Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mark Francois this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 201–220 of 402 · Ministry of Defence
What the cost is of the L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle programme for the Royal Marines; and whether additional costs have been incurred due to the adoption of the 6.5mm Creedmoor calibre.
The L129A1 is provided to the Royal Marines from the Army, via Defence Equipment and Support, as part of the Lead Command Model. The total cost to Defence was £1.5 million. Additional costs have been incurred for Creedmoor as the transition to this calibre has not commenced yet.
What is the total cost of the Royal Marines’ Knights Armament Stoner 1 (KS-1) rifle programme, including (a) optical and thermal sights and suppressors and (b) all associated equipment; and how much of this budget has been spent to date.
The Knight Stoner KS-1 has been procured by Royal Navy as part of the Future Commando Force Transformation. The total cost of this rifle to the Programme is £30.422 million, of which, £22.887 million has been spent to date.
How much was spent on the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference 2025.
The Royal Navy allocated £38,000 of funding for the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference 2025. This money has not been spent and will be utilised when the conference is re-scheduled.
Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 49322 on Boeing E-7, what further test flights are planned for the first E-7 Wedgetail aircraft before it enters its test and evaluation phase.
The Wedgetail programme has already entered the flight test programme and has completed three flights. There is a comprehensive ground and flight test programme in 2025 prior to the aircraft being handed over to the Royal Air Force, the exact number of which depends upon the success of each flight.
Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 49325 on Boeing E-7, what challenges his Department has encountered in the (a) modification and (b) integration processes for the second and third E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
The second and third E-7 Wedgetail aircraft continue their modification process at STS Aviation, Birmingham airport. The build is progressing well with lessons learned from aircraft one having been adopted.
How much funding his Department provided for the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference 2024.
Funding for the First Sea Lord’s Sea Power Conference 2024 was £38,000.
How many test flights the first E-7 Wedgetail aircraft has successfully completed.
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 January 2025 to Question 25383 to the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter).
Whether the Ajax armoured vehicle programme has completed its full safety case.
Yes. Full safety cases are in place for all Ajax variants.
What the (a) acquisition, (b) modification, (c) training and (d) infrastructure development costs are of each of the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
The whole life costs of the E7 programme are subject to approval by His Majesty's Government and cannot be confirmed until this process concludes.
Whether any issues have been reported to his Department on the Ajax armoured vehicle’s ability to fire on the move.
No issues have been reported; the Ajax armoured vehicle’s ability to fire on the move has been successfully demonstrated.
What the status is of the (a) modification and (b) integration processes for the second and third E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
The modification of the second and third E-7 Wedgetail aircraft continues.The second Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar is fitted to aircraft two and the third MESA is on site and scheduled to be fitted in June 2025.
What the previous ownership status was of each of the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
The three airframes were previously on the United States civil aircraft register. They were registered to Boeing.
What plans his Department has to streamline the permissions process for small and medium-sized enterprises for testing new defence capabilities that fall outside Civil Aviation Authority regulations.
The Military Aviation Authority (MAA) as the air safety regulator for the Defence Air Environment sets the regulatory framework for Air System Test activity. It continues to support the Ministry of Defence’s ambitions, and has reorganised, upskilled and developed an updated and flexible approach to certification and regulation of new capabilities.
What steps his Department is taking to improve access to Ministry of Defence test ranges for (a) small and medium-sized enterprises and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises without a sponsor from his Department.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make a vital contribution to economic growth and are a valuable source of technical innovation in defence. This is recognised in the Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent, as well as the Department’s Social Value policies.Small and medium-sized enterprises can apply to use many Ministry of Defence (MOD) test ranges through the Test, Trials, Training and Evaluation (T3E) Service (https://www.t3e.uk/en/) managed on behalf of the MOD by QinetiQ. This includes enterprises that do not have a MOD sponsor. As part of the Defence Industrial Strategy and MOD’s Test and Evaluation Transformation programme, the Department is reviewing how best to support SMEs with access to relevant test facilities, including MOD and commercially run test ranges available to UK companies.
Whether his Department plans to replace the Multi-role Electronically Scanned-Array radar on the E-7A Wedgetail fleet with a US-developed replacement.
There are no plans to replace the existing Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array radar currently fitted on the UK E-7 Wedgetail Fleet.
When he plans to respond to Question 41390 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty tabled by the hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford on 26 March 2025.
I responded to the right hon. Member on 23 April 2025.
Whether his Department (a) authorised and (b) requested the Chief of Defence staff's recent meeting with representatives of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
The Chief of the Defence Staff’s meeting was arranged between the UK’s Ministry of Defence and China’s Office for International Military Cooperation of the Central Military Commission. It was authorised by His Majesty’s Government.
Whether the Chief of Defence Staff discussed the Chagos Islands base during his recent visit to China.
The Chief of the Defence Staff met with Gen Liu Zhenli Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Liberation Army. They discussed a range of security issues and agreed that in an unstable world we must play our part as responsible nations with global interests.
Whether there have been any amendments to the (a) duration, (b) remuneration and (c) other contractual terms of the six additional senior-level experts added to the Strategic Defence Review team since the commencement of their appointments.
The six leading figures supporting the external reviewers continue to support the delivery of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The SDR-which will be published in the Spring-will ensure the United Kingdom is both secure at home and strong abroad, now and for the years to come.
Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 36052 on Strategic Defence Review: Contracts, whether there have been any amendments to the (a) duration, (b) remuneration and (c) other contractual terms of (i) Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, (ii) General Sir Richard Barrons and (iii) Fiona Hill since the commencement of their appointments as external reviewers.
The external review team continue to support the delivery of this crucial piece of work. The Strategic Defence Review-which will be published in the Spring-will ensure the United Kingdom is both secure at home and strong abroad, now and for the years to come.