Written questions by Akehurst.

What steps his Department is taking to protect NHS workers from occupational exposure to hazardous medicinal products.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 30 October 2025 to Question UIN 84144.

What assessment he has made of current UK stockpiles of short-range ground-based air defence missiles compared with stock levels held in 2022.

I am withholding further detail for operational security reasons.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK’s ground-based air defence capability in the event of the UK having to operate without direct United States support.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provide sovereign nation capability and support interoperability with NATO allies and partners. These capabilities, integrated with NATO Allies defend our homeland and contribute to the strength of the NATO Alliance. The Government has committed £1 billion to Integrated Air and Missile Defence in line with the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring investment is prioritised against evolving threats as part of the future Integrated Force. The allocation of investment and timelines for Integrated Air and Missile Defence spending will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.It would not be appropriate to state stockpile levels of munitions for reasons of national security, but these remain under continuous review to maintain operational readiness.

What proportion of planned expenditure on UK Integrated Air and Missile Defence during the current Parliament will be allocated to effectors, as opposed to sensors and command-and-control systems.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provide sovereign nation capability and support interoperability with NATO allies and partners. These capabilities, integrated with NATO Allies defend our homeland and contribute to the strength of the NATO Alliance. The Government has committed £1 billion to Integrated Air and Missile Defence in line with the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring investment is prioritised against evolving threats as part of the future Integrated Force. The allocation of investment and timelines for Integrated Air and Missile Defence spending will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.It would not be appropriate to state stockpile levels of munitions for reasons of national security, but these remain under continuous review to maintain operational readiness.

Whether spending on UK ground-based air defence and Integrated Air and Missile Defence effectors will be deferred until the 2030s.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provide sovereign nation capability and support interoperability with NATO allies and partners. These capabilities, integrated with NATO Allies defend our homeland and contribute to the strength of the NATO Alliance. The Government has committed £1 billion to Integrated Air and Missile Defence in line with the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring investment is prioritised against evolving threats as part of the future Integrated Force. The allocation of investment and timelines for Integrated Air and Missile Defence spending will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.It would not be appropriate to state stockpile levels of munitions for reasons of national security, but these remain under continuous review to maintain operational readiness.

Whether his Department has reviewed existing command arrangements for ground-based air defence in relation to the protection of critical national infrastructure.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continually reviews its operational capabilities, including command arrangements for ground-based air defence, to ensure they remain effective and fit for purpose. The protection of the United Kingdom’s critical national infrastructure is a key priority, and the MOD works closely with other Government Departments and agencies to assess and address potential threats. Any updates or changes to command arrangements are informed by regular assessments, operational requirements, and emerging threats to ensure the safety and security of the nation.

Whether his Department has assessed the role of air defence artillery systems in countering unmanned aerial systems.

The Ministry of Defence regularly engages with subject matter experts, both at home and abroad, to assess the effectiveness of different types of Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS). This includes the role of air defence artillery systems.The UK operates advanced Counter-Uncrewed Aerial System (C-UAS) capabilities which continue to be developed in response to the changing threat. These systems are operated by various different users within Defence, including air defence units.

How many additional Aster 30 missiles have been ordered for the Type 45 destroyer fleet since 2022.

I am withholding further detail for operational security reasons.

How many Starstreak and Lightweight Modular Missiles have been ordered since 2022 to replace stocks donated to Ukraine.

I am withholding further detail for operational security reasons.

What progress has been made on developing a policy for the active engagement of unmanned aerial systems.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with partners across Government on a range of Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) issues. The Home Office is responsible for C-UAS policy and strategy in the Homeland during peacetime. During wartime, C-UAS policy falls under the Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) framework, which the MOD is responsible for. The process of providing Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA) is well established and ensures a robust framework under which Defence capabilities may be used to support Other Government Departments. In terms of legislation, work is underway to develop a suitable legislative framework that will enable Defence personnel to operate authorised equipment to protect critical Defence property and activities from the threat of UAS.

Whether there are any formal agreements in place with allied nations for the provision of ground-based air defence for the UK homeland.

The UK is a NATO ally and participant in the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINAMDS) a network of interconnected national and NATO systems comprising sensors, command and control facilities, and weapon systems. This system allows the UK to exchange information with Allied nations on a reciprocal basis, to improve sensor coverage and reaction times across the Alliance. Although there are no formal agreements for the provision of effectors of allied nations to be used to defend the UK homeland. NATO has the ability to position assigned or apportioned ground-based air defence effectors in response to emerging threats.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 79968, whether she plans to publish the findings of the independent audit of Palestinian Authority curriculum reform.

