Written questions by Cartlidge.

How much his Department has spent from funding allocated from the Treasury Reserve as of 17 March 2026.

The Department will confirm its 2025-26 outturn in the Annual Report and Accounts in the usual way.

What discussions his Department has had with the Department for Science and Technology about the potential for a respiratory Modern Service Framework to strengthen the UK's life sciences ecosystem by scaling up the adoption of new machines and innovations for lung condition.

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore innovation and policy prioritisation in respiratory health, including the cross‑Government alignment that may be required.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 February to Question 112837 on Navy: North Atlantic Ocean, how much of the £14 million committed to testing and development this year is from (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) industry.

The £14 million committed this year to testing and development is a joint investment by the Ministry of Defence and industry partners. Due to commercial sensitivities, it would be inappropriate to give a more detailed breakdown at this stage.

Media and Sport, whether funding provided through the Proposed Places of Worship Renewal Fund will be subject to an annual cap.

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will have a budget of £23 million per year. Further details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process will be published in due course. The fund will begin in the financial year 2026-27.

When the implementation phase of Defence Reform will conclude.

Having determined top level accountabilities and implemented the associate structural changes to establish the new four Areas on 1 April 2025, Defence Reform is currently in a design phase, during which the new Defence Operating Model is being developed and agreed. From 1 April 2026, Defence Reform moves to the next phase, implementing and refining the operating model in live operation. This implementation phase runs through financial year 2026-27 and includes completing remaining detailed design, informed by early experience of live operation. The aim is to complete implementation and detailed design by 1 April 2027. From that point, responsibility for embedding the Defence Operating Model will sit fully with Defence operating on a business-as-usual basis, with change sustained through normal leadership and governance arrangements, rather than programme mechanisms.

Media and Sport, whether projects for repairs under the listed places of worship that are already underway will be eligible for support under the proposed Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will have a budget of £23 million per year. Further details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process will be published in due course. The fund will begin in the financial year 2026-27.

What phase the Defence Reform programme is currently in.

Having determined top level accountabilities and implemented the associate structural changes to establish the new four Areas on 1 April 2025, Defence Reform is currently in a design phase, during which the new Defence Operating Model is being developed and agreed. From 1 April 2026, Defence Reform moves to the next phase, implementing and refining the operating model in live operation. This implementation phase runs through financial year 2026-27 and includes completing remaining detailed design, informed by early experience of live operation. The aim is to complete implementation and detailed design by 1 April 2027. From that point, responsibility for embedding the Defence Operating Model will sit fully with Defence operating on a business-as-usual basis, with change sustained through normal leadership and governance arrangements, rather than programme mechanisms.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in South Suffolk compared with national average.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for South Suffolk and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025)South Suffolk1,000650England612,855511,558Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England. Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Suffolk, which includes South Suffolk, can be found at the following link: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E10000029/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

Media and Sport, what timetable her Department has set for the introduction of the proposed Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

Further details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process will be published in due course. The fund will begin in the financial year 2026-27.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2026 to Question 116531 on Defence: Finance, what the UK's return for 2025 was.

The UK’s latest defence expenditure return for 2025 has been published by NATO and can be found here. The UK’s final update for 2025 will be submitted by the end of December once the accounts have closed and have been audited.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116533 on Ministry of Defence: Small Businesses, if he will publish terms of reference for the SME Action Plan.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to publishing an annual SME Action Plan. The MOD's Action Plan is a key element of Defence’s work to improve opportunities for SMEs. Work led by a senior civil servant and civil servants from The Defence Office for Small Business Growth (OSBG), are responsible for developing the Plan and its implementation.The forthcoming Plan will set out key priorities on procurement policy and strategy, aligned with the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy. Our commitment to SMEs is demonstrated by the new £20 million fund offering accelerated contracts to innovative UK startups with little previous MOD engagement, and our target to increase spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028.The OSBG is engaged with SMEs to shape its delivery and ensure it reflects the practical experiences of SMEs seeking to do business with Defence. Once work on the Defence Investment Plan has concluded the plan will be published.Taken together, these measures will substantially improve the support for SMEs from HMG compared to the situation in July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116533 on Ministry of Defence: Small Businesses, whether the SME Action Plan will the engage with SME representatives.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to publishing an annual SME Action Plan. The MOD's Action Plan is a key element of Defence’s work to improve opportunities for SMEs. Work led by a senior civil servant and civil servants from The Defence Office for Small Business Growth (OSBG), are responsible for developing the Plan and its implementation.The forthcoming Plan will set out key priorities on procurement policy and strategy, aligned with the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy. Our commitment to SMEs is demonstrated by the new £20 million fund offering accelerated contracts to innovative UK startups with little previous MOD engagement, and our target to increase spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028.The OSBG is engaged with SMEs to shape its delivery and ensure it reflects the practical experiences of SMEs seeking to do business with Defence. Once work on the Defence Investment Plan has concluded the plan will be published.Taken together, these measures will substantially improve the support for SMEs from HMG compared to the situation in July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2026 to Question 116531 on Defence: Finance, whether the UK's return for 2026 has been produced.

