Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

With reference to the policy paper entitled UK-France Joint Leaders' Declaration, published on 23rd March 2023, whether he has taken steps to increase the interoperability of (a) communication, (b) armament systems and (c) other future Combat Air systems.

The UK remains committed to exploring interoperability between the Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS) of the UK and France, which will form part of the wider combat air and multi-domain capabilities across Europe and NATO. The UK maintains a NATO-first approach to addressing interoperability. At the same time, the UK and France are working together to explore areas in which interoperability can be increased, such as communication and armaments systems. The UK and France are doing so through our military and industrial relationships, mutual sharing of technical roadmaps for missiles, and the FCAS Technology Development Cooperation mechanism, the second phase of which will focus on interoperability.

Whether she is taking steps to procure an icebreaker ship to complement HMS Protector for future operations in the Atlantic Bastion.

As highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review, Atlantic Bastion is the Royal Navy’s plan to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and NATO against the persistent and growing underwater threat from a modernising Russian submarine force. While an icebreaking capability does not form part of the Atlantic Bastion plan, the UK recognises the increasing strategic importance of the Arctic and High North. As such, future icebreaker capabilities are being considered to deliver the Strategic Defence Review vision, with all capability requirements considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan, which will be completed in autumn 2025.

How many locations in the Defence Estate are currently guarded by the Military Provost Guard Service.

The Military Provost Guard Service brings a professional and permanent armed guarding presence that offers a cost-effective and mission-ready solution, while maintaining the integrity and security of Defence estates without overstretching operational forces. While I am unable to comment on specific security arrangements, I can assure the hon. Member that we take the safety and security of our sites extremely seriously and ensure we have robust measures in place.

Whether the US government is required to seek permission from the UK in order to launch offensive military action from Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia under the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

Annex 1, paragraph 1(b)(i) of the treaty sets out that the United Kingdom will have unrestricted ability to control the conduct and deployment of armed operations. No permission is required as a result of this treaty, as US operations from Diego Garcia are governed by a separate Exchange of Notes between the UK and US.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the US cancellation of orders for the Boeing E7 Wedgetail on (a) UK and (b) NATO intelligence-gathering capability.

The Ministry of Defence is continuing with its procurement of E-7 Wedgetail in order to meet the national and NATO requirements for an Airborne Early Warning and Control capability which is interoperable with its allies.

How many of the RAF Voyager fleet are airworthy.

All Voyager aircraft are certified as airworthy. However, the serviceability of the fleet varies daily due to routine maintenance schedules. For reasons of operational security, specific details about the serviceability of Voyager aircraft are not publicly disclosed.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the incompatibility of F-35A fighters with Royal Air Force air-to-air refuelling capability on the intention to purchase F-35A fighters.

We have longstanding reciprocal arrangements to use allies Air-to-Air refuelling support when required, just as our Voyagers also support refuelling of other allies’ jets.

How many personnel are eligible for service in the strategic reserve in each of the armed forces.

The Strategic Reserve comprises two distinct elements: those former Service personnel with an ongoing legal liability to train and to be called out if needed (the Regular Reserve) and those with a legal liability to be recalled in the direst of situations (the Recall Reserve). Numbers within the Regular Reserve are routinely published within the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-index). In table 8a of the Excel spreadsheet with the latest April 2025 figures, the Tri-Service UK Regular Reserve forces totalled 36,398 of which: Reserve Naval and Marine Forces Regular Reserve: 6,774Reserve Land Forces Regular Reserve: 22,897Reserve Air Forces Regular Reserve: 6,727 Defence does not currently publish Recall Reserve statistics but as part of the Strategic Defence Review, we are working to step up engagement with the Strategic Reserve and establish a digitised approach to Reserves management. We will reinvigorate our relationship with the Strategic Reserve to ensure the UK is ready to respond at scale to global insecurity. It is also a chance to renew the bond between society and those who’ve served, and to unlock the unique expertise gained through military Service and deploying it when it matters most.

When did the Armed Forces cease to offer gap year commissions.

I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 3 April 2025 to Question 41496 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge).

What the full scope of Project Cairns is; and what the (a) specific technical requirements and (b) core characteristics of the project are as laid out to the defence industry.

Project CAIRNS is not a project of record at this time, however, it will seek to replace the L7A2 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) upon reaching its Out of Service Date. The Project envisages replacing the GPMG’s roles across both Light and Medium Machine Gun areas. The current GPMG remains a world leading, highly effective and lethal machine gun, operated across Defence.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 58340 on Land Rover: Armed Forces, whether all 5,674 Land Rovers in service across Defence are due to be withdrawn from service by 2030.

Yes, all in-service Land Rovers have a current out of service date of 2030.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2025 to Question 55079 on Armed Forces: Firearms, whether the provision of a replacement rifle-mounted grenade launcher is within the scope of Project Grayburn.

The L123A3 Underslung Grenade Launcher (UGL) remains in-service and compatible with the L85 rifle family. There is currently not a programme of record to replace the UGL, and it is outside the boundaries for Project GRAYBURN. Analysis into optimum levels of lethality in small teams is being conducted, ensuring we continue to deliver highly lethal effects across Defence.

