Written questions by Cartlidge.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled New British Army robotic mine plough aims to better shield soldiers from danger, published on 10 April 2025, how many remote-controlled mine plough systems has he ordered since 10 April 2025.

The WEEVIL prototype currently uses the Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle, fitted with a full-width mine plough, advanced remote-control system, and vehicle-mounted cameras. Project Atilla is the Army's term for the delivery of the WEEVIL capability. Whilst Project Atilla is currently in its concept phase, it is expected to have an in-service date of 2032. Since April 2025, one Warrior platform has been adapted with the WEEVIL capability. The Army is considering adapting further Warrior vehicles with the WEEVIL capability in the near future.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Storage facility for over 900 vehicles completed at MOD Ashchurch, published on 5 March 2025, if he has a target date for the completion of the Vehicle Storage and Support Programme.

The Vehicle Storage and Support Programme at Ministry of Defence Ashchurch remains on target to complete in 2027.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled New British Army robotic mine plough aims to better shield soldiers from danger, published on 10 April 2025, what is the in service date for WEEVIL.

The WEEVIL prototype currently uses the Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle, fitted with a full-width mine plough, advanced remote-control system, and vehicle-mounted cameras. Project Atilla is the Army's term for the delivery of the WEEVIL capability. Whilst Project Atilla is currently in its concept phase, it is expected to have an in-service date of 2032. Since April 2025, one Warrior platform has been adapted with the WEEVIL capability. The Army is considering adapting further Warrior vehicles with the WEEVIL capability in the near future.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled New robots lead the way in bomb disposal innovation, published on 5 February 2025, how many contracts has he placed with L3Harris since 5 February 2025.

The Department has placed two contracts with L3Harris since 5 February 2025.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled New robots lead the way in bomb disposal innovation, published on 5 February 2025, how many contracts has he placed with Marlborough Communications Ltd since 5 February 2025.

The Department has placed one contract with Marlborough Communications Ltd since 5 February 2025.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Cruise missile of the future completes firing, published on 17 November 2024, how many trials have taken place for the SPEAR cruise missile since 17 November 2024.

A further trial of the Selective Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) 3 weapon system was conducted during the summer of 2025. A series of firings were conducted and built on the success and evidence gathered in the 2024 campaign.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled UK jobs and air defences boost with purchase of new missile launchers, published on 22 August 2025, what estimate he has made of the total lifetime cost of the Land Ceptor missile systems.

The launchers will be supported by a wider support contract, Weapon Availability Support Programme (WASP) which will cover all future through life support for the entire Land Ceptor fleet, Sea Ceptor and the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) as well as other MBDA munitions. The contract is currently in negotiation.

What is the in service date for the Maritime EW Programme.

The Maritime Electronic Warfare Programme (MEWP) is made up of two parts. The Maritime Electronic Warfare Systems Integrated Capability Increment 1 will deliver a digital Radar and Electronic Support Measures capability to the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers, Type 45 destroyers, Type 26 and Type 31 frigates. The approved Initial Operating Capability (IOC)/In Service Date (ISD) is January 2027. Electronic Warfare Countermeasures (EWCM) will deliver a new and improved countermeasure launcher for Type 45 destroyers, Type 26 and Type 31 frigates with an approved IOC/ISD of September 2027.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March to Question 34903 on Defence: Procurement, whether he has met with any representatives from British SMEs regarding the Defence Small and Medium Enterprise Support Hub.

I regularly engage with representatives of the defence industry, including SMEs. For example at DSEI and DPRTE I engaged with over 20 SMEs at those two events alone. Further to that, SMEs have been widely consulted in the development of the Office for Small Business Growth to ensure that the new service meets defence SMEs needs and fully integrates with support offered to smaller companies by other organisations and Government Departments.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Underwater robot could improve pipeline and cable security, published on 9 June 2025, how many remotely operated vehicles for use by the Royal Navy has he ordered since 5 July 2024.

For reasons of operational security, we cannot provide details on the numbers of BriteStorm Electronic Warfare jamming systems procured by the Ministry of Defence.