The UK will complete its 2026 defence return in line with NATO's standard annual timetable. This will be due in May 2026, and NATO generally publish the returns in late summer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2026 to Question 116531 on Defence: Finance, when the UK's return for 2027 is due.

The UK will submit its 2027 defence return at the next suitable point. NATO returns are usually required in May each year.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2026 to Question 116970 on Autonomous Weapons: Procurement, when the concept demonstration phase will conclude.

The UK concept demonstration phase of the low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is due to conclude by the end of 2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116533 on Ministry of Defence: Small Businesses, whether the SME Action Plan will allocate funding to be spent with UK SMEs.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to publishing an annual SME Action Plan. The MOD's Action Plan is a key element of Defence’s work to improve opportunities for SMEs. Work led by a senior civil servant and civil servants from The Defence Office for Small Business Growth (OSBG), are responsible for developing the Plan and its implementation.The forthcoming Plan will set out key priorities on procurement policy and strategy, aligned with the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy. Our commitment to SMEs is demonstrated by the new £20 million fund offering accelerated contracts to innovative UK startups with little previous MOD engagement, and our target to increase spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028.The OSBG is engaged with SMEs to shape its delivery and ensure it reflects the practical experiences of SMEs seeking to do business with Defence. Once work on the Defence Investment Plan has concluded the plan will be published.Taken together, these measures will substantially improve the support for SMEs from HMG compared to the situation in July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2026 to Question 116025 on Global Combat Air Programme: Expenditure, if he will provide an itemised breakdown of the £2 billion.

Over £2 billion has been spent on Future Combat Air System/Global Combat Air Programme (FCAS/GCAP) and the associated Team Tempest research and development programme. This can be broken down as follows: Concepting/Design – over £800 million Enablers and Infrastructure – over £60 million Technology Development and Demonstrators – over £1.4 billion

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116533 on Ministry of Defence: Small Businesses, whether the SME Action Plan will be allocated Departmental funding.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to publishing an annual SME Action Plan. The MOD's Action Plan is a key element of Defence’s work to improve opportunities for SMEs. Work led by a senior civil servant and civil servants from The Defence Office for Small Business Growth (OSBG), are responsible for developing the Plan and its implementation.The forthcoming Plan will set out key priorities on procurement policy and strategy, aligned with the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy. Our commitment to SMEs is demonstrated by the new £20 million fund offering accelerated contracts to innovative UK startups with little previous MOD engagement, and our target to increase spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028.The OSBG is engaged with SMEs to shape its delivery and ensure it reflects the practical experiences of SMEs seeking to do business with Defence. Once work on the Defence Investment Plan has concluded the plan will be published.Taken together, these measures will substantially improve the support for SMEs from HMG compared to the situation in July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116533 on Ministry of Defence: Small Businesses, who will write the SME Action Plan.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to publishing an annual SME Action Plan. The MOD's Action Plan is a key element of Defence’s work to improve opportunities for SMEs. Work led by a senior civil servant and civil servants from The Defence Office for Small Business Growth (OSBG), are responsible for developing the Plan and its implementation.The forthcoming Plan will set out key priorities on procurement policy and strategy, aligned with the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy. Our commitment to SMEs is demonstrated by the new £20 million fund offering accelerated contracts to innovative UK startups with little previous MOD engagement, and our target to increase spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028.The OSBG is engaged with SMEs to shape its delivery and ensure it reflects the practical experiences of SMEs seeking to do business with Defence. Once work on the Defence Investment Plan has concluded the plan will be published.Taken together, these measures will substantially improve the support for SMEs from HMG compared to the situation in July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116533 on Ministry of Defence: Small Businesses, when the SME Action Plan will be published.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to publishing an annual SME Action Plan. The MOD's Action Plan is a key element of Defence’s work to improve opportunities for SMEs. Work led by a senior civil servant and civil servants from The Defence Office for Small Business Growth (OSBG), are responsible for developing the Plan and its implementation.The forthcoming Plan will set out key priorities on procurement policy and strategy, aligned with the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy. Our commitment to SMEs is demonstrated by the new £20 million fund offering accelerated contracts to innovative UK startups with little previous MOD engagement, and our target to increase spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028.The OSBG is engaged with SMEs to shape its delivery and ensure it reflects the practical experiences of SMEs seeking to do business with Defence. Once work on the Defence Investment Plan has concluded the plan will be published.Taken together, these measures will substantially improve the support for SMEs from HMG compared to the situation in July 2024.