Written questions by Maguire.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the deal to provide Norway with Frigates on Type 23 out of service dates.

The Ministry of Defence welcomes Norway’s defence procurement deal which will see a fleet of Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates operate jointly by Britain and Norway in Northern Europe, significantly strengthening NATO’s northern flank. The Royal Navy is carefully managing the transition from Type 23 to Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, with the Duke Class Type 23s currently due to exit service in 2035. The Royal Navy continuously reviews out of service dates to achieve maximum availability of its’ platforms and ensure that it can meet its’ operational commitments.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the use of AI assisted drones during (a) night time operations and (b) periods of rest for human surveillance teams.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK's conventional force. It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence's capability development.Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities, while these systems' design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

With reference to his Department's Formal Response to the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces 2024 Annual Report published on 1 September 2025, what further steps he is taking to protect service personnel against (a) bullying, (b) harassment and (c) discrimination.

There is no place for bullying, harassment and discrimination within the Armed Forces, and we are committed to preventing these types of behaviours and taking appropriate action when faced with issues or concerns raised by our people. It is vital everyone feels empowered to speak up, knows how to take action, and is confident in doing so. Through the Raising Our Standards programme, Defence seeks to tackle unacceptable behaviours across Defence, strengthen complaints processes, and promote a culture of respect, accountability, and zero tolerance for bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Furthermore, the single Services continue to develop interventions aimed at tackling unacceptable behaviours and providing a supportive environment for those that are affected. In March 2025 the Ministry of Defence also announced its intention to create a new specialist Tri-Service Complaints team, outside of the single Service chains of command, to handle the most serious complaints, such as bullying, harassment and discrimination.

What the average length of time to process applications from people wanting to join the Reserves in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF was in each year since 2020.

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way. Information on the average time to process applications to join the Reserves by Service and year, and the number of people recruited by constituency is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The single Services do not set recruitment targets by constituency. Information on the number of applications to the Volunteer Reserves is provided in the following table: Applications to the Volunteer Reserves, broken down by Service, From 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2025 (12 months ending each 31 March) Service 20212022202320242025Naval2,8322,3932,3152,7153,024Army29,27323,40918,27124,66531,454Royal Air Force4,908N/A3,9784,2575,297Source: Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics 1st July 2025Note:Naval figures for the period ending 31 March 2025 are provisional. There is a break in the time series for the Naval Service following the period ending 31 March 2024 due to a methodology refinement.

What the (a) recruitment target for and (b) actual number of people recruited into the (i) Army Reserves, (ii) Maritime Reserves and (iii) RAF Reserves was by constituency in each year since 2020.

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way. Information on the average time to process applications to join the Reserves by Service and year, and the number of people recruited by constituency is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The single Services do not set recruitment targets by constituency. Information on the number of applications to the Volunteer Reserves is provided in the following table: Applications to the Volunteer Reserves, broken down by Service, From 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2025 (12 months ending each 31 March) Service 20212022202320242025Naval2,8322,3932,3152,7153,024Army29,27323,40918,27124,66531,454Royal Air Force4,908N/A3,9784,2575,297Source: Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics 1st July 2025Note:Naval figures for the period ending 31 March 2025 are provisional. There is a break in the time series for the Naval Service following the period ending 31 March 2024 due to a methodology refinement.

How many applications to join the Reserves for the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF were made in each year since 2020.

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way. Information on the average time to process applications to join the Reserves by Service and year, and the number of people recruited by constituency is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The single Services do not set recruitment targets by constituency. Information on the number of applications to the Volunteer Reserves is provided in the following table: Applications to the Volunteer Reserves, broken down by Service, From 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2025 (12 months ending each 31 March) Service 20212022202320242025Naval2,8322,3932,3152,7153,024Army29,27323,40918,27124,66531,454Royal Air Force4,908N/A3,9784,2575,297Source: Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics 1st July 2025Note:Naval figures for the period ending 31 March 2025 are provisional. There is a break in the time series for the Naval Service following the period ending 31 March 2024 due to a methodology refinement.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending armed forces pension eligibility criteria to include personnel who served for more than six years but left the service before the age of 26 and prior to 6 April 1975.

