Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has discussed the potential impact of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill on recruitment and retention with the (a) Chief of the Defence Staff, (b) Chief of the General Staff, (c) First Sea Lord, (d) Chief of the Air Staff, and (e) Commander Cyber and Specialist Operations Command.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
My Ministerial colleagues and I routinely meet with the Single Service Chiefs, where we discuss a range of priority Defence matters.
The hon. Member will understand that it would be inappropriate to comment further on these discussions.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Cutting-edge drone degree to train military forces of the future unveiled, published on 21 January, whether elements of the undergraduate drone degree will involve studying the use of drones in a combat scenario.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The undergraduate drone degree is designed to equip students with the technical skills required to build, upgrade and sustain drone systems, rather than to train them in their operational use. Some elements of the programme will involve students working with industry and defence partners on practical problem solving projects, which may include challenges linked to the operational employment of drones in combat settings.
Students on the programme will not participate in military exercises. However, having Army personnel learning alongside civilian students, supported by academic staff and defence contractors, will provide valuable insight into the realities of operating drones in contested environments and supports a collaborative approach to innovation.
The course does not provide training in how to operate drones; this is delivered separately through the Army’s existing small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems training pathways. Instead, the degree focuses on ensuring personnel have the technical knowledge and engineering expertise to sustain and adapt drone systems at the pace required by rapidly evolving operational demands, as seen in Ukraine
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the counter-drone technology currently used by the specialist RAF counter-drone unit stationed in Denmark.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
There is no specialist RAF counter-drone unit currently stationed in Denmark.
A small number of personnel from the RAF Regiment's No2 Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (CUAS) Wing deployed to Denmark in October 2025 at the request of the Danish Government who were hosting two major European summits.
All personnel and equipment returned to the UK after the conclusion of the summits.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel form the specialist RAF counter-drone unit currently stationed in Denmark.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
There is no specialist RAF counter-drone unit currently stationed in Denmark.
A small number of personnel from the RAF Regiment's No2 Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (CUAS) Wing deployed to Denmark in October 2025 at the request of the Danish Government who were hosting two major European summits.
All personnel and equipment returned to the UK after the conclusion of the summits.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2026 to question 105586 on Navy: Shipping, is the Patrick Blackett (a) in service with the Royal Navy and (b) a commissioned warship.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The XV Patrick Blackett is an experimental vessel, operating under a Blue Ensign. While it is in service with the Royal Navy to test new technologies, as an experimental vessel it is not a commissioned warship.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2026 to question 105590 on NATO, how many of the six NATO-administered facilities are located within US-run military bases.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
One facility—the NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre (NIFC)—is located at RAF Molesworth, a United States Visiting Forces (USVF) base, in Cambridgeshire.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what interim arrangements are in place to ensure timely access to clinically appropriate treatments for patients with rare cancers, including metastatic ocular melanoma, while longer term commissioning decisions are under consideration.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers which will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, including metastatic ocular melanoma patients, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. This will ensure that the National Health Service will remain at the forefront of medical innovation and is able to provide patients with the newest, most effective treatment options, and ultimately boost survival rates.
The Department remains committed to ensuring that rare cancer patients, including those with metastatic ocular melanoma, have timely access to treatment and tailored medical support.
Tebentafusp is a licensed treatment for uveal melanoma and has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and funded by NHS England since December 2024. Since funding commenced, over 100 patients have been registered to start treatment. At present, NHS England is not aware of any delays in access to Tebentafusp for eligible patients.
Alongside Tebentafusp, a policy proposition for melphalan chemosaturation was accepted onto the NHS England policy development work programme in March 2025, in line with the Methods for National Clinical Policies. Development of this policy is ongoing following receipt of the external evidence review. Progress updates are published through the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Work Programme, and NICE is concurrently updating its guidance. Until revised guidance is issued, the NHS continues to follow the recommendations in the current version.
The development of a Clinical Commissioning policy will determine both if the evidence is now sufficient to enable making the treatment routinely available and, if it is, whether to allocate service development funding to implement it across the NHS in England.
NHS England’s Individual Funding Request (IFR) Policy provides the framework through which requests outside routinely commissioned arrangements are considered. The IFR framework was last reviewed in 2022 and ensures fairness, consistency, and transparency in decision‑making across all applications relating to medicines, devices, or surgical interventions that fall within NHS England’s commissioning responsibilities.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of delays in commissioning decisions on (1) outcomes, and (2) quality of life, for patients with rare cancers.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers which will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, including metastatic ocular melanoma patients, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. This will ensure that the National Health Service will remain at the forefront of medical innovation and is able to provide patients with the newest, most effective treatment options, and ultimately boost survival rates.
The Department remains committed to ensuring that rare cancer patients, including those with metastatic ocular melanoma, have timely access to treatment and tailored medical support.
Tebentafusp is a licensed treatment for uveal melanoma and has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and funded by NHS England since December 2024. Since funding commenced, over 100 patients have been registered to start treatment. At present, NHS England is not aware of any delays in access to Tebentafusp for eligible patients.
Alongside Tebentafusp, a policy proposition for melphalan chemosaturation was accepted onto the NHS England policy development work programme in March 2025, in line with the Methods for National Clinical Policies. Development of this policy is ongoing following receipt of the external evidence review. Progress updates are published through the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Work Programme, and NICE is concurrently updating its guidance. Until revised guidance is issued, the NHS continues to follow the recommendations in the current version.
The development of a Clinical Commissioning policy will determine both if the evidence is now sufficient to enable making the treatment routinely available and, if it is, whether to allocate service development funding to implement it across the NHS in England.
NHS England’s Individual Funding Request (IFR) Policy provides the framework through which requests outside routinely commissioned arrangements are considered. The IFR framework was last reviewed in 2022 and ensures fairness, consistency, and transparency in decision‑making across all applications relating to medicines, devices, or surgical interventions that fall within NHS England’s commissioning responsibilities.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures her Department is taking to ensure that an appropriate balance is struck between helicopter operations and the impact of aviation noise on communities located beneath established helicopter routes.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government’s overall policy on aviation noise is to balance the economic and consumer benefits of aviation against its social and health implications.
The Air Navigation Guidance 2017 provided by the Department to the Civil Aviation Authority urges helicopter operators to fly with consideration for communities that may live under their flightpath. The Department has also sought to encourage pilots to follow other available guidance, such as that produced by the British Helicopter Association which encourages pilots to fly as high as possible within safety and operational limits.
Aircraft and traffic noise is not included as a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Government believes it is not practical for local authorities to enforce noise from these sources, and that aviation noise is better managed through specific Government policies tailored to individual noise sources. Powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 are devolved in Scotland.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures her Department is taking to review the adequacy of the exclusion of aircraft noise from the statutory nuisance regime, particularly in relation to communities affected by regular helicopter overflight.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government’s overall policy on aviation noise is to balance the economic and consumer benefits of aviation against its social and health implications.
The Air Navigation Guidance 2017 provided by the Department to the Civil Aviation Authority urges helicopter operators to fly with consideration for communities that may live under their flightpath. The Department has also sought to encourage pilots to follow other available guidance, such as that produced by the British Helicopter Association which encourages pilots to fly as high as possible within safety and operational limits.
Aircraft and traffic noise is not included as a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Government believes it is not practical for local authorities to enforce noise from these sources, and that aviation noise is better managed through specific Government policies tailored to individual noise sources. Powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 are devolved in Scotland.