Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

With reference to Box 12 page 105 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, updated on 8 July 2025, what the full scope is of Atlantic Bastion’s approach.

Atlantic Bastion is a portfolio of programmes to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and in support of NATO against a range of underwater threats. It will develop a range of capabilities that enhance existing systems and deploy new platforms into the North Atlantic. It is separate from Baltic Sentry, which is a NATO led activity in the Baltic Sea to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. The Royal Navy will be able to learn from Baltic Sentry and be able to share lessons from Bastion programmes with NATO allies. Through AUKUS Pillar 2, the nations are working together on an algorithm to support Maritime Patrol Aircraft processing systems. This work will inform future capability development of Bastion systems powered by AI to enhance acoustic detection. Capability options under Atlantic Bastion are submitted for consideration in the Defence Investment Plan. Options for capabilities that would be deployable from the Type 26 Frigate Force are included in these options.

With reference to Box 12 page 105 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what is the composition of the Atlantic Bastion Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate force.

Atlantic Bastion is a portfolio of programmes to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and in support of NATO against a range of underwater threats. It will develop a range of capabilities that enhance existing systems and deploy new platforms into the North Atlantic. It is separate from Baltic Sentry, which is a NATO led activity in the Baltic Sea to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. The Royal Navy will be able to learn from Baltic Sentry and be able to share lessons from Bastion programmes with NATO allies. Through AUKUS Pillar 2, the nations are working together on an algorithm to support Maritime Patrol Aircraft processing systems. This work will inform future capability development of Bastion systems powered by AI to enhance acoustic detection. Capability options under Atlantic Bastion are submitted for consideration in the Defence Investment Plan. Options for capabilities that would be deployable from the Type 26 Frigate Force are included in these options.

With reference to page 70 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 8 July 2025, what the top ten people policies are that will be rewritten by May 2026.

The following ten policies are planned to be rewritten by May 2026:The Tri-Service Resettlement and Employment Support ManualRegulations for the Mobilisation of UK Reserve ForcesCentre-Determined Policy for Career Management and Admin of Tri-Service Positions and assignmentsTri-Service Regulations for Leave and Other Types of AbsenceRedress of Individual Grievances: Service ComplaintsDefence Training and Education Policy and GuidanceDefence Policy for Administration of Personal Development on JPAOperational Movements and TrackingBehaviours and Informal Complaints ResolutionZero Tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Work has commenced on the first five of these policies with the subsequent five subject to change.

Which areas are covered by Operations (a) Atlantic Bastion and (b) Baltic Sentry.

Atlantic Bastion is a portfolio of programmes to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and in support of NATO against a range of underwater threats. It will develop a range of capabilities that enhance existing systems and deploy new platforms into the North Atlantic. It is separate from Baltic Sentry, which is a NATO led activity in the Baltic Sea to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. The Royal Navy will be able to learn from Baltic Sentry and be able to share lessons from Bastion programmes with NATO allies. Through AUKUS Pillar 2, the nations are working together on an algorithm to support Maritime Patrol Aircraft processing systems. This work will inform future capability development of Bastion systems powered by AI to enhance acoustic detection. Capability options under Atlantic Bastion are submitted for consideration in the Defence Investment Plan. Options for capabilities that would be deployable from the Type 26 Frigate Force are included in these options.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to page 11 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what diplomatic steps she has taken with her Indonesian counterpart to help shape International norms.

The Government is delivering this objective through both multilateral fora, including the World Trade Organisation and United Nations, and through bilateral engagement with a range of global partners, including Canada. The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to counterparts across the world about trade cooperation and security, to ensure we can deliver for the UK's future.

What proportion of (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) Royal Air Force personnel are categorised as non-deployable.

The table below presents the portion of UK Armed Forces personnel categorised as Medically Not Deployable, broken down by service, as at 1 July 2025: Medically Not DeployableRoyal Navy (including Royal Marines)9.9%British Army10.0%Royal Air Force12.3%

With reference to page 131 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, how much funding from his Department will be required to increase shared capacity with the Department of Health and Social Care.

