Every parliamentary written question tabled by Dave Doogan this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 41–59 of 59 · Ministry of Defence
Whether he plans to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP.
This will form part of discussions ahead of the NATO Summit at the end of June. As these proposals are subject to agreement of all NATO Allies, including the UK, it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.
How much of the (a) £7bn of funding for military accommodation and (b) the £1.5bn investment for rapid work on forces family housing will be spent in Scotland.
The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking an extensive review of its entire military accommodation portfolio, including how the Department will make best use of the properties that have been reacquired from Annington, and which homes and locations can most benefit from investment. The Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, will set out wider plans to improve the standard of Service family homes. The sites that will be refurbished are being worked through carefully, with the ambition to fairly make improvements across the devolved nations within the UK. It is too early to say where funding will be spent.
Which military accommodation sites are in most urgent need of repair.
The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking an extensive review of its entire military accommodation portfolio, including how the Department will make best use of the properties that have been reacquired from Annington, and which homes and locations can most benefit from investment. The Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, will set out wider plans to improve the standard of Service family homes. The sites that will be refurbished are being worked through carefully, with the ambition to fairly make improvements across the devolved nations within the UK. It is too early to say where funding will be spent.
When he plans to inform Parliament of the outcome of the (a) Defence Industrial Strategy, (b) Defence Diplomacy Strategy, (c) Defence Housing Strategy, (d) Defence Estate Optimisation programme and (e) a dedicated Defence Strategy for the financial services sector.
In line with usual protocols, Defence Ministers will inform, engage and communicate with Parliament the outcomes of all Defence Strategies and programmes once they have been internally agreed.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of releasing documents relating to the 1994 RAF Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre early.
The early release of the closed records held at The National Archives would breach those individuals’ data protection rights as they contain personal information relating to third party individuals. However, as part of the Ministry of Defence’s business as usual activity to renew the Retention Instrument associated with these closed records, an assessment of the potential merit of removing the 100-year closure status is due to take place in 2029.
If he will meet with the families involved in the Chinook Justice Campaign.
The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and my thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died. We have received a pre-action protocol letter from the Chinook Justice Campaign and are considering our response. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further.
On what date the Strategic Defence Review will be published.
As the Prime Minister said in his Statement on Defence and Security in the House of Commons, the Strategic Defence Review is advanced and we will bring it to the House as soon as we can.
Pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2025 to Question 49938 on Nuclear Submarines: Safety, what the Category (a) A and (b) B Nuclear Site Event Reports recorded at (i) Coulport and (ii) Faslane were.
Nuclear Site Event Reports are raised to foster a robust safety culture that learns from experience, whether that is equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcoming or near-misses. I cannot provide specific detail for the events as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of any relevant forces, I can assure the hon. Member that none of the events listed in Question 49938 caused harm to the health of any member of staff or to any member of the public and none have resulted in any radiological impact to the environment.
Whether any components of the (a) Mk4 and (b) Mk4A Holbrock warhead were (i) manufactured in and (ii) procured from the US, other than the (A) arming, (B) fusing and firing system, (C) neutron initiators and (D) gas transfer system.
In addition to the Mk4/4a components listed by the hon. Member, the UK acquires the Mk4 aeroshell from the US under the auspices of the 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement (as amended in 1982 for Trident). Utilising US non-nuclear warhead components brings significant cost benefits and ensures we remain compatible with the Trident missile, however, the requirements, design and manufacture of the Holbrook warhead are independent to the UK.
How many nuclear site events there were at (a) Coulport and (b) Faslane in the last 12 months.
The table below shows the number of Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) at Coulport and Faslane recorded between 22 April 2024 to 22 April 2025. These are shown according to agreed categorisation: Nuclear Site Events- 2024 22/04/2024 - 31/12/2024Category ACategory BCategory CCategory DBelow ScaleCoulport009251Faslane03225836 Nuclear Site Events- 2025 01/01/2025 - 22/04/2025Category ACategory BCategory CCategory DBelow ScaleCoulport00490Faslane127135 In line with Industry Good Practice and in common with other defence and civil nuclear sites, His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde has a well-established system for raising NSERs. NSERs are raised to foster a robust safety culture that learns from experience, whether that is of equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcomings or near-misses.
If he will make an estimate of the cost of increasing the number of full-time trained regular Army personnel by 3,000.
The Strategic Defence Review will determine the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century, including for the British Army. The Review has been considering all aspects of Defence, such as the future force design of the British Army. It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate due to the number of variables involved in the calculation, for example the role(s) any additional personnel would be undertaking.
Whether US-owned nuclear weapons are permitted to be stationed at RAF Lakenheath.
It remains longstanding UK and NATO policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location.
What the average monthly flying hours are for each F-35 by airframe since they entered full operational capability.
Average monthly flying hours of individual airframes is not a metric that is collated and as the information is not held in this format it could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The metric that is collated is the total airframe hours since delivery for which I refer the hon. Member to the Answer to Question 34922 on 6 March 2025.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 36131 on F-35 Aircraft: Procurement, if the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry will meet with the hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens to discuss that answer.
I would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss that answer.
If he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the implementation of the 2015 memorandum of understanding between Ireland and the UK on defence.
The Defence MOU between the United Kingdom and Ireland underscores the breadth of our bilateral relationship with Ireland. Since it was signed in 2015, we have enhanced cooperation in exchanging information, exercises and training, UN mandated International peacekeeping, crisis management operations, capability developments, and cyber defence and security, among many other areas of cooperation. The Ministry of Defence keeps effectiveness of these arrangements these under regular review including through staff talks.
When each F-35 entered into service.
I am withholding the requested information as it would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
How many hours have been flown in each UK F35 since they entered full operational capability.
The total flying hours accumulated for each airframe from first flight of each airframe to December 2024 is as follows.Airframe tail number - Total Hours flown ZM135 1,088ZM136 1,058ZM137 795ZM138 976ZM139 976ZM140 858ZM141 721ZM142 945ZM143 867ZM144 758ZM145 872ZM146 847ZM147 589ZM148 533ZM149 816ZM150 550ZM151 650ZM152 425ZM153 380ZM154 533ZM155 389ZM156 558ZM157 411ZM158 504ZM159 653ZM160 488ZM161 587ZM162 357ZM163 323ZM164 286ZM165 83ZM166 86ZM167 63ZM168 98ZM169 151
With reference to his Department's press release entitled Landmark £9 billion contract for British business to boost jobs, growth and nuclear deterrent, published on 24 January 2025, how many of the jobs in (a) Cardiff and (b) Glasgow are already in existence working on elements of defence nuclear power.
Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd indicate that at the end of January 2025 there are currently three posts filled in Cardiff with plans to recruit up to an additional 127 posts in the next 14 months. There are 64 posts filled in Glasgow with plans to recruit up to an additional 56 posts over the next 14 months.
What estimate he has made of how many jobs the Unity Contract with Rolls Royce will create in (a) Cardiff and (b) Glasgow.
Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd estimate the Unity contract will create at least 200 new jobs in Glasgow and Cardiff providing the company with longer-term contractual security to plan and develop their existing and future workforce.