Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

What is the (a) average, (b) maximum individual and (c) total cost of claims paid out for hearing loss, broken down by (i) army, (ii) air force, (iii) navy excluding Royal Marines and (iv) Royal Marines since the implementation of the Tactical Hearing Protection System in 2015.

The implementation of the Tactical Hearing Protection System programme took place between April 2015 and September 2016. Since 1 October 2016, the cost of common law claims for noise-induced hearing loss claims was £250 million. This includes damages and claimant legal costs for claims from both Service and Civilian personnel. Further breakdown including by Service is not readily available. Most claims take a long time to settle and payments occur over a number of years. Calculation of an average payout over this period would incur disproportionate cost. This does not include claims made via the Armed Forces Compensation and War Pension schemes as providing breakdowns would require information from three different data systems to be combined and individual files to be manually reviewed which would incur disproportionate cost. The majority of hearing loss claims are historic, and allegations cover all noise exposures, from a variety of sources, over a long period of time, both in combat and training. Claimants will have used more than one type of hearing protection. It is not possible to identify if claims relate to the Tactical Hearing Protection System.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reported comments by President Macron on 27 March 2025.

France is one of the UK's most important European partners. The UK continues to work closely with France to lead Europe's efforts on Ukraine's long term defence. UK and French led planning is ongoing and discussions continue around military planning of air, sea and land forces that would be required to support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

What assessment he has made of the merits of the former Secretary of State's plans to purchase more Airbus A400M aircraft.

All capability requirements, including those for tactical airlift, are being considered as part of the Strategic Defence Review process.

What steps his Department is taking to develop reduced threat level hard body armour plates.

The Ministry of Defence will deliver a Personal Hard Armour Framework (PHA-F). This framework will enable the inclusion of emerging technologies and future requirements. Reduced threat level hard body armour plates could therefore be considered in the future under PHA-F.

What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the US Air Force European Infrastructure Consolidation (EIC) works at RAF Molesworth.

The estimated cost to the UK public purse to deliver the European Infrastructure Consolidation construction works at RAF Molesworth is £51 million.

What the planned phase out date is of the SA80A3 for the Royal Marines.

The Royal Marines currently operate the KS-1 / L143A2 and SA80 in a variety of roles. There is no current defined timeline to move Royal Marines entirely away from the SA80 until the current Out of Service Date of 2030.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the production delays to the F-35 caused by software instability relating to Lockheed Martin’s Block 4 upgrade.

We do not routinely comment on detailed delivery schedules however, it is not anticipated that the Block 4 delays will impact the declaration of Lightning Full Operating Capability, scheduled for no later than the end of 2025.

What steps his Department has taken to develop buoyant body armour plates for use in maritime operations.

The Ministry of Defence will deliver a Personal Hard Armour Framework (PHA-F). This framework will enable the inclusion of emerging technologies and future requirements. Buoyant plates could, therefore, be considered in the future under PHA-F.

For what reason Royal Marines within the Littoral Response Group will be equipped with the Sig Sauer MCX rather than the L403A1-AIW.

The L143A2 (Sig Sauer MCX) is a flexible capability that is far more specialised and can be tailored to fit niche and mission specific roles required by the UK Commando Force (UKCF). It is therefore better suited to the specialist maritime roles of the Littoral Response Group (LRG).The L403A1 is the new general purpose firearm of the UKCF, and is therefore less suited to some of the specialist roles that the LRG fulfils.

What his planned timetable is for the creation of a third frontline F-35 squadron.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 March 2025 to Question 37763.

What proportion of the Defence budget is spent on Government Major Projects Portfolio programmes.

Information on the costs of the Department's Defence Major Programmes for financial year 2024-25 is still being collated. I will write to the hon. Member once this is complete.

What his Department's timetable is for the publication of the Defence Industrial Strategy.

This Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy which ensures the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned, to maximise the impact of our defence spending uplift with British based firms. The Statement of Intent outlined that the Defence Industrial Strategy will be published in late-Spring 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 40755, for what reason the Total Compensation Payable under the AFCS increased.

