Written questions by Vickers.

What the average waiting time is for repairs requested through the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

The table below details the average repair response times for Emergency, Urgent and Routine maintenance tasks by Ministry of Defence (MOD) contractors for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the UK in November 2025:AverageAmey PerformanceVIVO PerformanceAcceptable Level of Performance as per ContractAverage Completion Time – Emergency1 hour 37 mins1 hour 39 minsRespond and make safe within 2 hours. Then allocated as Urgent or Routine.Average Completion Time – Urgent45 hrs 32 mins29 hours 12 minsAttend and rectify within 48 hours.Average Completion Time – Routine9.82days10 daysAttend and rectify within 10 days. Single Living Accommodation (SLA) The table below details the average repair response by MOD contractors for Single Living Accommodation across the UK Built Estate in November 2025: AverageAverage Completion Time in HoursAcceptable level of PerformanceEmergency4 hrs 34 minsMake safe immediatelyCritical6.39 daysRestore functionality in up to 12 hours. Permanent resolution up to 12 working days.Urgent18.61 daysRestore functionality in up to 5 working days. Permanent resolution up to 20 working days.Routine18.45 daysPermanent resolution up to 20 working days. Contractor performance for both SFA and SLA meets the Key Performance Indicators for response times as set out in the contacts.

What funding he is providing for defence innovation partnerships with (a) universities and (b) SMEs.

As of 1 July 2025, the new innovation body – UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) – has launched within the Ministry of Defence to harness UK ingenuity and boost military technology UKDI has brought together previously separate innovation organisations including the Defence and Security Accelerator, the Defence Innovation Unit, Command Innovation Hubs, and Future Capability Innovation, to create a streamlined system that enhances collaboration across defence, security, academia, industry, and international partners. With a ringfenced annual budget of at least £400 million, UKDI will serve as an engine for growth in the defence, security, and dual-use technology sectors.

What recent assessment he has made of the level of resilience of military infrastructure to extreme weather events.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) develops and delivers an annual programme to apply Climate Impacts Risk Assessment Methodology on a site-by-site basis, to specific locations. This includes the assessment of military infrastructure in respect of extreme weather events. The MOD has a robust inspection process for buildings and accompanying infrastructure which highlights degradation and helps prioritise funding for upgrades.

What support is available for military families relocating to areas with limited access to public services.

Military families relocating to areas with limited public infrastructure can face distinct challenges. The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting these families through a range of targeted initiatives and cross-government collaboration. Central to this effort are the Armed Forces Families Strategy 2022–2032 and the Armed Forces Covenant. The Armed Forces Families Strategy exists not only to ensure we listen to and address the needs of the families that provide vital support to our Service Personnel, but also to provide direction to and inspire partnership between policy makers across Government to empower these families to live rich and fulfilling lives. It is underpinned by an Action Plan delivered in partnership with Devolved Administrations, Local Authorities, and the Third Sector. We are reinforcing our existing commitment to the Covenant by bringing it into Law through the Armed Forces Bill, promoting better outcomes for the Armed Forces community when accessing key public services and removing disadvantage. We are also working on the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill which will further strengthen oversight and advocacy for Service families.

What steps he is taking to support veterans transitioning to civilian employment in the North East.

All Service Leavers receive support in their transition to civilian employment, retirement or into education, including those located in the North East. This support is specifically designed to provide expert advice and access to the right resources and opportunities. Support specifically aimed at helping veterans into civilian employment is provided by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP). This includes tailored advice and guidance from career experts, support with CV writing, employment fairs, access to a job vacancy portal, recruitment open days, dedicated Employer Relationship Managers and training courses to upskill and qualify Service Leavers for their future careers across the United Kingdom. For those more than two years post-service and looking to take the next step in their career, Op ASCEND connects veterans and their families with employers, supporting them into roles in strategic sectors. Op ASCEND has successfully engaged over 420 employers and has supported 4,600 veterans and family members since its commencement in 2024. CTP and Op ASCEND make up the spine of continuous employment support provided by the Ministry of Defence for Service leavers and veterans. Armed Forces Champions are also based across the UK’s JobCentre Plus network to help support members of the Armed Forces community into work. The most recent statistics from the CTP (Jan-July 2025) reveal that over 88% of Service Leavers were in employment six months post discharge.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential strategic merits of increasing shipbuilding capacity in the north of England.

This Government has an ambitious shipbuilding pipeline with major naval programmes in progress at a number of UK shipyards, recent export success of the Type 26 frigate to Norway and a number of forthcoming civil shipbuilding programmes. The National Shipbuilding Office (NSO) is leading the work for Government to explore further opportunities, working with the whole of industry including in the North of England. As part of their work, the NSO assesses current and future capacity needs while recognising the input required from the commercial part of the sector across the United Kingdom.

What plans he has to expand apprenticeship and training routes into the Armed Forces.

Defence is the largest apprenticeship employer in the UK with over 23,000 personnel employed on a nationally recognised apprenticeship programme at any one time and over 95% of our non-commissioned military recruits offered an apprenticeship aligned to their trade training. That represents an annual enrolment average of 7.5% of Armed Forces personnel that have started an apprenticeship in the last 3 years. The Armed Forces were ranked 1st (Army), 2nd (Royal Navy) and 5th (RAF) in the Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2025 and offers over 130 apprenticeships across the three Services and the Civil Service and remains committed to adding more apprenticeship standards every year.

How many service leavers have accessed the Career Transition Partnership in the North East in the past year.