We welcome the Palestinian Authority (PA) contracting an independent audit firm to complete a review of curriculum reform in early 2026, and we would expect the results of that audit to be made public. The UK will continue to press for implementation of the PA's reform commitments, and will assess progress in the education area based on the audit results.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to review elements of UK support for the Palestinian Authority in the context of textbooks for the 2025–26 school year.

We welcome the Palestinian Authority (PA) contracting an independent audit firm to complete a review of curriculum reform in early 2026, and we would expect the results of that audit to be made public. The UK will continue to press for implementation of the PA's reform commitments, and will assess progress in the education area based on the audit results.

What guidance has been issued to Neighbourhood Health Centre sites on integrating specialist neurology services with neighbourhood-based care teams.

In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. It outlines how specialised neurology services should support integrated and responsive care for individuals with long-term neurological conditions through collaboration between hospital and community providers. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the Neurology Transformation Programme.We have announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme, with 120 delivered by 2030, with rollout starting in areas of the greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowestWe expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in different places across the country.We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course.  This will set out how the National Health Service, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop and implement plans.

How many of the first-wave Neighbourhood Health Centre sites have prioritised neurology within a) initial service plans and b) delivery models.

In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. It outlines how specialised neurology services should support integrated and responsive care for individuals with long-term neurological conditions through collaboration between hospital and community providers. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the Neurology Transformation Programme.We have announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme, with 120 delivered by 2030, with rollout starting in areas of the greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowestWe expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in different places across the country.We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course.  This will set out how the National Health Service, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop and implement plans.

When people with brain cancer will have access to personalised vaccines as part of their NHS treatment.

There are currently no personalised cancer vaccines with a marketing authorisation for use in the United Kingdom. All new, licensed medicines, including personalised cancer vaccines, are evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which makes recommendations on whether they should be routinely funded by the National Health Service, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE aims wherever possible to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the point of licensing, and cancer medicines are eligible for funding from the Cancer Drugs Fund from the point of a positive draft NICE recommendation, bringing forward patient access by up to five months.The measures that we announced in the Life Sciences Sector Plan will enhance NICE’s collaboration with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and will support faster access to medicines for NHS patients in England.Further, the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is a platform set up to accelerate the development of cancer vaccines and speed up access to mRNA personalised cancer vaccine clinical trials for cancer patients. The CVLP has been instrumental in accelerating trial activity in cancer research, with CVLP sites driving faster activation and enrolment timelines. The platform is designed to be company- and clinical trial type-agnostic. Any company that wishes to deliver trials via the platform, including those developing vaccines for brain tumours, can contact the CVLP to explore how the platform can support their research.

What recent progress he has made on the Land Precision Strike programme.

The Ministry of Defence is assessing potential opportunities for a Land Deep Fires munition capable of destroying targets out to extended ranges. A decision on Land Precision Strike progress is pending publication of the Defence Investment Plan.

How many unmanned aerial vehicles the armed forces have procured in 2025 and will procure in 2026.

The Ministry of Defence has had delivery of over 1,500 uncrewed systems over the last year, and has delivered approximately 95,000 drones to Ukraine since July 2024. For security reasons we cannot provide a breakdown of what systems have been procured. Drones, including unmanned aerial systems, are integral to the modern way of warfighting, exemplified in the lessons gleaned from the war in Ukraine. The Strategic Defence Review announced an increase in autonomy investment of £2 billion in this Parliament, taking total Defence investment in autonomy to circa £4 billion. 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 to be published this year.

Whether his Department plans to expand the Short-Range and Medium-Range Air Defence launcher fleet beyond the eight Sky Sabre units set out in the Strategic Defence Review.

The British Army’s Land Ground Based Air Defence programme intends to increase the mass of the current Medium Range Air Defence fleet. The programme strives to modernise Defence’s ground-based air defence capabilities in the face of rapidly developing threats and is a high priority for the Army. It was only a short time ago that I was in Bolton to order more Sky Sabre Systems.

Whether additional 155mm artillery shell production orders will be placed with BAE Systems’ Washington plant.

We can confirm that additional 155mm artillery shell production orders will be placed with BAE Systems’ Washington plant.