The total expenditure under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) increased in 2023-24 due to the number of Guaranteed Income Payments (GIP) in payment increasing year on year and an increase in the number of awarded initial injury/illness claims in that financial year. In 2023-24, the number of GIPs in payment increased by 10%. In 2023-24, 4,075 initial injury/illness claims were awarded which was an increase of 34% when compared to the previous year. This increase was due to an increase in the number of injury/illness claims registered (9,545 in 2023-24 compared to 7,793 in 2022-23) and an increase in the percentage of initial injury/illness cleared claims awarded (57% compared to 50% the previous year).

What assessment he has made of the ability of the Armed Forces to contribute to the Multinational Force Ukraine.

Elements of UK Armed Forces remain ready to respond to all challenges including deployment to Ukraine in order to support a Coalition of the Willing.Discussions continue around military planning of air, sea and land forces that would be required to support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

What steps he is taking to replenish the artillery ammunition given to Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continually manages and analyses its stocks of weapons and munitions against commitments and threats, while also reviewing industrial capacity and supply chains, both domestically and internationally. The MOD is also fully engaged with industry, allies and partners to ensure both the continuation of supply to Ukraine, and that all of the equipment and munitions granted in kind from UK stocks are replaced as rapidly as possible.To replenish weapons granted to Ukraine, we have rapidly and effectively adapted our procurement processes in a way that reflects that urgency of the situation, and have prioritised a more holistic munitions mix over a determination to always replace like for like. Stockpile details are highly classified for operational reasons, so I am unable to provide further detail.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the new Ofsted grading scale on in scope military training establishments.

Ofsted undertake two separate and distinct inspection regimes of Armed Forces’ training provision. The first is of the Armed Forces Apprenticeship Programmes which are inspected under the Education Inspection Framework. Any changes to Ofsted’s grading scale will have no significant impact in this area. The second is of the Care and Welfare of Armed Forces Initial Training which is inspected under the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Inspection Framework that is unique to the MOD. As such, the MOD and colleagues from Ofsted are working together during a period of consultation to determine whether all, or elements of, the new grading scale will apply to these inspections.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 34360 on Defence Equipment: Procurement, what discussions he has had with his (a) Italian and (b) Japanese counterpart on the inclusion of the Aermacchi M-346 fast jet trainer in the Global Combat Air Programme.

The Royal Air Force continuously researches and assesses options for the sustainment, enhancement and development of hardware and systems to maintain competitive advantage within the flying training system. The Aermacchi M346 fast jet trainer is one of several market options available but no formal market engagement has been conducted. No formal discussions have been held on training aircraft in the Global Combat Air Programme and for the UK no decisions have been taken on the replacement for the Hawk T2 aircraft which has a planned Out of Service date of 2040.

What Rules of Engagement British Forces would be under as part of Multinational Force Ukraine.

The UK is playing a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. Operational planning continues but it is long-standing Government policy not to comment on Rules of Engagement. The only person who would benefit from that is Putin.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of welfare reform on veterans.

This Government is committed to providing veterans with the support they need after their time in service, whether that's through specialist housing provision or employment advice and career support. This commitment applies equally to the welfare and benefits space, and while most veterans require limited support after they leave the military, some, including those who were wounded or injured while in the Armed Forces, rely to varying degrees on being able to access the health and disability benefits system. The Department for Work and Pensions are consulting on the impact of changes to the benefits system, and I will continue to work closely with my colleagues in the Department to ensure the needs of our veterans are understood. No changes are being made to Armed Forces Independence Payments.

What discussions he has had with the Royal Air Force on the procurement of the Aermacchi M-346 fast jet trainer.

The Royal Air Force continuously researches and assesses options for the sustainment, enhancement and development of hardware and systems to maintain competitive advantage within the flying training system. The Aermacchi M-346 fast jet trainer is one of several market options available and no formal market engagement has been conducted.