Written questions by Cartlidge.

What steps he is taking to ensure that critical components of military drones manufactured in the UK and supplied to Ukraine are sourced from UK suppliers.

Where the UK’s drone industry can meet Ukraine’s drone requirements, Task Force KINDRED try to source from UK industry. This has been reaffirmed by the Defence Secretary’s announcement at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group on 4 June 2025, where he pledged £350 million investment into drones this financial year, with the majority of the spend to be with British companies. The UK’s military support to Ukraine is based upon Ukraine’s needs, prioritising speed of delivery for equipment. When drone production or their performance is constrained by supply of components, the Ministry of Defence has worked with UK companies to develop and produce new components.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 19731 on Poland: Guided Weapons, what the planned in service date is for the Future Common Missile.

We are continuing to work with Poland to develop our plans for future Integrated Air and Missile Defence capabilities. The planned in-service dates of those capabilities will be determined in due course.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, how many years will be covered by the £1.5bn always on pipeline for munitions.

Defence is investing £6 billion in munitions this Parliament, including an extra £1.5 billion in an 'always on' pipeline for munitions and building at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK, generating over 1,000 jobs, and boosting export potential.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, in which year the £1.5bn always on pipeline will commence.

Defence is investing £6 billion in munitions this Parliament, including an extra £1.5 billion in an 'always on' pipeline for munitions and building at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK, generating over 1,000 jobs, and boosting export potential.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025 in which year the new £11bn Invest annual budget will commence.

Under Defence Reform, the Department's investment funding has been brought together in one place under the National Armaments Director Group from this financial year. Further details of this invest budget will be set out in the Defence Investment Plan this autumn.

Whether he plans to procure a land cruise missile.

The Strategic Defence Review signifies a landmark shift in our deterrence and defence: moving to warfighting readiness to deter threats and strengthen security in the Euro-Atlantic. Through the Strategic Defence Review, the UK’s defence and deterrence is being bolstered with 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons and a new £1.5 billion Government investment in munitions and energetics factories. Complex weapons, of which cruise missiles are one option, are a necessary part of our warfighting and deterrence. The exact laydown of our complex weapons capability mix is confidential, and it would be inappropriate to comment outside of information that will be included in the Defence Investment Plan.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of submarine docking availability, in the context of his Department’s announcement to produce up to 12 attack submarines.

The Government is committed to ensuring the availability of submarine berths to support all submarine operations. We are focussed on the long-term infrastructure development of His Majesty's Naval Bases Clyde and Devonport to support the United Kingdom's future fleet of submarines.For reasons of operational security, further details on specific berths cannot be disclosed.

With reference to page 5 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, who the new National Armaments Director appointed on 1 April 2025 is.

Andy Start is acting National Armaments Director (NAD). He is also the Chief Executive of the Defence Equipment and Support organisation. This is to ensure that the momentum of Defence Reform is sustained while we recruit for a permanent NAD.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, whether the new CyberEM Command will be a distinct entity to the National Cyber Force.

Yes, the Cyber and Electromagnetic Command will be a distinct entity to the National Cyber Force (NCF). It will put the UK at the forefront of cyber operations. The Strategic Defence Review is clear that the new Cyber and EM Command will not affect the NCF’s authorities or how it conducts operations, but it will cohere and oversee cyber operations for Defence.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, how many years will be covered by the £11bn Invest annual budget.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) sets a path for the next decade and beyond to transform Defence.We will develop a new Defence Investment Plan to deliver the SDR’s vision. We will ensure the Plan is deliverable and affordable, considers infrastructure alongside capabilities, enables flexibility to seize new technology opportunities, and maximises the benefits of defence spending to grow the UK economy. This will supersede the old-style Defence Equipment Plan. This will deliver the best kit and technology into the hands of our front-line forces at speed and, importantly, invest in and grow the UK economy. The Defence Investment Plan will be completed later this year. The plan will highlight how the Government's historic investment in defence will deliver warfighting readiness to deter increasing threats and drive defence as an engine for jobs and growth.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, how much of the £6bn announced for munitions this Parliament has been accounted for in his Department’s budget.

We will develop a new Defence Investment Plan to deliver the Strategic Defence Review’s vision. We will ensure the Plan is deliverable and affordable, considers infrastructure alongside capabilities, enables flexibility to seize new technology opportunities, and maximises the benefits of defence spending to grow the UK economy. This will supersede the old-style Defence Equipment Plan. This will deliver the best kit and technology into the hands of our front-line forces at speed and, importantly, invest in and grow the UK economy. The plan will highlight how the Government's historic investment in defence will deliver warfighting readiness to deter increasing threats and drive defence as an engine for jobs and growth. The Defence Investment Plan will be published later this year.

With reference to Annex 1, Clause 2, of the UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia [CS Mauritius No.1/2025], what protections are in place to ensure that Mauritius does not pass on information relating to an armed attack to any (a) third parties and (b) other nations.

Article 3(2) of the Treaty states that Mauritius cannot undermine, prejudice or otherwise interfere with the long-term, secure and effective operation of the military base on Diego Garcia, and that Mauritius shall cooperate to that end. This will ensure that military operations are not compromised in any way. In addition, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 June 2025 to Question 57298, any notification to Mauritius will take place after the event and will not require the UK to divulge sensitive information.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, how much of the £11bn Invest annual budget represents new money.

We will develop a new Defence Investment Plan to deliver the Strategic Defence Review’s vision. We will ensure the Plan is deliverable and affordable, considers infrastructure alongside capabilities, enables flexibility to seize new technology opportunities, and maximises the benefits of defence spending to grow the UK economy. This will supersede the old-style Defence Equipment Plan. This will deliver the best kit and technology into the hands of our front-line forces at speed and, importantly, invest in and grow the UK economy. The Defence Investment Plan will be completed later this year. The plan will highlight how the Government's historic investment in defence will deliver warfighting readiness to deter increasing threats and drive defence as an engine for jobs and growth.

With reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review: Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, published on 2 June 2025, whether the £15bn investment in the sovereign warhead programme will solely cover the cost of developing the sovereign warhead.

The £15 billion investment in the sovereign warhead programme this Parliament includes sustaining our existing stockpile, developing Astraea; our sovereign replacement warhead programme, and modernising our infrastructure. We will uphold our commitments as a responsible nuclear weapons state.

Whether he plans to hold discussions with local authorities that have voted to divest pension funds from UK defence companies.

The Government is committed to increasing private sector investment in the UK defence sector, recognising its vital role in driving innovation, creating jobs, and enhancing national security. The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommended the Ministry of Defence develop a dedicated financial services strategy by March 2026. We will consult a wide range of stakeholders during the production of this strategy.

What steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to invest pension funds in UK defence companies.

The Government is committed to increasing private sector investment in the UK defence sector, recognising its vital role in driving innovation, creating jobs, and enhancing national security. This commitment was underscored by the Defence Secretary’s speech at the London Stock Exchange on 13 May 2025, the roundtable he chaired with private investors on 2 April, and the establishment of the UK Defence Economic and Growth Taskforce, chaired by the Defence Secretary and the Chancellor.The Strategic Defence Review recommended the Ministry of Defence develop a dedicated financial services strategy by March 2026. We will consult a wide range of stakeholders during the production of this strategy.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 56289 on Ministry of Defence: Documents, what time on 18 July 2023 the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence (a) was sent and (b) received from his Department’s messenger service and (c) was permitted access to an embargoed copy of his Department’s policy paper entitled Defence command paper 2023: defence’s response to a more contested and volatile world, published on 18 July 2023.

Officials have been unable to locate information which goes beyond that provided in my answer to the hon. Member's Question (56289).

Whether UK defence companies received briefings on the contents of the Strategic Defence Review prior to 2 June 2025.

For the launch of the Strategic Defence Review, the Government offered embargoed briefings to our people and senior defence leaders, plus certain Parliamentarians, trade unions, businesses, allies and media. This was broadly consistent with the approach for previous defence reviews.

When he authorised his Department to issue unredacted hard copies of the Strategic Defence Review for viewing by journalists at 10.30am in Horse Guards on 2 June 2025.

For the launch of the Strategic Defence Review, the Government offered embargoed briefings to our people and senior defence leaders, plus certain Parliamentarians, trade unions, businesses, allies and media. This was broadly consistent with the approach for previous defence reviews.

How much the United States contributed to the running cost of the Diego Garcia military base in the most recent financial year for which information is available.

As agreed in the US-UK Exchange of Notes which governs the US use of Diego Garcia, there is no direct payment between the US and the UK for use of the base. The US pays for the operating and maintenance costs of the Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia.