Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Obese-Jecty this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 3,101–3,120 of 4,549 · this parliament
Whether he has visited (a) Samlesbury and (b) Wharton assembly facilities for (i) F-35 and (ii) Typhoon aircraft since 5 July 2024.
These aircraft are an important part of providing security for this country and providing jobs for industry across the UK, and the Secretary of State for Defence hopes to visit these facilities in the near future.
Pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 66728 on Ajax Vehicles, which units within 3 Division will be equipped with Ares in the infantry troop carrying role.
The Army intends to equip the Regular Infantry Units within 3 (UK) Division with Ares in the infantry troop carrying role: 1 MERCIAN, 1 Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, 1 Royal Welsh and 5 Rifles.
Pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 66338 on George Cross Committee, when the decisions of the George Cross Committee are notified to applicants.
The George Cross Committee assesses all recommendations for civilian gallantry awards. The Committee's recommendations are submitted by the Prime Minister to The King, who awards the honour. If an award is recommended and subsequently approved, those nominated for gallantry awards are asked if they are willing to accept. Unlike the King’s Birthday and New Year Honours Lists, there is no set timeline for notification and publication of gallantry lists.
How many people have been relocated to the UK from Afghanistan under the (a) Afghan relocations and assistance policy, (b) Afghan citizens resettlement scheme and (c) Afghanistan Response Route schemes.
When the Taleban seized control in 2021, many thousands of people who served and supported our British Armed Forces were left in Afghanistan.The UK made a commitment to honour the moral obligation we owe to those Afghans who stood with us, there was cross party support for this at the time. In February 2022, under the previous Government a spreadsheet with names of individual applicants for ARAP – the resettlement scheme for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan – was emailed outside of official government systems. This was mistakenly thought to contain the names of a small number of applicants, but in fact the email contained personal information linked to c18700 applicants of ARAP and its predecessor scheme, the Ex-Gratia Scheme (EGS). The data related to applications made on or before 7 January 2022. A very small section of this spreadsheet appeared online on 14th August 2023, which is when the Government first became aware that the MOD's ARAP case working spreadsheet had been mistakenly included with the original email. The previous government decided to seek an injunction concerning the breach on 25th August 2023. The High Court granted a super injunction as a result. The previous Government also set up a new secret resettlement route to bring those affected to the UK. Former Ministers started work on this in Autumn 2023 and it was up and running by April 2024. This Secretary of State then commissioned an independent Policy Review from ex Deputy chief of Defence Intelligence Paul Rimmer. This began earlier this year and concluded and was presented to Ministers in June. The review examined the overall policy context in spring 2025, three years since the data incident and concluded that it appears “highly unlikely” that merely being on the dataset would be grounds for targeting. As the Defence Secretary outlined in his oral statement dated 15 July 2025, the Rimmer review was a very significant element in the Government’s decision to change policy to close the ARR, though not the sole element. This was not a decision taken lightly. We have now made the matter public so it can be subject to full Parliamentary scrutiny. From 2021 to the end of June 2025, under the Afghan Resettlement Programme, there have been 13,200 arrivals through the ACRS, 19,000 through ARAP and 3,400 through the ARR. The number of ARR arrivals are included in the overall figures for ARAP, so previous published statistics have presented an accurate picture of total arrivals.
Media and Sport, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of affordability checks on online betting turnover on racing since its introduction.
The Gambling Commission introduced financial vulnerability checks in August 2024. These checks use only publicly available data, such as bankruptcy orders, to assess risk of significant financial harm. Financial risk assessments, which will look at a more nuanced picture of financial risk, are being piloted by the Commission to ensure they can be introduced in a frictionless manner. Early findings show that 97% of assessments were frictionless, well above the 80% white paper estimate. The Commission is analysing pilot data and will take a decision on whether to introduce these checks in due course. New financial risk checks would replace current operator affordability checks and will be better for customers, operators and racing.
Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential indirect impact of duty harmonisation on the horseracing industry.
The tax treatment of remote gambling is a matter for HM Treasury. Following the conclusion of its recent consultation, we expect that any legislative changes made to gambling duty will be accompanied by a tax information and impact note from HM Treasury, as is standard practice. The Government recognises the significant contribution horseracing makes to our regional economies and our country’s cultural life. DCMS will continue to meet with racing stakeholders to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for the sport.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65665 on Project ASGARD, what his planned timetable is for delivery of capability through Project ASGARD.
ASGARD is working to deliver a step change in lethality for land forces through a software-defined, network enabled, targeting web that will directly link into the Defence Targeting web, driving targeting at a rate unmatched through traditional processes. ASGARD is the British Army's flagship Transformative Capability Initiative. Elements of a prototype software defined deep recce strike complex were tested in May this year. The next iteration of ASGARD, focused at Corps level operations, will be tested in Quarter 2 2026.
