Written questions by Cartlidge.

How many of the drones due to be bought by his Department in 2026 will be (a) reconnaissance, (b) logistics, (c) First-Person View and (d) long-range one-way attack drones.

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

How many drones have been bought in 2025.

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

How many of the drones bought by his Department in 2024 were (a) reconnaissance, (b) logistics, (c) First-Person View and (d) long-range one-way attack drones.

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Which Department has ownership of the Office for Small Business Growth.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 December 2025 to Question 96235. The Office will be owned by the National Armaments Director.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled UK launches new Military Intelligence Services as hostile threats surge, published on 12 December, whether Defence Intelligence will be (a) absorbed, (b) disbanded or (c) renamed.

Defence Intelligence (DI) continues to exist as an organisation in its own right. DI, underpinned by a new charter will lead, cohere and improve the capabilities and activities of Military Intelligence Services.

What percentage of the drones bought by his Department in 2024 were supplied to Ukraine.

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so would be inappropriate to comment further. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

Whether he plans to respond to Question 97807 from the hon. Member for South Suffolk on Defence: Finance before the rise of the House on 18 December 2025.

I responded to the hon. Member on 19 December 2025.

With reference to the oral Answer by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 15 December 2025, Official Report, Column 606, what percentage of the 5,400 drones bought in 2024 were bought for use by the British armed forces.

Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so it would be inappropriate to comment further. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Rapid £140 million boost for drone and counter-drone tech from newly-formed UK Defence Innovation, published on 15 December, what percentage of the funding into drones and anti-drone weapons will be spent with British companies.

Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so it would be inappropriate to comment further. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Rapid £140 million boost for drone and counter-drone tech from newly-formed UK Defence Innovation, published on 15 December, whether his Department has placed any contracts for additional laser weapons to complement the UK's DragonFire system since 5 July 2024.

This Government is investing in Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) to accelerate these capabilities into service, developing sovereign technology and systems to put the UK at the forefront of an emerging market and be an engine for growth. Directed energy was designated a frontier industry in the Defence Industrial Strategy.The funding covered in the 15 December press release is helping the Ministry of Defence (MOD) stay at the forefront of DEW, ensuring UK capabilities benefit by continuous improvement of the technology, systems, and sub-systems, by undertaking research and development to make them more efficient and effective. This will contribute to advanced future capabilities across laser and radio-frequency (RF) systems across all domains, that will come into service on a longer timescale, building on the learnings we take from accelerated capabilities like DragonFire.The Defence Investment Plan will outline our future plans, and whilst we cannot comment on all contracts for security and commercial reasons, we are exploring DEW applications across many use cases, both within the MOD and with partners across Government.

With reference to the oral Answer by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 15 December 2025, Official Report, Column 606, how many of the 5,400 drones bought in 2024 were bought after 5 July 2024.

Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so it would be inappropriate to comment further. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

How many drones his Department plans to buy in (a) 2027, (b) 2028 and (c) 2029.

Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so it would be inappropriate to comment further. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

What is the total cost of implementing the Warfighting Ready Plan 2029.

The Royal Navy Warfighting Ready Plan 2029 offers an ambitious and strategic blueprint outlining how the Navy will strengthen and evolve its capabilities over the next four years. The plan is designed to define our strategic priorities while delivering significant transformation. This iterative and agile approach enables the Royal Navy to focus on what matters most – acting decisively where it counts, responding to threat with the urgency it demands and learning rapidly, adjusting based on the resources available. The specific financial costs will therefore be subject to capability decisions and resource choices as directed within the Defence Investment Plan.

With reference to the letter written to the Defence Committee entitled Ministry of Defence paper providing information on Defence Reform, published on 21 October 2025, if he will list the quarterly reform programme milestones for financial year 2025-26.

Defence Reform continues to make progress against its quarterly deliverables and across a variety of workstreams including the new ways of working between the four areas, design of the strategic cycles, modernised financial flows and agreed portfolio laydown. This will allow Defence Reform to finalise the unified Defence Operating model by the end of financial year 2025-26 for the next phase of implementation during financial year 2026-27. We will continue to keep Parliament updated on the progress of Defence Reform.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October to Question 82702, whether it remains the case that 9 inquests will be able to resume.

The Northern Ireland Office has written to the families of 8 cases to inform them that those inquests will be able to resume under clause 84(3) of the Northern Ireland (Troubles) Bill. These cases are; Dillon, Duffy, McCord, Loughgall, Stalker-Sampson series, Moran, McDaid & Slane, and Patterson. The inquest into the death of Mr Joseph Campbell is included in the ‘9 cases’ allowed to resume as it was part of the ‘Five Year Plan’ for Legacy Inquests, and had started before the Legacy Act came into force. The Government is aware that the coroner in this case has provisionally determined that it can continue as a ‘non Troubles-related’ inquest.

How many Class 1 Raybird systems his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

The Department has not ordered any Raybird systems since 5 July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, whether there will be any change to the amount of training exercises conducted by the Royal Air Force in financial year (a) 2025-2026, (b) 2026-2027, (c) 2027-2028 and (d) 2028-2029.

As outlined in my previous response, the single Services remain committed to prioritising training exercises in alignment with both our own and partners' operational needs, as well as the priorities outlined in the Strategic Defence Review The exact number of training exercises and the scale of the RAF's participation in such exercises vary from year to year due to a range of factors including operational commitments and UK and host nation political considerations.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the Royal Navy overseas training exercises that will be reduced over the next four years.

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments. The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Whether he has changed the Royal Navy's rules of engagements in light of the incursion by the Russian submarine Krasnodar.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 November 2025, to Question 93047. The Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence continuously assess our Rules of Engagement to ensure our Armed Forces can act appropriately against malign activities and future threats. For reasons of national security, I am not able to disclose specific detail on Rules of Engagement.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the Army overseas training exercises that will be reduced from financial year 2026-27.

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments. The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.