What the scope is of Project Grayburn; and what requirements were laid out to the defence industry on the core characteristics of the next-generation individual weapon to replace the SA80 family of rifles.

Project GRAYBURN is currently in the concept phase with the aim of identifying and understanding the capability requirements. As part of this phase, performance, interoperability and complexity are some of the characteristics under consideration. Due to the current phase of the project and commercial sensitivities I am unable to provide further detail. The Strategic Defence Review sets out a clear path for transformation across Defence. The Defence Investment Plan will set out in more detail the Department’s capability plan in the Autumn, replacing the Defence Equipment Plan.

How many new cadet detachments in (a) schools and (b) communities he plans to create through the Cadet Expansion Programme in the 2025-26 financial year.

The Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) is a joint Department for Education and Ministry of Defence initiative, underway since 2012, which aims to increase the number of cadet units in schools, and the number of cadets within those units. The CEP does not cover cadet units in the community. Given the fantastic benefits which can be gained from the cadet experience the Government wants more young people to be able to become cadets. Our recently published Strategic Defence Review recommended an expansion of Cadet Forces across the country by 30% by 2030 – both in-school and community-based. We will bring forward more detail in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that community and school cadet expansion plans (a) do not conflict and (b) maximise (i) coverage and (ii) the use of resources.

The recently published Strategic Defence Review recommended an expansion of in-school and community-based Cadet Forces across the country by 30% by 2030. Planning for this is underway with further detail to follow and as we move forward, we will ensure that our activities yield maximum gain. This Government is firmly convinced of the fantastic benefits of the cadet experience, and we are keen to make these available to more young people. We know from independent research that each year, participation in the Cadet Forces produces a return on investment in the region of £120 million in terms of health and wellbeing, and an estimated lifetime value of the vocational qualifications gained by the most disadvantaged cadets of well over £130 million.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the Strategic Defence Review 2025 and (b) Project Grayburn on the infantry’s (a) manning establishment, (b) battalion structures and (c) doctrine.

Project GRAYBURN is currently in the concept phase with the aim of identifying and understanding the capability requirements. As part of this phase, performance, interoperability and complexity are some of the characteristics under consideration. Due to the current phase of the project and commercial sensitivities I am unable to provide further detail. The Strategic Defence Review sets out a clear path for transformation across Defence. The Defence Investment Plan will set out in more detail the Department’s capability plan in the Autumn, replacing the Defence Equipment Plan.

How many new cadet detachments will the Cadet Expansion Programme create in (a) schools and (b) communities in 2025/26.

The Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) is a joint Department for Education and Ministry of Defence initiative, underway since 2012, which aims to increase the number of cadet units in schools, and the number of cadets within those units. The CEP does not cover cadet units in the community. Given the fantastic benefits which can be gained from the cadet experience the Government wants more young people to be able to become cadets. Our recently published Strategic Defence Review recommended an expansion of Cadet Forces across the country by 30% by 2030 – both in-school and community-based. We will bring forward more detail in due course.

With reference to the Written Statement of 17 December 2024 on Developments in Military Housing, HCWS323, when his Department commenced negotiations with Annington Homes Ltd. to reacquire 36,000 service family estate homes.

Negotiations with Annington Homes Ltd to reacquire c36,000 Service Family Accommodation properties began in May 2024. These negotiations included direct meetings at a senior level. Continued legal engagement included three legal summits held in November and December 2024. The opportunity for this landmark deal was presented following a High Court ruling in May 2023 in the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) favour. This established MOD’s legal right to reacquire the houses from Annington, providing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix the long-term decline in military housing and deliver homes fit for heroes. The deal represented excellent value for money. MOD purchased the estate for under £6 billion and the properties were valued by Annington at £10.1 billion (when not subject to leases). Eliminating the liabilities associated with the leases created budgetary headroom to partially fund this purchase, meaning that the public expenditure impact of this measure, and the impact on public sector net debt, is confined to £1.7 billion.

Which new Royal Navy vessels will be manufactured with (a) British-made virgin steel, (b) British-made recycled steel and (c) steel sourced overseas.

Royal Navy vessels use a variety of steel, manufactured and sourced from the UK and overseas. Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, currently under construction, are being manufactured predominantly using steel sourced overseas, as the specification of thin plate steel required for shipbuilding cannot currently be reliably sourced in the UK. The Fleet Solid Support ships programme is still in the design phase and no orders for steel have been placed.The sourcing of steel used in our shipbuilding programmes is a matter for the prime contractors, who we encourage to source UK steel wherever it is technically and commercially feasible. We are unable to say whether the UK steel content of the ships currently under construction contain British-made virgin or recycled steel, as this information is not held.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 23535 on Hawk Aircraft, how many Hawk T1 aircraft are airworthy.

There are currently thirteen Hawk T1 aircraft that are airworthy with the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, with a further four aircraft being cycled through scheduled routine depth maintenance. Additional aircraft are held in storage in the sustainment fleet for future support to that forward fleet. We have sufficient airframes to ensure all Red Arrows tasking until 2030 as planned. The Strategic Defence Review committed to a cost-effective fast jet trainer.