How many injunctions have been filed by government departments since 5 July 2024.
This information is not held by the Cabinet Office.
What assessment she has made of the level of use of infra-red reflective number plates.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, various police forces and Trading Standards in relation to the supply and use of infra-red number plates. Work is ongoing to quantify the number of illegal number plates that are in circulation. The evidence gathered will support future initiatives needed to address this issue.
Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to question 64795 on MBR Acres, what are the nature of the national security concerns regarding the site.
MBR Acres is a critical part of the UK’s preclinical research infrastructure, which in turn is crucial for domestic pandemic preparedness. Another pandemic is the top rated risk in the National Risk Register and discovery and development of therapeutics and vaccines, which relies on preclinical research, is one of the outcomes of the UK Biological Security Strategy.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 63151 on F-35 Aircraft: In-flight Refuelling, whether the 12 F-35A aircraft ordered have been specified with (a) solid boom and (b) probe-and-drogue refuelling capability.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 July 2025 to Question 63066.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of adopting the 6.8mm calibre on the personal weapon system infrastructure of the Army.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 April 2025 to Question 45196, which explains that Project GRAYBURN is in its concept phase with the aim of identifying and understanding capability requirements. As part of this phase, various rifle calibres are being considered. The implications of a potential calibre change, including infrastructure, will be balanced against performance requirements.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to Question 64795 on MBR Acres, what additional support has been provided to Cambridgeshire Constabulary on the national security concerns.
We keep things under review at this site at all times.The Government has made a manifesto commitment to phase out animal testing. At present the use of animals in research continues to play a vital part in our understanding of how biological systems work and supports the development of new medicines and medical technologies, for both humans and animals.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to Question 64795 on MBR Acres, what recent assessment she has made of the potential risks to the (a) local and (b) national population from the site.
We keep things under review at this site at all times.The Government has made a manifesto commitment to phase out animal testing. At present the use of animals in research continues to play a vital part in our understanding of how biological systems work and supports the development of new medicines and medical technologies, for both humans and animals.
When the UK-France Nuclear Steering Group will be convened; and who the participants will be.
The UK France Nuclear Steering Group will be chaired by the Presidency of the Republic on the French side and by the Cabinet Office on the UK side. It will include participants from other Ministries and organisations as required. The first meeting will take place in the autumn.
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2024 to Question 15669 on Ajax Vehicles, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of equipping infantry battalions with Ares.
The Army continues to undergo a combined programme of work to ensure our Land Forces will have the lethality, protection and mobility to fight and win against any adversary; and to support the transformation of the Army's two divisions and Corps Headquarters committed to NATO's Strategic Reserve Corps. As part of this the Army intends to reorganise its Heavy Forces units in 3 Division, such that all four would become Armoured Infantry Units based on the Ajax and Boxer family of vehicles. Further detail will be provided in due course.
With reference to the Sun-Ways project in Switzerland, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of using photovoltaic panels between rail tracks for electricity generation.
The Government is committed to working with industry to radically increase our existing solar capacity by 2030 through a variety of methods. Rail track solar could be a feasible solution. However, there are some current obstacles that may inhibit the deployment of this technology in all areas. We will continue to look into these issues with Network Rail to determine what is possible.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of approving the use of beyond-line-of-sight drones by police forces.
Drone technology is developing at a rapid pace and decisions on operational equipment are made independently by police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs.The Home Office and operational partners are working closely across government, including with the UK Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport, to support police use of drones and explore the benefits that future drones’ capabilities may provide to police operations. This includes standardising police operations, trialling innovative use of drones to improve police productivity, and supporting the progression of a future operating model for police aviation.
When (a) was the most recent and (b) is the next scheduled meeting of the George Cross Committee.
The most recent George Cross Committee meeting took place on Thursday 13 March 2025. We do not release the dates of committee meetings ahead of time. This ensures minimising the chance of lobbying of committee members.
Whether Cambridgeshire constabulary's rural crime action team have been designated as an operational support unit or a neighbourhood policing resource.
Our approach to delivery in 2025/25, which will be year 1 of a 4-year programme, is designed to deliver an initial increase to the neighbourhood policing workforce in a manner that is flexible, and can be adapted to the local context and the varied crime demands a force faces. The precise workforce mix proposed in 2025/26 was therefore a local decision.All forces, including Cambridgeshire Constabulary, have agreed neighbourhood policing delivery plans. Cambridgeshire Constabulary has been allocated £2,065,069 and will deliver an increase of 30 police officers, 7 PCSOs and 13 special constables by 31 March 2026. Force-level recruitment projections are also published here: Neighbourhood policing grant allocations and projections: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK.Additionally, this financial year we are providing Home Office funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit. The unit aims to help police forces tackle rural crime priorities through the provision of specialist operational support, as well as through sharing best practice and encouraging regional and national approaches to tackling rural crime.