Every parliamentary written question tabled by James Cartlidge this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1,121–1,140 of 3,185 · this parliament
With reference to his Department's press release entitled Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, what form of public body the Defence Office for Small Business Growth will be.
The Defence Office for Small Business Growth will be an internal body of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), accountable to the MOD’s Director General Commercial and Industry under the National Armaments Director Group.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, whether the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth will produce Government policy.
The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), published in September this year, has set the Ministry of Defence's policy to support our thriving ecosystem of defence small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) through our new Office for Small Business Growth and dedicated SME Commercial Pathway to boost opportunities and access. The Office will seek to deliver the DIS policy intent, simplify entry routes into the defence supply chain for smaller companies, and shape future policy and strategy to improve the Department’s approach to working with SMEs.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, when he expects to launch the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth.
Planning for the Office for Business Growth is well underway. The support that will be offered by the Office has been developed following wide ranging consultation with a variety of stakeholders, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), prime contractors, trade associations, mid-tier suppliers, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, and academia. The Office will provide services to both small businesses and Ministry of Defence teams, which will focus on growth and shaping the defence industry landscape to develop resilient supply chains. The Office will be established by late January 2026.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, how the Defence Office for Small Business Growth will interact with the Department for Business and Trade.
The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) commitment to the establishment of the Defence Office for Small Business Growth has been outlined in the Department for Business and Trade’s ‘Backing Your Business’ plan, published in July this year. The Office will work collaboratively with other MOD and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, Trade Associations and Strategic Partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, whether any new staff will be recruited as part of the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth.
The Office for Small Business Growth will work collaboratively with other Ministry of Defence and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, trade associations, strategic partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence as well as non-traditional suppliers that may have offerings for a Defence application.The exact detail of how the Office will operate, including staffing options, is currently under development. Further detail of how the service will be led and resourced will be released shortly with the aim to deliver a modern, digitally-enabled and user-centric service.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, how many staff will be employed as part of the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth.
The Office for Small Business Growth will work collaboratively with other Ministry of Defence and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, trade associations, strategic partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence as well as non-traditional suppliers that may have offerings for a Defence application.The exact detail of how the Office will operate, including staffing options, is currently under development. Further detail of how the service will be led and resourced will be released shortly with the aim to deliver a modern, digitally-enabled and user-centric service.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, what proportion of manufacturing will a winning international partner of a UK defence contract be required to deliver in the UK.
As part of the Defence Industrial Strategy's commitment to backing British businesses, we launched a public consultation on a possible UK offset policy on 23 October 2025. The consultation seeks input on key principles for implementation, including on the nature and level of obligations. It is essential that any offset policy is explored and developed in partnership with the defence sector so we should not pre-empt the outcome of this consultation. The hon. Gentlemen is welcome to submit his views to the consultation.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, who will lead the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth.
The Office for Small Business Growth will work collaboratively with other Ministry of Defence and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, trade associations, strategic partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence as well as non-traditional suppliers that may have offerings for a Defence application.The exact detail of how the Office will operate, including staffing options, is currently under development. Further detail of how the service will be led and resourced will be released shortly with the aim to deliver a modern, digitally-enabled and user-centric service.
Pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 82705 on Terrorism: Northern Ireland, whether the right to anonymity is included in the other measures that will apply to non-veterans.
All of the measures that we have announced seek to directly benefit veterans who are asked to engage with legacy mechanisms, responding to discussions that the Government has undertaken. Some measures, including the protection from cold calling and protecting veterans from giving unnecessary evidence on historical context and general operational details, will apply only to veterans. Other measures - including the right to seek anonymity, which is already a feature of the Coronial System - will necessarily apply to everyone. This will ensure that other witnesses, including former police officers, are able to avail of these measures when giving witness evidence to both the reformed Legacy Commission and the small number of Inquests that will proceed.
Whether he has held discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the availability of state school places for children of armed forces personnel who are relocated during the academic year.
Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials collaborate with colleagues in the Department for Education (DfE) regarding the education of children from Armed Forces families. MOD officials are members of the DfE Admissions Working Group and are presently engaged with the DfE in helping to shape revisions to the 2021 School Admissions Code. The Code already recognises the unique circumstances of Armed Forces families and includes specific provisions to help mitigate disadvantage due to mobility, and the revision will include a focus upon improving Service children’s transition arrangements when they move between schools. In addition, the MOD works with key local authorities and is formally consulted by MOD Local Authority Partnership (MODLAP) admissions authorities when changes to their school admissions arrangements are proposed. Further, this Government plans to extend the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty to more policy areas and across the UK so that Armed Forces personnel and their families will have their unique circumstances legally protected by central and devolved governments for the first time. The Covenant Legal Duty will be extended to cover a broader scope of policy areas, including education.
What estimate he has made of the average cost of an individual school place in a UK private school for a child of service personnel since the introduction of VAT on school fees.
The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on the average cost of private school places for Service personnel in general. The Department collects data only for those Service personnel in receipt of the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA); some Service personnel are not eligible to receive CEA despite sending their children to private schools. CEA contributes towards boarding school fees where Service mobility would otherwise disrupt a child’s education. Service parents in receipt of CEA typically pay a 10% contribution towards fees. The overall average cost for an individual school place for a CEA claimant is £2,924 per year since the introduction of VAT on school fees.
Whether he has held discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the availability of state school places for children of armed forces personnel.
Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials collaborate with colleagues in the Department for Education (DfE) regarding the education of children from Armed Forces families. MOD officials are members of the DfE Admissions Working Group and are presently engaged with the DfE in helping to shape revisions to the 2021 School Admissions Code. The Code already recognises the unique circumstances of Armed Forces families and includes specific provisions to help mitigate disadvantage due to mobility, and the revision will include a focus upon improving Service children’s transition arrangements when they move between schools. In addition, the MOD works with key local authorities and is formally consulted by MOD Local Authority Partnership (MODLAP) admissions authorities when changes to their school admissions arrangements are proposed. Further, this Government plans to extend the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty to more policy areas and across the UK so that Armed Forces personnel and their families will have their unique circumstances legally protected by central and devolved governments for the first time. The Covenant Legal Duty will be extended to cover a broader scope of policy areas, including education.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections in place for British service personnel deployed to Israel to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza.
A small team of UK planning officers, led by a 2* deputy commander, have embedded in the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) in Israel to ensure that the UK remains integrated into the US-led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability. This team is not monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza. The UK continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza ceasefire to see where the UK can best contribute to the peace process.
If he will publish the rules of engagement for British service personnel deployed to Israel to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza.
A small team of UK planning officers, led by a 2* deputy commander, have embedded in the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) in Israel to ensure that the UK remains integrated into the US-led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability. This team is not monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza. The UK continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza ceasefire to see where the UK can best contribute to the peace process.
How many British service personnel are deployed to Israel to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza by rank.
A small team of UK planning officers, led by a 2* deputy commander, have embedded in the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) in Israel to ensure that the UK remains integrated into the US-led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability. This team is not monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza. The UK continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza ceasefire to see where the UK can best contribute to the peace process.
What discussions he has had with (a) NATO allies and (b) European counterparts on the deployment of British service personnel to Israel to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza.
A small team of UK planning officers, led by a 2* deputy commander, have embedded in the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) in Israel to ensure that the UK remains integrated into the US-led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability. This team is not monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza. The UK continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza ceasefire to see where the UK can best contribute to the peace process.
Whether there is a formal timeframe for the deployment of British service personnel to Israel to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza.
A small team of UK planning officers, led by a 2* deputy commander, have embedded in the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) in Israel to ensure that the UK remains integrated into the US-led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability. This team is not monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza. The UK continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza ceasefire to see where the UK can best contribute to the peace process.
What steps his department is taking to reduce delays in listing Crown Court cases involving serious domestic violence.
This Government is committed to improving victims’ experience of the justice system. We have funded a record-high allocation of 111,250 Crown Court sitting days to tackle the outstanding caseload, but we need to go further.This is why we commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to propose bold and ambitious measures to deliver swifter justice for all victims, including for victims of domestic abuse, in his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. The Government will respond to Part 1 of the report in due course. Work on Part 2 of the report, which is looking at how the criminal courts can operate as efficiently as possible, is also underway.We know how important support services are in keeping victims engaged through the criminal justice process. The Ministry of Justice provides funding for victim and witness support services, including community-based domestic abuse services. To ensure these services can continue to be delivered, we have protected dedicated violence against women and girls' victims spending in the Department by maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced domestic abuse support this year.
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October to Question 82702 on Terrorism: Northern Ireland, which are the nine cases that will be able to resume.
The provisions of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill set out the criteria for the restoration of a select number of inquests based on their progress through the coronial system at 1 May 2024. These criteria are set out at Clause 84.
If he will hold discussions with NHS England on the adequacy of funding for children's palliative care services.
Children’s palliative care services, including hospices, do incredible work to support people and their families when they need it most. Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.We are providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.Additionally, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.