It is a principle of public service pensions policy, including Armed Forces Pensions, and one that has been upheld by successive Governments, that improvements to pension schemes are not made retrospectively. To concede retrospection for one group would place great pressure on other public service schemes.

Why (a) notice or (b) a transition period was given for the closure of the ARAP scheme.

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) Scheme was not created to be an open-ended scheme, and as such had strict eligibility criteria for applicants to meet before they would be offered relocation. In statements made by the Ministry of Defence in December 2024 and May 2025, intent for scheme closure was reiterated. In the Written Ministerial Statement on 1 July 2025, we explained that throughout the previous year, we have regularly assessed progress, and carefully considered the right time to stop taking on new applications. As explained in that statement, we considered that we had reached the right point. Given the wider context, it was not considered necessary to provide for any transitional period.

Whether his Department has made a recent estimate of the cost to the public purse of bringing pensions for Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 in line with the standard British Army pension.

The Government remains committed to supporting Gurkhas and their families during and after their service with the British Army, as demonstrated by the increase in funding via the Gurkha Welfare Trust, including a £24 million uplift to the medical and healthcare Grant-in-Aid already in place and an extension in principle to that Grant in Aid beyond 2029. We continue to hold discussions with the Government of Nepal and Gurkha Veteran representatives about what more could be done to meet the welfare needs of Gurkhas Veterans and their families, in both the UK and in Nepal. I have met with the Nepali Ambassador H.E. Chandra Ghimire for a productive discussion, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and addressing key concerns between Nepal and the UK. The Government view is that the Gurkha Pension Scheme is a fair scheme, and we are committed to providing Gurkha Veterans with a fair pension. The Gurkha Pension Scheme is different, but these differences are objectively and reasonably justified and reflect the circumstances of their service. One of the key differences is that those on the 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme were paid an immediate pension after 15 years’ service, compared to after 22 years from the Armed Forces Pension.The lawfulness of the Gurkha Pension Scheme has been challenged in a number of judicial reviews since 2003, and the arrangements have been upheld as lawful by the Court of Appeal twice, and by the European Court of Human Rights. An estimate of the kind described has not been undertaken. However, it is the policy of His Majesty’s Government that improvements to public sector pensions in payment cannot be retrospectively applied. In this context, given that the Gurkha Pension Scheme is a closed scheme, this means that improvements to the pension terms cannot be made, because there are no active members to whom they could apply prospectively.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65492 on Iran: Nuclear Weapons, whether his Department has received information on the Iranian nuclear programme from (a) allies and (b) the International Atomic Energy Agency since August 2023.

The Government continues to work closely with our allies to monitor Iran’s nuclear programme, and is in regular contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)including through the UK’s permanent mission in Vienna. The IAEA issued its latest report on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme on 31 May 2025. This report confirmed that Iran had continued to expand its nuclear programme, including through accumulating a large stockpile of High Enriched Uranium. We are also concerned by the Iranian law proposing a suspension of cooperation with the IAEA. Iran must urgently resume cooperation with the IAEA to enable the Agency to verify Iran’s nuclear material as it is legally required to do under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.

Whether his Department has agreed a timeline by which the UK will be able to access the Security Action for Europe fund; and whether a proportion of contracts available to the UK has been agreed.

The UK and the EU have set out our joint ambition to swiftly explore the potential for enhanced cooperation under the SAFE instrument. The specific terms of UK participation will be subject to discussions on a bilateral agreement; we do not wish to pre-empt the outcome of any such negotiations.

What recent assessment he has made of how close Iran is to making nuclear weapons; and what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on this.

The Government is carefully monitoring the current situation in Iran, and continues to work closely with our allies. The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) published its report on national security issues relating to Iran on 10 July 2025 which includes information on Iran’s Nuclear programme https://isc.independent.gov.uk/publications/. As is usual, the Government will also provide a full response to the ISC's report in due course.

Whether his Department has set a target number of days by which individual applications to the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme need to have been assessed by.