Registration with Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is mandatory for all Service Leavers and provides employment advice and support for those leaving military service, during the ‘transition’ phase of approximately two years before and after leaving Service. The most recent official statistics provided in Defence Statistics (published February 2025), states 15,665 Armed Forces service leavers were eligible for CTP for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to collect data regarding how many Service leavers have accessed the CTP specifically in the North East.

What steps he is taking to improve access to mental health services for (a) service personnel and (b) veterans.

To improve access to mental health services for Service personnel, Defence Medical Services (DMS) has established Defence Mental Health Networks (DMHNs) across the UK. These specialist community mental health services provide enhanced access to expert assessment and treatment for Service personnel experiencing mental health disorders. By introducing new single points of access, enabling the sharing of specialist skills across network locations, and consolidating clinical and governance processes, DMHNs are reducing wait times to enhanced assessments and core treatment therapies. DMS has further introduced standardised training for primary care clinicians incorporating emerging digital interventions to ensure that Service personnel can access initial mental healthcare at any Defence medical centre. Op COURAGE, the Veterans Mental Health, and Wellbeing Service, provides an integrated mental health care pathway for veterans in England, with similar services in other parts of the UK.

What support is available for reservists to help them balance defence service with civilian employment.

The Ministry of Defence works closely with Reservist employers to maximise the support Defence provides to Reservists. As part of this, Defence encourages employers to provide a minimum of 10 days additional paid leave to allow Reservists to complete their training throughout the year.

What steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for military medical appointments.

A new appointment management approach adopted by Defence Primary Healthcare (DPHC) medical centres across the UK, has resulted in a 26% reduction in waiting times for patients accessing doctor appointments in primary healthcare. Total Triage, introduced by DHPC, is designed to reduce unnecessary face-to-face appointments and enable greater and quicker access to medical care for those in need. Under the new arrangements patients submit a request through the online form, or phone the medical centre where the request is triaged and allocated to a suitable qualified clinician. This ensures the patient gets to see the right healthcare worker at the right time. This has resulted in an end to the usual morning rush of phone calls to book appointments, reducing pressure on reception staff, and in patients being treated more quickly. Total Triage is part of wider programme of primary healthcare to deliver better healthcare to Armed Forces personnel, including the introduction of SMS appointment reminders and combining practices to increase access to medical services and resources.

What recent steps he has taken to strengthen recruitment to the armed forces from underrepresented communities.

The Defence Diversity and Inclusion strategy sets out a goal to be an organisation that, at all levels, appropriately represents UK society by increasing representation of underrepresented groups such as Ethnic Minorities, Women and LGBT. To that end, Levels of Ambition were created in 2018 and are regularly reviewed to monitor progress. Programmes are in place to achieve increased representation including building a more inclusive culture, improving terms and conditions of Service (including flexible working), improving engagement and outreach with underrepresented communities, improving and streamlining recruiting (including targeted inclusive advertising) and candidate nurturing programmes (including focus on underrepresented groups).

What role is being played by UK Armed Forces in NATO exercises involving Eastern European allies.

UK Armed Forces routinely exercise with our NATO Allies, testing our interoperability across all domains and our responses to the threats we face.So far in 2025, Royal Navy patrol boats have participated in exercises including BALTOPS, NATO's premier maritime-focused annual military exercise in the Baltic region and on Exercise HEDGEHOG in Estonia, with over 2000 British Army personnel taking part alongside NATO allies and partners in this multinational defence drill focused on strengthening Estonia's defence posture.In addition, the UK's persistent presence in Estonia and Poland under Operation CABRIT provides regular opportunities to exercise alongside our NATO allies.

What discussions he has had with local authorities on Ministry of Defence estate (a) disposal and (b) redevelopment.

As part of ensuring defence’s role as an engine for growth, the Ministry of Defence holds frequent discussions with Local Authorities across the country when formulating plans for the disposal of sites for which there is no further Defence requirement, and plans for redevelopment on the operational estate. These discussions cover a wide range of policy matters ranging from town planning, environmental and heritage matters, to transport and ecology.

What steps he is taking to increase the defence sector’s contribution to net zero targets.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) remains fully committed to contributing to the UK achieving its legal commitment to be Net Zero by 2050. Between Financial Year 2019-20 and Financial Year 2023-24, the MOD as a Department has reduced its overall emissions from 3,650,000 tCO2e to 3,012,000 tCO2e. A more detailed breakdown of Defence energy use and associated carbon emissions can be found in Annex D of the MOD Annual Report and Accounts. The wider Defence sector must comply with Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 006 Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts, requiring Carbon Reduction Plans, to be published online at supplier selection stage for procurements valued at £5 million (ex VAT) or more per year, where relevant and proportionate. MOD are encouraging the application of PPN 016: Carbon Reduction Contract Schedule which provides standard terms to support decarbonisation objectives, including Greenhouse gas emissions reporting, reduction targets, and monitoring through supplier Carbon Reduction Plans. Additionally, when procuring infrastructure, the MOD must adhere to Joint Services Policy 850 to ensure energy efficiency and carbon emissions reduction.

What recent estimate he has made of defence procurement spending in the (a) Tees Valley and (b) North East.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) publishes annual statistics on expenditure with industry and commerce by UK region. On the 11 September 2025 the Department will publish the next edition which will be found here: MOD regional expenditure with industry: index - GOV.UK and will cover MOD for expenditure with commerce and industry for Financial Year 2024-25. This will include a breakdown of spending by region, including a breakdown for the North-East but we are unable to disaggregate that to the Tees Valley as this represents a sub region. The Department system currently captures data at regional level.