised against evolving threats as part of the future Integrated Force. The allocation of investment and timelines for Integrated Air and Missile Defence spending will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
It would not be appropriate to state stockpile levels of munitions for reasons of national security, but these remain under continuous review to maintain operational readiness.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether spending on UK ground-based air defence and Integrated Air and Missile Defence effectors will be deferred until the 2030s.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provide sovereign nation capability and support interoperability with NATO allies and partners. These capabilities, integrated with NATO Allies defend our homeland and contribute to the strength of the NATO Alliance.
The Government has committed £1 billion to Integrated Air and Missile Defence in line with the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring investment is prioritised against evolving threats as part of the future Integrated Force. The allocation of investment and timelines for Integrated Air and Missile Defence spending will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
It would not be appropriate to state stockpile levels of munitions for reasons of national security, but these remain under continuous review to maintain operational readiness.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
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 readiness of deployable military units.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Armed Forces readiness is directed by the Armed Forces Plan, in which the Chief of the Defence Staff directs his Military Command Chiefs to hold a variety of Force Elements at varying levels of readiness. This readiness in aligned to our NATO Force Model along with our Sovereign defence and our ability to respond to crisis. This readiness is constantly assessed against the sum of Availability, Capability, and Sustainment.
Defence continues to focus on ensuring its readiness, including for a high-intensity conflict, in line with the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are any Australian naval personnel sited at any U.K. Defence Nuclear Enterprise establishment as part of the AUKUS collaboration in nuclear-propelled submarines.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is working closely with Australia and the United States under the AUKUS partnership to deliver conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines for Australia. As part of this collaboration, Australian naval personnel are embedded with the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) including the Royal Navy, Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO), Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), and UK Industry to gain the skills and experience required to operate and sustain nuclear-powered submarines. This activity is essential to building Australia's sovereign capability.