Due to the unique nature of each application, and the need to assess each on a case-by-case basis, the Ministry of Defence is unable to set a target number of days by which individual applications to the LGBT Veterans Financial Recognition Scheme need to have been assessed. The assessment process is complex, and processing times will vary based on the specific circumstances of each Veteran’s application. This work must be conducted thoroughly to ensure fair and accurate outcomes for applicants and the responsible management of public funds. We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the Scheme going live to these prioritised groups.

What estimate his Department has made of the potential cost of dismantling Pressurized Water Reactor nuclear reactors on redundant submarines at (a) Devonport and (b) Rosyth dockyards; and what recent discussions the Defence Nuclear Enterprises has had with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on decommissioning those nuclear reactors.

It is not possible to provide an assured cost estimate to dismantle the Pressurised Water Reactors on the decommissioned submarines at Devonport and Rosyth. Once the demonstrator submarine, SWIFTSURE, has achieved full dismantling in 2026 the Department will have a better understanding of cost estimates for the submarine dismantling process, subject to future commercial negotiations. The Defence Nuclear Enterprise continues to work closely with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to ensure collaboration on submarine disposal.

How many unmanned (a) air, (b) ground, (c) underwater and (d) surface systems the armed forces require to meet the Strategic Defence Review's proposed approach to war fighting.

This Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in a significant way over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. The major funding package includes more than £4 billion for autonomous systems in this Parliament. Further details will be set out as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

How many unmanned (a) air, (b) ground, (c) underwater and (d) surface systems the armed forces have in service.

This Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in a significant way over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. The major funding package includes more than £4 billion for autonomous systems in this Parliament. Further details will be set out as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

How many additional unmanned (a) air, (b) ground, (c) underwater and (d) surface systems are planned to be delivered over the next three years.

This Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in a significant way over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. The major funding package includes more than £4 billion for autonomous systems in this Parliament. Further details will be set out as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

If he will publish the (a) medical conditions that would exclude someone from joining the Armed Forces and (b) the specific disqualifying factors that would prevent a potential recruit from joining the (i) Army, (ii) Navy and (iii) RAF.

Joint Service Publication (JSP) 950, Leaflet 6-7-7 sets out the medical employment standards for joining the Armed Forces. The latest edition was published in August 2024 following an intensive review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff and the recruiting agencies. I have placed a copy of JSP950 Leaflet 6-7-7 (August 2024) in the House of Commons library.

Whether he plans to extend the retention bonuses for tri-service aircraft engineers.

Retention payments remain under constant review and are targeted where they provide the best value for recruitment, retention and the taxpayer. For aircraft engineers specifically, we are collecting data on their efficacy and will review if necessary. Financial incentives, including retention payments, are but one method we use to improve recruitment and retention and are not just targeted at aircraft engineers. We are always seeking ways to incentivise Service, not all of which are financial. The Strategic Defence Review also explored the importance of pay and measures to improve retention, including recommending the Ministry of Defence prioritise delivering its 'flexible working' initiative, and providing support towards home ownership. Also announced as part of the Review was over £1.5 billion additional funding to fix forces family housing. As a new Government, we have already improved the childcare offer for Service personnel, secured the largest pay award for Service personnel in 22 years, and we are in the final stages of a landmark bill to appoint an independent Armed Forces Commissioner, giving Service personnel a strong voice that can hold the Government to account.

What financial schemes there are to incentivise former armed forces personnel to enlist in the Reserves.

The Ministry of Defence is always seeking ways to incentivise Service, not all of which are financial. In recent years a variety of financial incentives of varying degrees have been made available for the recruitment of both Regular and Reserve personnel, including re-joiner payments to encourage ex-Regulars to rejoin either Regular or Reserve Service. Recent financial incentives have included a Royal Navy Recruit Bounty Scheme worth £500 and Army Reserve enlistment schemes worth between £500 and £1,200. Golden Hello payments of £100,000 for the recruitment of specialised doctors and £50,000 for specialised nurses are available. There are currently no live schemes for Reserve Service enlistment. The levels of financial incentive for both Regulars and Reserves vary by Service and by trade, but all were location agnostic; numbers of payments have varied according to need and have been generally successful in filling some important roles and trades. Information on the numbers of people who have claimed a financial incentive in each year since 2020 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.