There is a strong foundation of cross-Government working between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), including planning to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies. A series of workshops involving both the MOD and DHSC are exploring the UK’s ability to deal with various combat scenarios and the treatment of casualties. The MOD is also participating in DHSC’s cross-Government Exercise PEGASUS, the national tier 1 pandemic preparedness exercise set to assess the UK’s ability to respond to a pandemic. Both activities focus on understanding system-wide capacity and capability, potential future need and shared plans for delivery.

With reference to page 131 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, updated on 8 July 20025, what progress he has made in ensuring Defence Medical Services share expertise and skills with (a) the NHS and (b) private healthcare providers.

There is a strong foundation of cross-Government working between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), including planning to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies. A series of workshops involving both the MOD and DHSC are exploring the UK’s ability to deal with various combat scenarios and the treatment of casualties. The MOD is also participating in DHSC’s cross-Government Exercise PEGASUS, the national tier 1 pandemic preparedness exercise set to assess the UK’s ability to respond to a pandemic. Both activities focus on understanding system-wide capacity and capability, potential future need and shared plans for delivery.

With reference to page 130 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on creating a shared understanding of (a) current capacity, (b) current and potential future need and (c) shared plans for delivery.

There is a strong foundation of cross-Government working between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), including planning to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies. A series of workshops involving both the MOD and DHSC are exploring the UK’s ability to deal with various combat scenarios and the treatment of casualties. The MOD is also participating in DHSC’s cross-Government Exercise PEGASUS, the national tier 1 pandemic preparedness exercise set to assess the UK’s ability to respond to a pandemic. Both activities focus on understanding system-wide capacity and capability, potential future need and shared plans for delivery.

With reference to page 70 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 8 July 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of moving regular personnel from administrative to front-line roles on the number of roles in the Adjutant Generals’ Corps.

The Adjutant General’s Corps (AGC) plays a critical role in delivering administrative, personnel, and support services, including policing, detention, education, and legal services. In response to the Strategic Defence Review 2025, the Department has committed to optimising personnel allocation, including transitioning regular personnel from administrative to front-line roles where appropriate. An assessment of the potential impact of this commitment on the AGC is underway. Any changes to its structure will be carefully managed to maintain operational effectiveness and administrative efficiency. The AGC is engaging with Defence stakeholders to modernise processes, including digitisation and civilianisation of administrative tasks, enabling regular personnel to focus on front-line duties. Workforce requirements are under constant review to ensure the AGC continues to deliver its essential functions effectively. Further updates will follow as the Strategic Defence Review is implemented.

With reference to page 70 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 8 July 2025, what progress he has made in moving regular personnel from administrative into front-line roles.

The Defence Reform and Efficiency Plan (which is part of our Defence Investment Plan) to be published in the autumn, will include initiatives that will deliver automation across Human Resources, Finance and Commercial functions, driven through Corporate Services Modernisation that will deliver improved processes through new automated tools and systems across the functions. The specific automation savings and timelines across all workforces are currently being defined in detail to meet the Strategic Defence Review recommendations. The benefits and associated financial savings with these initiatives along with the timelines to deliver this are subject to the outcome of the Defence Investment Plan. The automation of HR, Financial and Commercial processes will enable Defence to redeploy Armed Forces Personnel from administrative roles to Front Line roles.

With reference to page 131 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on aligning with the NHS on (a) pay, (b) benefits and (c) terms and conditions.

The implementation of the Strategic Defence Review vision and recommendations is underway, including to ensure that pay and benefits for military medical personnel are competitive with civilian healthcare roles. The Ministry of Defence has worked to align benefits with those offered by the NHS, including pension schemes, allowances, and access to professional development opportunities. Defence personnel will benefit from unique offerings, such as subsidised accommodation, access to military facilities, and opportunities for operational experience. On terms and conditions, work is progressing to modernise terms and conditions to reflect NHS standards where appropriate. This includes exploring greater flexibility in working arrangements, improved leave policies, and support for work-life balance.

