Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

What assessment his Department made of the capability of the Pakistani Air Force’s Chinese-made J10C fighter plane in the context of the incident between a Pakistani Air Force J10C and Indian Air Force Rafale jets on 7 May 2025.

Defence Intelligence and the wider UK national security machinery continually monitors and assess international developments in military technology, including Fighter Aircraft, and notably in this case the exported variants, of military technology, that are sold to countries other than where they are designed and built. The recent media articles concerning alleged aerial exchanges between Pakistani and Indian fighter jets are concerning and we recognise China’s ongoing development and proliferation of its military technology.

When all RAF Typhoon FGR4 pilots will be equipped with BAE Systems’ helmet mounted symbology system.

RAF Typhoon FGR4 pilots are currently equipped with the Striker I helmet, which incorporates the BAE Systems' helmet-mounted symbology system.

On what date each batch of the Royal Air Force’s F-35B Lightning II aircraft were (a) ordered, (b) delivered and (c) scheduled to be delivered.

The F-35 programme procures aircraft through annual contracts. The first UK F-35B order was placed in 2009 and delivered in 2012. Between 2009 and 2025, the Ministry of Defence has ordered 48 F-35B aircraft, 38 of which have now been delivered. We are unable to disclose detailed delivery profiles due to commercial sensitivities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 May 2025 to Question 53710 on Private Rented Housing: Energy, how the total undiscounted capital expenditure required to meet the standards was calculated.

DESNZ’s National Buildings Model, which is based on a representative sample of properties in England, was used to simulate landlords installing measures to bring their properties up to the proposed standards. For the preferred consultation option, the measures that landlords were modelled to install by 2030 are shown in Table 5 of the Options Assessment. The total undiscounted capital expenditure incurred by landlords is based on summing the costs of installing all measures, using measure cost assumptions that are based on a range of evidence sources. Undiscounted means that costs are not discounted over time with a social discount rate.

With reference to his speech at the 2025 RUSI Annual Security Lecture on 29 May 2025, if he will list the (a) Ministers and (b) Government officials who approved the content of the speech; and whether Number 10 had advance sight of the speech.

The process was followed as set out in the Ministerial Code.The Attorney General made a further statement on the speech in question which is publicly available.

How the Defence and Security Accelerator is funded.

The Defence and Security Accelerator operating costs are centrally funded by the Ministry of Defence. Funding for Defence and Security innovation competitions come from the competition sponsor.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 May 2025 to Question 52925 on Hinchingbrooke Hospital: Roads, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) Cambridgeshire Constabulary and (b) Hinchingbrooke Hospital on resolving the land ownership dispute.

Pursuant to our answer to Question 52026 on 15 May 2025, the Department is not directly involved in the negotiations over ownership of the land that is proposed for the new access road to Hinchingbrooke Hospital. The New Hospital Programme team in the Department is engaging with the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust and supporting them in their discussions with the Cambridgeshire Constabulary on the potential acquisition of this land for the new access road.

When the UK Defence Innovation organisation will become fully operational; and who it will be led by.

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) will be up and running with an initial operating model by July 2025, transitioning to full operational capability in July 2026. It will be led by a suitably empowered Senior Civil Servant and be accountable to the National Armaments Director (NAD) and the Secretary of State for Defence for its delivery, and closely connected to relevant other Government Departments.

On what date the new National Armaments Director Group will be fully operational.

The National Armaments Director Group will become fully operational through phased implementation and will continue to mature and increase its support to operational readiness as it evolves in line with strategic priorities.Financial Year 2025-26 is a transitional year, with quarterly reform programme milestones and the bulk of the transformation expected to be complete by Financial Year 2026-27.

What assessment she has made of potential risks from sub-threshold Russian activity in relation to the infiltration of potential return hubs located in Eastern Europe.

The Home Office and its partner agencies work closely and continuously with their international counterparts, including those working at the EU external border, to review the patterns and drivers behind migration patterns, assess risks, and develop our responses accordingly.

What (a) questions Ukrainian personnel are asked and (b) checks on their criminal past are conducted by the UK (i) military and (ii) civilian enforcement agencies when they arrive in the UK to undergo military training as part of Operation Interflex.

The Declared Overt Polling Team (DOPT) ask questions to understand the backgrounds of Ukrainian personnel, including levels of education, where they are from, whether they experienced war crimes, lived under occupation and any military experience. The question sets are agreed by the Ukrainian General Staff and the data is owned by the Ukrainian state. As with the majority of NATO Member and Partner Forces visiting or training in the UK, Ukrainian personnel entering the UK are administered per the provisions in the Visiting Forces Act 1952 and the Partnership for Peace Status of Forces Agreement, as agreed by UK and Ukrainian Ministries of Defence. As part of these arrangements, criminal checks are not conducted.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2025 to Question 52922 on Warships: Decommissioning, how much the Romanian Government paid for HMS Pembroke; and what the structure of the payments is.

HMS Pembroke was sold to the Romanian Navy in September 2023, and is currently being prepared for transfer, which is expected to take place by the end of July 2025. The Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose the financial details or payment structures of bilateral defence sales, including the transfer of HMS Pembroke to the Romanian Government, due to commercial and operational sensitivities.

How many innovation hubs are there across Front Line Commands.

There are currently innovation teams/hubs across all of the Commands: Air, Navy, Army, UK Strategic Command, and Space Command. The launch of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) will cohere these hubs under a new operating model which will consolidate, cohere and simplify the current Ministry of Defence structures for innovation.

How the NHS deflator works in relation to the General Dental Service.

The NHS Cost Inflation Index (NHSCII) is a measure of inflation that is used in productivity calculations, and is produced annually in conjunction with NHS England, the Centre for Health Economics at the University of York, and the Office for National Statistics.National Health Service dentists are typically employed under General Dental Services (GDS) contracts. The NHSCII plays no role in determining the value of GDS contracts.GDS contract uplifts comprise of pay and non-pay elements. The non-pay element is uplifted by a measure of inflation. Since the 2022/23 financial year, this measure has been the gross domestic product (GDP) deflator. The GDP deflator has been taken from the rates published as part of the Autumn Statement, and is consistent with the GDP deflator rate used in other areas of primary care.The Government has accepted the recommendation of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration to increase the pay of doctors and dentists by 4%. The uplift to the value of GDS contracts will be net of pay and expenses.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Letter No.1 entitled “Exchange of letters concerning implementation and interpretation of Article 11 of the agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia”, from which budget will the £120m be taken for years four to thirteen of the Agreement.

The costs associated with the deal will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2025 to Question 53289 on RAF Wyton: Housing, when she expects the trailblazer site at RAF Wyton to (a) start and (b) complete development.

It is not yet possible to identify an exact date for when development would start on site because the site is unallocated within the Local Plan and a planning application has not been submitted. The site has potential capacity for 4,500 homes and the timeframe for delivery of these will be determined when the development and planning application come forward.

What his Department's plans are for military gap years.

As announced in the Strategic Defence Review, Defence must offer novel ways of entry into the Armed Forces that attract more people from a wider range of backgrounds. To support this, the Army and Navy are developing short term employment opportunities - “gap year” schemes - for young people across a variety of exciting roles that will upskill, provide apprenticeships, and a flavour of life in the Armed Forces. Full plans will be announced in due course.

Where the six new munitions factories announced in the Strategic Defence Review on 2 June 2025 will be built.

We will set out that detail in due course, but our overall munitions investment will help support jobs and growth across every nation of the UK. We already have important facilities across the UK, supporting thousands of jobs. This new investment will be used to build at least six new munitions and energetics factories across the UK, creating hundreds of skilled jobs and supporting the Government's Plan for Change by driving growth in every region and nation of the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that will be created by the (a) construction and (b) operation of Fens Reservoir.

Anglian Water is responsible for the development of the Fens reservoir. Proposals will be consulted on and will follow the requirements of the National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure. A traffic and transport assessment is currently underway and further information will be shared with communities as part of the next phase of consultation this Autumn. Anglian Water plans to submit the application for a Development Consent Order in 2027. After which determination of the application by the Secretary of State is expected in 2028/29 and should Development Consent be granted, construction of the reservoir could start in 2029/30. A socio-economic strategy for the project is being developed with input from the local authorities and community and includes assessing the number of jobs that could be created both during construction and operation. Anglian Water is carrying out extensive land referencing, and the company’s approach is to seek to acquire land by negotiation, as far as possible. In support of this approach, the project has established a ‘Land Engagement Forum’, established in 2023 to complement the ongoing and direct engagement offered to all land and property owners.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of compulsory purchase orders that will be required in Huntingdon constituency as a result of the construction of the Fens Reservoir.

Anglian Water is responsible for the development of the Fens reservoir. Proposals will be consulted on and will follow the requirements of the National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure. A traffic and transport assessment is currently underway and further information will be shared with communities as part of the next phase of consultation this Autumn. Anglian Water plans to submit the application for a Development Consent Order in 2027. After which determination of the application by the Secretary of State is expected in 2028/29 and should Development Consent be granted, construction of the reservoir could start in 2029/30. A socio-economic strategy for the project is being developed with input from the local authorities and community and includes assessing the number of jobs that could be created both during construction and operation. Anglian Water is carrying out extensive land referencing, and the company’s approach is to seek to acquire land by negotiation, as far as possible. In support of this approach, the project has established a ‘Land Engagement Forum’, established in 2023 to complement the ongoing and direct engagement offered to all land and property owners.