How many BriteStorm Electronic Warfare jamming systems has he procured since 5 July 2024.

For reasons of operational security, we cannot provide details on the numbers of BriteStorm Electronic Warfare jamming systems procured by the Ministry of Defence.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Advanced attack drones for Ukraine in new deal struck by UK government and Anduril UK, published on 6 March 2025, how many Altius 600m drones his Department has ordered since 6 March 2025.

For Ukrainian Operational Security reasons we are unable to provide the number of Altius 600M drones that have been ordered since March 2025.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Advanced attack drones for Ukraine in new deal struck by UK government and Anduril UK, published on 6 March 2025, how many Altius 700m drones his Department has ordered since 6 March 2025.

For Ukrainian Operational Security reasons we are unable to provide the number of Altius 700M drones that have been ordered since March 2025.

Whether her department plans to review the Small Business Rates Relief threshold in line with inflation.

Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set RV. Eligible property under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means around a third of properties in England pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000. The Government is supporting small businesses to grow. At Budget, the Government announced the extension of SBRR so that businesses opening second premises after Budget day can retain their SBRR for three years, tripling the current allowance.

Whether she has made an estimate of the potential revenue effect to the public purse of increasing the Small Business Rates Relief threshold from £12,000 to £17,000 in 2026.

Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set RV. Eligible property under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means around a third of properties in England pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000. The Government is supporting small businesses to grow. At Budget, the Government announced the extension of SBRR so that businesses opening second premises after Budget day can retain their SBRR for three years, tripling the current allowance.

What assessment her Department has made of the effect of the increase in employers National Insurance Contributions on small pubs.

The government published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) which set out the impact of the changes, including for businesses, to employer NICs alongside the introduction of the Bill. The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from these changes by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers are paying no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers are either gaining or seeing no change. Businesses are still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under-21s and under-25 apprentices. At Budget 2025, the government asked licensing authorities in England and Wales to explicitly consider the need to promote growth and deliver economic benefits in their decisions and set this out in the first National Licensing Policy Framework.

With reference to the Written Statement of 26 November 2025 on Ajax Programme Update, HCWS 1099, on what evidential basis his Department declared Initial Operating Capability for the Ajax programme in November 2025.

I announced Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for the Armoured Cavalry Programme (commonly known as Ajax) on 5 November 2025. As safety is the top priority for the Ministerial Team, prior to Ajax IOC being announced, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry I asked for and was given assurances in writing by senior Ministry of Defence personnel that the system was safe.

Whether he plans to take steps to digitise communications with NHS patients; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on vulnerable people in South Suffolk constituency who previously received communications by letter.

The Department is taking steps to digitise communications with National Health Service patients through the NHS App. The app already allows patients to book, move and cancel their appointments, and communicate with their health team, as well as order repeat prescriptions.Digital health tools should be part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services. Digital inclusion is a key priority for the NHS as it will support the shift from ‘analogue to digital’. It is one of the five national NHS England Health Inequalities Strategic Priorities, and they published a Digital Healthcare Framework which has guided the Integrated Care Board’s approach. The NHS Digital Inclusion Framework ensures that considerations are made across all populations, including people who are vulnerable. Integrated care boards are responsible for local impact assessments, including engaging with affected populations, and ensuring no one is disadvantaged by digitisation plans. No assessment will be made on the impact of this on the population in South Suffolk by the Department.

Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of current Passive Infrastructure Access pricing models on private investment in rural broadband infrastructure in South Suffolk.

We recognise competition is key to promote investment and will help ensure low prices and more choice for consumers in the long term. As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product. For this reason, while officials are engaging with Ofcom on this issue, the Department has not made any formal assessment of the impact of the current PIA rental charges on investment in rural areas, including in South Suffolk. We have also not made any formal assessment of the economic impact of introducing changes to PIA rental charges.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the impact of delays in resolving the firefighters’ pension aggregation issue on constituents in South Suffolk.

My department understands that the delays in addressing pension aggregation for some scheme members with both retained and wholetime service may be frustrating. The matter is currently subject to litigation, and we will provide an update on the position as soon as we are able.