Written questions by Cooper.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that compliance requirements relating to sanctions, export controls and anti-money-laundering rules do not have a disproportionate effect on defence SMEs.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on reducing complexity in export-control processes for defence SMEs.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of a lack of long-term demand certainty on the ability of defence companies to raise external finance.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access of defence SMEs to basic banking services.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to help prevent misconceptions about Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and sustainable finance rules from affecting access to finance for companies involved in lawful defence production.

Awaiting answer.

How many apprentices his Department recruited in each year since 2022.

The table below includes both existing Ministry of Defence (MOD) Civil Servants who commenced an apprenticeship, and those Civil Servants recruited to the MOD as apprentices. It does not include Armed Forces apprenticeships. YearApprentices2022700202380220241,04220251,0632026 (to date)154

In the context of his Department's responsibility for devolution oversight and national security, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Scottish Government’s Defence Sector Support Policy, set out to the Scottish Parliament on 3 September 2025.

This Government recognises the vital contribution that the Scottish defence industry has for the national security of the UK, while also being a key driver of economic growth. This is illustrated by the £2.5 million that this Government is providing to the Welding Skills Centre in Glasgow, which is developing the future skills pipeline needed to deliver the UK’s nuclear deterrent. Along side this we are developing the Scotland Defence Growth Deal that will draw on a share of a £250 million investment fund to support defence industry across Scotland. It is important that both UK and Scottish Governments, as per their respective responsibilities, have policies in place that supports the growth of the sector. We are liaising with Scottish Government and Scotland’s defence industry to understand the impact assessments that have been conducted on the Defence Sector Support Policy.

How many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis.

What steps he plans to take to (a) reform procurement, (b) make efficiency savings, (c) increase levels of access to defence procurement for SMEs and (d) encourage economic growth through the Strategic Defence Review.

The Strategic Defence Review has been considering the state of the defence industrial base, the approach to be taken to acquisition and support, and the contribution of Defence to the Government's Growth Mission. The Review will make Defence central both to the security, and to the economic growth and prosperity, of the United Kingdom.

How much (a) his Department and (b) each of its arm’s length bodies has spent on external communications through (i) Crown Commercial Service agreement RM6125 and (ii) other agreements since 5 July 2024; and which firms have received funding.

The total MOD, including DE&S, spends since 5 July 2024 against RM6125 Framework via call off contracts is: £3,550,081.59. The suppliers are Identity events Management Limited and Occam Group LTD. The MOD, including DE&S, total spends since 5 July 2024 for external communications, not against RM6125 Framework via call off contract is: £32,702,226.04. The suppliers are listed in the table below. 23RED LIMITEDALL ENGLAND NETBALL ASSOCIATION LIMITEDBE THE BRAND EXPERIENCE LIMITEDBFBSCABINET OFFICECALDER CONFERENCES LIMITEDCAPITA BUSINESS SERVICES LTDCISION GROUP LIMITEDCOGENT SKILLS LIMITEDDEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADEDRUMGRANGE LTDE3 MEDIA LIMITEDENGINE PARTNERS UK LLPFOREIGN COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICEFORELAND SHIPPING LTDGATENBYSANDERSON LIMITEDGOVERNMENT PROPERTY AGENCYIDENTITY EVENTS MANAGEMENT LIMITEDKORN FERRY (UK) LIMITEDLEONARDO UK LTDLES CONTAMINES TOURISMELINKEDIN IRELAND UNLIMITED COMPANYMACE CONSULT LIMITEDMALVERN OPTICAL LIMITEDMINISTRY OF JUSTICENEXT 15 GROUP PLCOFFICE DE TOURISME DE PRALOGNAN LA VANOISEOFFICE DE TOURISME DE SERRE CHEVALIEROMD GROUP LIMITEDOPINION RESEARCH SERVICES LIMITEDOPTICALMEDIA LTDPA CONSULTING SERVICES LTDPEOPLESCOUT LIMITEDPRESS DATA LIMITEDPRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLPREPUTATION (RI) UK LTDRUHPOLDING TOURISMUS KURUNTIME COLLECTIVE LIMITEDSHUTTLEBERG GMBH & CO KGSTANDING WITH GIANTSTALKWALKER SARLTELEPERFORMANCE LTDTHE PCC OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS, LONDONTOWERS WATSON LIMITEDTURNER & TOWNSEND PROJECT MANAGEMENT LTDWAVEMAKER LIMITEDWILLIS LIMITED The MOD ALB contractual data is not captured centrally on the Contracting Purchasing & Finance (CP&F) system.

How much (a) his Department and (b) each of its Arm’s Length Bodies has spent on external public relations since 5 July 2024; and which firms that funding went to.

A full Departmental response is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Public Relations spend is managed locally across the various departments within the Ministry of Defence, and Arms Lengths Bodies within their own individual budgets. Public relations activity is a subset of communication spend. As such, this data is not held. The Government Communication Service encourages the prioritisation of low and no cost public relations activities wherever possible.

How much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024.

The Directorate of Defence Communications in the Ministry of Defence Head Office spend on media and voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024 is nil.

Whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in Scotland on (a) the potential impact of armed forces' training activities on (i) nature conservation and (ii) public access to the countryside in Dumfries and Galloway and (b) the proposed national park in Galloway.

Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials have engaged with Scottish counterparts on the impact of Armed Forces training on nature conservation and public access to the countryside in Dumfries and Galloway.MOD officials have developed Integrated Rural Management Plans (IRMP) for MOD sites in Dumfries and Galloway. These plans include a level of ecological impact assessment and public access management. The IRMPs identify appropriate avoidance or mitigation measures that must be applied to manage the impact of military training and operations on these sites.MOD officials have not held any discussions with counterparts in Scotland on the proposed national park in Galloway.