Written questions by Twigg.

What the underspend and overspend was for (a) Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit and (b) Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit for the (i) Royal Navy, (ii) Army and (iii) RAF as at 1 November 2025.

Following Defence Reform, the Capital and Resource Expenditure Limits for the front line commands are managed across the Military Strategic Headquarters instead of individually. The Ministry of Defence applies controls and routine financial management to ensure resources are allocated effectively to meet operational priorities. As such, financial data for the Military Strategic Headquarters will be available in the 2025-26 Annual Report and Accounts in the usual way. As the public would rightly expect, this Government is committed to securing value for money for taxpayers.

Where were the Army's MAN Logistic Support Vehicle built; and what is the age of the vehicles.

The vehicles were manufactured under the responsibility of MAN Truck & Bus UK (MTB UK). The base was produced at MAN’s facilities in Germany and Austria, with UK-specific modifications integrated by MTB UK and specialist subcontractors within the UK. The age of the vehicles is approximately 18 years, entering service in 2007/8.

What his estimate is for carrying out the necessary repairs for the fleet of MAN Logistic Support Vehicles; and how long will it be before the whole fleet is back in service.

Repair analysis is ongoing; however, initial estimates indicate that all vehicles will be returned to full use by early 2026 in accordance with formation priorities.

What times scale he has been given for the noise and vibration issues with the Ajax vehicle to be resolved.

On 22 November, during a routine training exercise, around 30 soldiers operating in Ajax reported being affected by noise and vibration exposure. As a result, I directed the Army to pause all use of Ajax for training and exercising, while a safety investigation is carried out into the events. Those investigations are ongoing and I will update the House at an appropriate point. I am putting in place a Ministerial led review into the Ajax programme, which will assess how effective the Department has been at implementing the actions of previous reviews, and seeking anything further that is required regarding safety. It will be conducted by experts who are not part of the AJAX programme, including Malcolm Chalmers, to provide a more independent view. It will be overseen by me and report to the Defence Secretary. It will be conducted at pace, but it will not be rushed. We will have the Terms of Reference before Christmas.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the cost in (a) time and (b) resource to (i) the Army and (ii) his Department of dealing with problems with the Ajax vehicle.

On 22 November, during a routine training exercise, around 30 soldiers operating in Ajax reported being affected by noise and vibration exposure.Out of an abundance of caution, and in line with our safety protocols, the exercise was halted within 30 minutes so that those affected could receive appropriate medical care. Importantly, none of the symptoms were severe enough to require hospitalisation. As a result, I directed the Army to pause all use of Ajax for training and exercising, while a safety investigation is carried out into the events. Those investigations are ongoing and I will update the House at an appropriate point. Furthermore, I am putting in place a Ministerial led review into the Ajax programme, which will assess how effective the department has been at implementing the actions of previous reviews, and seeking anything further that is required regarding safety.It will be conducted by experts who are not part of the AJAX programme, including Malcolm Chalmers, to provide a more independent view. It will be overseen by me and report to the Defence Secretary.

What amount of financial savings the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army, and (c) Royal Air Force have been asked to make in financial years (i) 2025-26 and (ii) 2026-27.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to him in response to his Question 93654 of 24 November 2025. The Ministry of Defence applies in-year controls across the Department to manage performance against the Defence budget and these controls are subject to continuous review. This approach is part of normal good financial management and ensures that resources are allocated effectively to meet operational priorities.

What amount of financial savings the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army, and (c) Royal Air Force have been asked to make in (i) 2025-26 and (ii) 2026-27.

The Ministry of Defence applies in-year controls across the Department to manage performance against the Defence budget and these controls are subject to continuous review.This approach is part of normal good financial management and ensures that resources are allocated effectively to meet operational priorities.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Fair Funding Review will ensure that the most deprived areas of the country will receive the biggest increases in funding.

The government published the local government finance policy statement Local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29 - GOV.UK and government response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0 on Thursday 20 November which set out the government’s plans to introduce a fairer and evidence-led system, that will realign funding with need and deprivation. The government has used the most robust and up to date evidence available. On this basis, we are now using data from the recently published 2025 Indices of Multiple Deprivation in our assessment of need. We expect that by 2028-29, the top 10% most deprived authorities will see a significant increase in their Core Spending Power per head, compared to the least deprived. We will publish provisional local authority allocations at the upcoming provisional multi-year Settlement in December. Proposals and allocations will be subject to consultation and the usual Parliamentary process.

By what date he expects to have a full fleet of Ajax armoured vehicles.

On current plans, Full Operating Capability for the Armoured Cavalry Programme is expected to be achieved by the end of 2029.

Communities and Local Government, How many housing development applications refused by local authorities have had decisions subsequently been overturned by planning inspectors in each year since 2015.

The table below shows housing development applications refused by local planning authorities and subsequently overturned on appeal, as well as total housing development appeal decisions made by the Planning Inspectorate between the years 2015 and 2025: YearTotal overturnedHousing development decisions20151,9776,79320162,6219,06320172,1927,92820182,0187,25620192,0918,62520201,4666,61820211,4435,93320221,3925,49220231,4805,84720241,5616,35320251,2434,532

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to make any changes to the existing bespoke distribution method for the Recovery Grant.

The local government finance settlement for 2024 to 2025 introduced the Recovery Grant, worth £600 million. This was distributed to places with greater need and demand for services (using deprivation as a proxy), and which are least able to fund their own services locally. The grant laid the foundations for funding reform, ahead of our commitment to bringing forward the Fair Funding Review 2.0 from 2026-27. We consulted on the Fair Funding Review 2.0 over the summer, and we will confirm final details of our proposals through a comprehensive policy statement later in the autumn, followed by a consultation for the provisional local government finance settlement, as usual, later in the year.

When he plans to respond to Question 78005 on Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash, tabled on 10 October 2025 by the hon. Member for Widnes and Halewood.

A response has been issued here.

How many businesses were (a) fined and (b) prosecuted for employing illegal immigrants each year since 2015.

In 2015, 2206 civil penalties were issued for illegal working. Information on illegal working civil penalty statistics has been published since 2016 as part of the Home Office Immigration Transparency Data and can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68a3015732d2c63f8693437d/immigration-enforcement-data-apr-jun-2025.ods on tab CP02.The data reflects the total number of penalties issued, rather than the number of businesses affected, as fines have been imposed on both sole traders and limited companies.The below table provides the number of convictions for employing illegal workers since 2015. Prosecution is targeted at the most persistent offenders. YearIndividuals convicted for employing illegal workers20154201682017420241Total17

Was China officially designated as a threat to national security by the UK Government when (a) the alleged offences of Christopher Berry and Chris Cash for spying for China took place and (b) when the CPS made a decision to prosecute.

The policy of the previous Government during the periods in question was set out in the Integrated Review (March 2021) and the Integrated Review Refresh (March 2023). The previous Government described China as an “epoch defining and systemic challenge”.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2025 to Question 61488 on Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Radiology, what the requirement for radiographers is at Warrington and Halton University Hospitals Trust.

Decisions about staffing levels are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their workforce planning and recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place with the right skills mix, to deliver safe and effective care. The Department does not hold data on the planned radiographer workforce at the Warrington and Halton University Hospitals Trust.

How many GP vacancies there were in GP practices' in the Cheshire and Merseyside ICB as of 1 June 2025.

The data requested is not held centrally. The Government is committed to increasing the general practice workforce. By cutting red tape and investing more into the National Health Service, we have recruited over 1,700 general practitioners into general practice to deliver more appointments since October.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2025 to Question 58934 on Armed Forces: Vacancies, what the ranks of the unfilled posts are; and how long they have been unfilled.

The UK has one of the highest post fill rates in NATO. As of 1 April 2025, the UK’s post allocation was 1,053, of which 82 were unfilled. While 8% of our posts were gapped in April 2025, this was predominantly for a period of less than 10 months. The majority of gaps were at OF-3, OF-4, and OR-6 level, which corresponds to the most in demand ranks of the personnel we provide. The full data for this period is as follows: Ranks (and corresponding Army rank)Number of gaps per rankOF-2 (Captain)8OF-3 (Major)15OF-4 (Lieutenant Col)15OF-5 (Colonel)1OR-2 (Private)1OR-3 (Lance Corporal)2OR-4 (Corporal)10OR-6 (Sergeant)17OR-7 (Staff Sergeant)8OR-8 (Warrant Officer Class 2)2OR-9 (Warrant Officer Class 1)1 Gapped period 0-10 months3511-20 months1020-30 months431-40 months541-50 months850-60 months360+ months15 80

How many consultant posts are vacant in the each of the acute hospital trusts in the Cheshire and Merseyside ICB.

The Department does not hold information on the number of consultant vacancies at hospitals in the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board. NHS England publishes regular high-level statistics on vacancies across National Health Service trusts, which are available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-vacancies-survey

How many radiographers will be trained in each year until 2030.

Later this year, we will publish a new workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

How many radiographers have been in post at Warrington and Halton University Hospitals Trust in each year since 2015.

The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) diagnostic radiographers employed by the Warrington and Halton University Hospitals Trust in each year since 2015:DateFTE diagnostic radiographersMarch 201585March 201682March 201783March 201877March 201980March 202083March 202192March 202288March 202378March 202482March 202592Source: NHS Workforce Statistics, NHS England, available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics/february-2025The trust has not employed therapeutic radiographers for the dates shown.