With reference to recommendation 48 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on reviewing (a) storage and (b) other standards to remove regulations.

I refer the hon. Member to the response my noble friend, the Lord Coaker, gave on 24 July to Question HL9399.I would also like to add that Astra, established in 2020, is the Royal Air Force's (RAF) approach to grassroots innovation. It focuses on adopting and adapting technology to address challenges, questioning restrictive policies and processes, and incrementally improving practices to enhance operational effectiveness. Over the past two years, Astra initiatives have delivered significant benefits, including saving approximately 250,000 workforce hours annually, while improving key areas such as aircraft availability, sustainability, and operational readiness. The Astra team, along with the rest of the RAF, remains fully committed to delivering Recommendation 48 of the Strategic Defence Review.

With reference to page 70 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 8 July 2025, what recent progress he has made on automating (a) human resources, (b) finance and (c) commercial functions.

The Defence Reform and Efficiency Plan (which is part of our Defence Investment Plan) to be published in the autumn, will include initiatives that will deliver automation across Human Resources, Finance and Commercial functions, driven through Corporate Services Modernisation that will deliver improved processes through new automated tools and systems across the functions. The specific automation savings and timelines across all workforces are currently being defined in detail to meet the Strategic Defence Review recommendations. The benefits and associated financial savings with these initiatives along with the timelines to deliver this are subject to the outcome of the Defence Investment Plan. The automation of HR, Financial and Commercial processes will enable Defence to redeploy Armed Forces Personnel from administrative roles to Front Line roles.

With reference to page 88 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on organising public engagement days.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 September 2025 to Question 70737 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr James Cartlidge).

What recent progress he has made on migrating official tier users to the new MODNET platform.

16,000 devices (approx. 8%) have been enrolled to the new MODNET platform as at week commencing 6 October 2025. A site-by-site device migration is currently underway.

With reference to page 22 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what the composition is of the Joint Expeditionary Force.

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a coalition of ten like-minded NATO nations: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, which acts as Framework Nation. The JEF is a high-readiness multinational defence framework designed to respond rapidly to crises, particularly in the High North, North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea Region. It operates flexibly, with no standing force elements, instead drawing national contributions on a case-by-case basis.

With reference to page 120 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on fusing CyberEM activity in pursuit of (a) sovereign and (b) NATO operations.

The Ministry of Defence works closely with allies and partners on shared mission sets in preparing for future operational scenarios. The newly established 2 star Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force (within Cyber and Specialist Operations Command) will drive the fusion of these efforts, with a particular emphasis on electromagnetic operations. This approach aims to ensure that insights from the Ukraine conflict are applied to both present and future sovereign and NATO strategy development and operational planning.

What progress he has made on dismantling HMS Swiftsure.

To date almost 550 tonnes of conventional waste have been removed and recycled from Swiftsure, with 90% of her total weight expected to be recycled in due course. In June 2025, Swiftsure’s fin was cut and removed, marking a key project milestone. This unique project is providing a safe, environmentally responsible and cost-effective solution for the recycling of the UK’s decommissioned nuclear fleet and supports 200 highly-skilled jobs in Rosyth.

With reference to page 117 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, what progress he he made on building on UK membership of (a) minilateral groupings and (b) the Combined Space Operations initiative to help ensure that NATO has an effective space policy.

The United Kingdom remains firmly committed to collaborating with international partners and allies through a range of fora, including the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) initiative. Through these partnerships, we are building a shared understanding of evolving space threats, integrating space more effectively into defence operations, and pursuing interoperability and resilience across our defence space capabilities. As NATO continues to implement its space policy, the United Kingdom is actively contributing to these efforts by leveraging the expertise and insights gained through wider collaboration with international partners, many of whom are also NATO members. In doing so, the United Kingdom helps to shape discussions and drive progress on NATO’s space policy, strengthening the Alliance’s ability to address emerging challenges in an increasingly contested space environment.