Written questions by Cartlidge.

When was the Chief of the Defence Staff first notified on the availability of a Type 45 Destroyer to deploy to Cyprus.

We constantly review deployments of Royal Navy assets in line with securing the interests of the UK and our allies. As the Chief of the Defence Staff said on the BBC on Saturday 7 March, he looked at the proposals for HMS Dragon being deployed to the Middle East on Tuesday 3 March, and the Defence Secretary signed them off immediately the same day. Since January we have moved significant military assets into the region, ahead of the first US-Israeli strikes, including radar systems, air defence, and F-35 jets. Those preparations made a real difference and mean that we have conducted defensive military operations from day one.

Whether he had discussions with the Chief of the Defence Staff on deploying a Type 45 Destroyer to Cyprus prior to 3 March 2026.

We constantly review deployments of Royal Navy assets in line with securing the interests of the UK and our allies. As the Chief of the Defence Staff said on the BBC on Saturday 7 March, he looked at the proposals for HMS Dragon being deployed to the Middle East on Tuesday 3 March, and the Defence Secretary signed them off immediately the same day. Since January we have moved significant military assets into the region, ahead of the first US-Israeli strikes, including radar systems, air defence, and F-35 jets. Those preparations made a real difference and mean that we have conducted defensive military operations from day one.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 March to Question 115508 on Strategic Defence Review, how many workshops have taken place involving MOD, DHSC and UK health services as of 10 March 2026.

Between February 2025 and 10 March 2026, there have been four multi-day workshops involving the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Health and Social Care and UK health services to explore the UK’s ability to deal with casualties across a range of scenarios up to and including warfighting.

Whether he has authorised any changes to the deployment of British service personnel in the High North since 28 February 2026.

We do not comment on specific deployments for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

Whether he plans to deploy RFA Lyme Bay to the Middle East.

RFA Lyme Bay has departed Gibraltar in order to assist in maritime tasks in the Eastern Mediterranean if necessary.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March to Question 116530 on Diego Garcia: Military Bases, if he will list all treaties his Department has assessed that Mauritius could pursue a legally binding ruling.

I know the hon. Gentleman will recall that the previous Government began the negotiations on BIOT and held rounds of negotiations. He may perhaps also recall the rationale given by Ministers then. It is important that the UK Government is able to take legal advice in confidence. It would also not be prudent to set out all the possible litigation options for another State against the UK. We have already set out some possible routes to a legally binding judgment, and these have been discussed at length including in expert evidence given to the International Agreements Committee in June 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 March to Question 116531 on Defence: Finance, whether the 0.47% of GDP spent not included in the table will be outlined in a formal Government document.

The UK's performance against the NATO spending targets will continue to be reported directly to NATO in the usual way. There are no plans to change this long-standing process.

If he will provide a list of the deployments issued by his Department to the Middle East since 1 January 2026, and the date they were issued.

As per the Defence Secretary’s recent oral statement, our Armed Forces are working 24/7 to protect British lives and British interests in the region, and to support our regional partners. Deployments include air defence teams in Cyprus; counter-drone specialists in Iraq; and fast jet pilots in Qatar. We do not publicly comment on exact details around operational deployments, as it would harm the capability, security and operational effectiveness of UK forces.

Whether a security breach has occurred in any British facilities in Ukraine in the last seven days.

The Ministry of Defence takes the security of its personnel, facilities, and operations in Ukraine extremely seriously. We do not comment on specific security matters or incidents, as doing so could compromise operational security and the safety of our personnel.

What precautions are in place to avoid security breaches originating from his Department's social media channels.

The Ministry of Defence manages its official social media channels under strict Governance and security policies, supported by mandatory training, active monitoring and established incident response processes.

Whether he has authorised a change to the state of readiness of HMS Prince of Wales.

It is the Department’s policy to not disclose the readiness state of individual ships as this would, prejudice the capability, effectiveness and/or security of the Armed Forces.

Whether he has had discussions with (a) his Cypriot counterpart and (b) any Cypriot Government official on the sovereignty of UK military bases on Cyprus.

Our relationship with the Republic of Cyprus has never been closer. During the Defence Secretary’s visit to the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) on 5 March, he met with Defence Minister Palmas and the Head of the Cypriot National Guard. The Defence Secretary has not held discussions with Defence Minister Palmas or other Cypriot Government officials specifically on the sovereignty of the Sovereign Base Areas on the island of Cyprus. The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are fully sovereign UK territory, established under the 1960 Treaty of Establishment.

How many Land Ceptor missiles his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

I am withholding this information for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

What his proposed timetable is for publishing the Defence Investment Plan.

As the Defence Secretary has outlined to the hon. Gentleman a number of times, we will publish it as soon as we can, but our aim is to ensure decisions in the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) are robust and support the development of both current and future capabilities, helping to drive the transformation of our Armed Forces described in the Strategic Defence Review. The DIP will end the hollowing out and underfunding of our Armed Forces that we inherited.

What measures are in place to avoid the geo-location of British facilities in Ukraine by adversaries.

The Ministry of Defence takes the security of its personnel, facilities, and operations in Ukraine extremely seriously. Specific details of those measures cannot be disclosed, as doing so could compromise operational security and the safety of our personnel.

How many Sea Viper missiles his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

I am withholding this information for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

How many Lightweight Multirole Missiles his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

I am withholding this information for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

Whether he has authorised the cancellation of around-the-clock staffing at HMNB Portsmouth.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard) to Question 118824.

How many Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

I am withholding this information for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

What is HMS Ansons' scheduled departure from Australia.

The Ministry of Defence does not comment on the tasks or plans for individual submarines for reasons of national security.