Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October to Question 79450 on Guided Weapons, which project the £1billion investment to enhance our homeland air and missile defence falls under.

The £1 billion investment in Integrated Air and Missile Defence follows the Strategic Defence Review's recommendation and respond to the threat the UK faces in the Air domain. There is no project name for this investment. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan to be published this year.

What progress he has made on establishing the Office for Small Business Growth.

Planning for the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth continues.  The support that will be offered by the Office has been developed following wide ranging consultation with a variety of stakeholders, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), prime contractors, trade associations, mid-tier suppliers, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, and academia. The Office for Small Business Growth will be established by the end of January 2026 on a limited basis and develop its offering throughout 2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 81534 on Hinchingbrooke Hospital: Medical Records, what steps he has taken to provide funding to ensure Hinchingbrooke Hospital can provide its core capabilities in their digital systems.

Hinchingbrooke Hospital is part of the North West Anglia Foundation Trust (NWAFT). All National Health Service trusts complete an annual self-assessment of their digital maturity against the seven dimensions of the What Good Looks Like framework. The results of this assessment have not yet been released. Further information is available on the What Good Looks Like framework at the following link: https://transform.england.nhs.uk/digitise-connect-transform/what-good-looks-like/what-good-looks-like-publication/ NHS England is supporting NWAFT to produce a robust and affordable Outline Business Case to procure an Electronic Patient Record that meets the core capabilities set out by the NHS England Frontline Digitisation programme. This includes providing procurement support, subject matter expertise, and funding, including both capital and revenue. NHS England has provided £9.7 million to support NWAFT with these activities to date.

In which prisons the planned new houseblocks will be constructed.

As set out in the 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy, we are committed to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places. This consists of the construction of four new prisons, including HMP Millsike that opened in early 2025, as well as the expansion and refurbishment of the existing estate.Our delivery plans include contingency places that act as resilience to the programme if a project becomes undeliverable or provides poor value for money and is not taken forward.The planned expansion of the estate includes the delivery of new houseblocks at the following prisons:HMP Fosse WayHMP ElmleyHMP NorthumberlandHMP HumberHMP RanbyHMP BullingdonHMP ErlestokeHMP Guys MarshHMP OnleyHMP Lancaster FarmsHMP ParcHMP Channings WoodHMP HighpointHMP LeyhillHMP Standford HillHMP SpringhillHMP WaylandHMP HatfieldHMP FordHMP HindleyWe are on track to deliver 14,000 additional places by 2031 and have already delivered c.2,600 since taking office.

What the scope is of Exercise PEGASUS.

Exercise PEGASUS is a pandemic preparedness exercise, based on a novel enterovirus, led by the Department, with the UK Health Security Agency. It has been the largest simulation of a pandemic in the history of the United Kingdom and has involved all Government departments, the devolved administrations, local resilience forums, and other key stakeholders. Live participation in the exercise took place between September and November 2025, simulating the lifecycle of a pandemic, including emergence, containment, and mitigation, and sought to test decision-making processes at every level. A fourth phase, for recovery, is planned to be exercised via a ‘table-top’ in 2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October to Question 79482 on Defence: Intelligence Services, whether the Defence Counterintelligence Unit was delivered by the November 2025 timeline outlined in the Strategic Defence Review.

The Defence Counterintelligence Unit (DCIU) was endorsed at the Military Strategic Headquarters Board earlier in November 2025, in line with the timeline outlined in the Strategic Defence Review. This unit will build on the work of existing capabilities in Defence with further work required to reach full operating capability. We expect to announce further progress on the intelligence recommendations from the Strategic Defence Review, including the DCIU, by the end of the year.

What progress he has made on delivering the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability programme.

An Outline Business Case covering the Construction Test and Evaluation phase for the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability programme (DARC) was submitted to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Investments Approval Committee this summer. It is now being considered alongside other investments as part of the Government's ongoing Defence Investment Plan (DIP). The MOD has already begun a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed redevelopment of Cawdor Barracks for the DARC site. This includes a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment to ensure that DARC has a minimal impact on the local skyline.The EIA is part of a Town Planning application that will be submitted to the local planning authority in due course.

What role the Office for Defence Exports played in the recent deal for Turkey to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoons.

A cross-Government team worked on successfully delivering Typhoon to Turkey. The Defence Export Office provided expert advice and support during this process.

Who the eight companies participating in Phase 2 of Project REPLICATOR 2 are.

From an initial 196 bidders, six suppliers have been down-selected for physical trials. The name of these companies cannot yet be disclosed publicly.

What progress he has made on delivering the Shadow MK2 upgrade programme.

I can confirm that the Shadow Mk2 upgrade programme has been cancelled as it is late and has failed to deliver the capability that our Armed Forces need. It is also facing unacceptable cost escalation and delays.This decision will allow us to focus on investing in other defence priorities and the Shadow Mk1.We won't shy away from making difficult decisions that arise in the best interests of our Armed Forces and the taxpayer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of changing water regulation to permit dynamic abstraction from rivers during high river levels which cause flooding.

Defra recognises the value of flood and high flow water, especially in water stressed catchments. The Environment Agency (EA) has published a Regulatory Position Statement that allows abstractors to pump water outside of normal licence conditions during flood warnings. It is also reviewing the licensing requirements for other low risk abstractions, including high flow abstraction. The EA encourages abstractors to take advantage of high flows by varying their licences. It has introduced ‘e-alerts’ to notify abstractors when flows exceed licence thresholds, is exploring the potential for automated pumping systems, and supporting a ‘smart farming’ project sponsored by MHCLG to further improve access. Water taken by abstractors will have minimal effect on reducing flooding, as pumping capacities would typically be dwarfed by flood volumes. The planned move of water resources into the Environmental Permitting Regulations will provide even greater flexibility to ensure abstractors can access high flow and flood water.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 October to Question 81534 on Hinchingbrooke Hospital: Medical Records, what the outcome was of the review of the strategic outline case for the new hospital as part of the New Hospitals Programme.

The Strategic Outline Case for the New Hospital Programme scheme at Hinchingbrooke Hospital was approved by the Department’s Joint Investment Committee on 22 October 2025 and has since been approved by ministers.

Who the members are of the Defence Investors’ Advisory Group.

The Defence Investors Advisory Group is co-chaired by Kerry Baldwin and Sharon White (Baroness White of Tufnell Park) and brings together venture growth, private equity, lending and financial expertise to inform the development and delivery of the Defence Finance and Investment Strategy (DFIS), to be developed by early 2026.

How many people are on the violent harm assessment database by (a) age, (b) nationality and (c) ethnicity.

The Violence Harm Assessment database is an internal tool used by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to identify and risk assess individuals involved in violence in London.The Home Office are not responsible for the database and the MPS publish summary statistics on the demographic background of those individuals on the database, which can be found here: Violence Harm Assessment | Metropolitan Police .

What discussions he has had with cabinet colleagues on the UK’s position in the event of military action by the United States against Venezuela.

The Defence Secretary engages with Cabinet colleagues on a range of foreign policy issues. The US is the UK’s principal defence and security partner and the depth of our defence relationship with the US remains an essential pillar of our security.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83494 on Drugs: Organised Crime, what the name is of the dedicated fund used to provide additional funding to tackle county lines.

We are investing more than £43m this financial year (25/26) in the County Lines Programme, to target exploitative drug dealing gangs whilst breaking the organised crime groups behind this trade.Whilst we have prioritised investment in the five police forces with the greatest number of ‘exported’ county lines (Metropolitan Police, Merseyside Police, West Midlands Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police), the Programme also provides funding for the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response and a dedicated fund which provides local police forces with additional funding to tackle county lines, referred to as the County Lines Programme ‘Surge Fund’.The Surge Fund is allocated to forces through a bidding process, managed by the NCLCC on behalf of the Home Office. Funding is allocated based on NCLCC’s assessment of county lines threat and impact.As one of the top importing areas for county lines, Cambridgeshire Constabulary have consistently received investment from the Surge Fund. The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of individual police force allocations due to operational sensitivities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83494 on Drugs: Organised Crime, how much additional funding to help tackle county lines was provided to Cambridgeshire Constabulary in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-26.

We are investing more than £43m this financial year (25/26) in the County Lines Programme, to target exploitative drug dealing gangs whilst breaking the organised crime groups behind this trade.Whilst we have prioritised investment in the five police forces with the greatest number of ‘exported’ county lines (Metropolitan Police, Merseyside Police, West Midlands Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police), the Programme also provides funding for the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response and a dedicated fund which provides local police forces with additional funding to tackle county lines, referred to as the County Lines Programme ‘Surge Fund’.The Surge Fund is allocated to forces through a bidding process, managed by the NCLCC on behalf of the Home Office. Funding is allocated based on NCLCC’s assessment of county lines threat and impact.As one of the top importing areas for county lines, Cambridgeshire Constabulary have consistently received investment from the Surge Fund. The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of individual police force allocations due to operational sensitivities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83494 on Drugs: Organised Crime, how the amount of additional funding to tackle county lines was calculated for each police force.

We are investing more than £43m this financial year (25/26) in the County Lines Programme, to target exploitative drug dealing gangs whilst breaking the organised crime groups behind this trade.Whilst we have prioritised investment in the five police forces with the greatest number of ‘exported’ county lines (Metropolitan Police, Merseyside Police, West Midlands Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police), the Programme also provides funding for the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response and a dedicated fund which provides local police forces with additional funding to tackle county lines, referred to as the County Lines Programme ‘Surge Fund’.The Surge Fund is allocated to forces through a bidding process, managed by the NCLCC on behalf of the Home Office. Funding is allocated based on NCLCC’s assessment of county lines threat and impact.As one of the top importing areas for county lines, Cambridgeshire Constabulary have consistently received investment from the Surge Fund. The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of individual police force allocations due to operational sensitivities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 October to Question 83064 on Unmanned Air Systems: Training, how many base level FPV operators were trained via Project DRONE ACADEMY.

Project DRONE ACADEMY was a time limited innovation project that ran for 12 months from May 2024 to April 2025. The 120 operators were trained from a variety of units across Army, Navy and Air Force. At the end of the trial, all lessons and equipment from the project were transferred to the Army’s Combat Manoeuvre Centre (CMC) to inform their ongoing FPV drone flying training offering.

How many new prisons have been (a) planned and (b) approved since 5 July 2024.

As set out in the December 2024 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy, we are committed to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places and aim to do so by 2031; we have already delivered c.2,600 of these since taking office.No new prisons have been (a) planned or (b) approved since 5 July 2024.However, since 5 July 2024, the delivery of c.1,080 places have been approved through the Small Secure Houseblocks programme at the following sites:HMP NorthumberlandHMP Lancaster FarmsHMP HumberHMP RanbyHMP OnleyHMP ErlestokeWe have also uplifted the Accelerated Houseblock Delivery Programme by c.125 places at HMP Wayland.