Written questions by Corbyn.

Whether financial benefits accrue to the United Kingdom from the US War Department’s ownership of sites such as land and buildings in Britain.

The continued presence of United States (US) military forces in the UK forms an important part of the US’ on-going wider commitment to NATO and the security of Europe. The US Department of War (DoW) does not own military sites, military land, or military buildings in Britian and therefore there is no associated financial benefit. In accordance with the 1973 Cost Sharing Arrangement, the US DoW is responsible for bearing the cost for the operational running of the bases it occupies such as utilities, as well as any development in support of its forces at those locations.

If he will list the sites the US War Department owns in the United Kingdom.

I can confirm the US War Department does not own any Defence sites in the United Kingdom.

What estimate his Department has made of the local economic benefits to the United Kingdom of the United States military bases in Britain.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has not formally evaluated the economic benefit to the UK of the United States Visiting Forces (USVF) and therefore a verified financial estimate is not available. The continued presence of United States military forces in the UK forms an important part of the United States’ on-going wider commitment to NATO and the security of Europe. The influence a USVF base will have on the economic development of nearby communities will depend on its location, base size, operational tempo and local context. The presence of a USVF base in the community creates both direct and indirect employment, and opportunities for local businesses and landlords to make commercial arrangements with members of the visiting forces.

What estimate he has made of the amount of money paid directly from housing benefit to private landlords in each region of England.

Information on the average weekly amount of Housing Benefit paid to private landlords, by regions, is available on Stat-Xplore via the Housing Benefit official statistics (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/). The information can be found in the Housing Benefit – Data from April 2018 dataset and is currently available to August 2025. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest, and if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

What plans he has to review the Local Housing Allowance tin the context of private rented costs.

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are annually reviewed, usually in the Autumn. At Autumn budget 2025, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions reviewed LHA and announced that rates would be maintained at their current levels for 2026/27. Rent levels across Great Britian were considered alongside other factors such as the challenging fiscal context and welfare priorities, including the removal of the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty. Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) from local authorities. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

Whether there are confidential arrangements in place governing the US military's use of bases in the UK in addition to the NATO Status of Forces Agreement 1951, the Visiting Forces Act 1952 and UK/US Cost Sharing Agreement 1973.

A range of formal agreements govern the US military's use of bases in the UK including the NATO Status of Forces Agreement 1951, the Visiting Forces Act 1952, and UK-US Cost Sharing Agreement 1973. Classified agreements also apply in some areas, reflecting the sensitive nature of specific operational activities conducted at these facilities.

What the role is of RAF Oakhanger; how many of his Department’s personnel are stationed there; and who owns the site.

RAF Oakhanger is a Ministry of Defence owned satellite ground station, which is contractor managed. It monitors and controls the UK's constellation of military communication satellites. There are no Defence staff stationed at RAF Oakhanger.

What the legislative basis is for the United States' use of force from bases in the United Kingdom being subject to joint decision-making.

Permissions to utilise UK military bases by foreign partners are considered on a case-by-case basis. This includes engagement with US partners on the nature and purpose of their activity. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations' military operations.

Where United States (a) naval, (b) army and (c) marine detachments are stationed in the UK.

The United States Visiting Forces are present in the UK at the invitation of HM Government. The majority of US personnel in the UK are drawn from the US Air Force and stationed at RAF bases, but the overall US force composition across its UK footprint is a matter for the US.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the work carried out at MOD Bicester; how many of his Department’s personnel are stationed there; and who owns the site.

The Bicester site is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) via the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. There are a number of different units and organisations located in Bicester performing a wide range of tasks and services, and as such there is no overall assessment of the effectiveness of the work carried out at Bicester. If the right hon. Member has an area of particular interest, I would be happy to provide further information. There are currently 183 MOD civilian personnel and 725 trade trained Armed Forces personnel located at MOD Bicester.

Communities and Local Government, if he will list the properties in the UK owned by the US War Department.

HM Land Registry (HMLR) registers ownership of land and property in England and Wales. HMLR records show that there are currently no registered titles in England and Wales registered in the name of the United States Department of War, or in the name of its predecessor, the United States Department of Defense.

How much his Department has spent on running costs for RAF (a) Menwith Hill, (b) Lakenheath and (c) Croughton in each of the last three years; and how much of the cost for each year has been reimbursed by the United States.

The information requested is not centrally held, and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost. There is no one identified budget for three sites, the officials would have to go into each individual item of expenditure.

How many US armed forces personnel undertook training courses in Britain in each year since 2020; and in which institution they trained.

The Ministry of Defence offers a very broad range of International Defence Training to our partners. Information regarding the provision of training to the US Armed Forces is therefore spread across a range of sources and providers across Defence. It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the right hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 45840 on RAF Lakenheath: Nuclear Weapons, when it first became policy for his Department to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at United States military bases in the United Kingdom.

It has been UK policy for decades to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location.

Whether agreements between the United States and United Kingdom on the presence of US military forces in Britain place restrictions on the ability of the US to deploy nuclear weapons in Britain.

The terms, conditions and jurisdiction considerations that govern the US – and any other visiting NATO force permanently based in the UK – are enshrined in the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (1951), which is embedded into UK law by the Visiting Forces Act (1952). This is publicly available. It is longstanding UK policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location.

Whether his Department places any restrictions on the number of United States military forces that can be deployed to bases in Britain.

The UK does not place any restrictions regarding the numbers of US military forces in the UK. It is up to the US to determine the number of personnel it stations in the UK at any particular time. However, significant adjustments in the nature or scale of the US footprint would be subject to discussions between the UK and US Governments.

Whether his Department records the UK civilian airports that the US military uses for operational, training or transitory purposes.

For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment relating to foreign nations’ military aircraft movement.

Whether the United States' use of its military bases in the UK to send military equipment onward to a third country requires his approval.

Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military aircraft movements.

When the Government last refused permission for the US military to use its bases in the UK for operational purposes.

For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military operations. Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity.

Which types of United States' military operations undertaken from US bases in the UK his Department is required to approve.

For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military operations. Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity.