Written questions by Shastri-Hurst.

What his Department's recruitment targets for each branch of the armed forces are for (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 is clear that Defence must now meet the longstanding challenge of recruiting and retaining new generations with different requirements. We are committed to the vision that long-term success depends on reconnecting society with the Armed Forces and the purpose of Defence, and for recruitment the focus should be on speed, drastically shortening the period between applicants expressing interest and joining. We have already implemented conditional offers of employment in 10 days from a candidate’s application, and provisional training start dates in 30 days if they desire it. To provide a response regarding the period 2025-26, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 April 2025 to Question 43215 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge). https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-04-01/43215 We are currently engaged in planning activity to determine recruitment targets for 2026-27From Full-Service Implementation in 2027, the previously announced Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) will deliver against annual recruitment targets and demand, which will be set by the three Services via the Command Recruiting Support Plan (CRSP). The CRSP is generated and approved in conjunction with the single Services, with AFRS containing a mechanism to adjust demand during each Recruiting Year.

What key performance indicators he plans to publish on the impact of the National Armaments Director Group on defence procurement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are being developed for the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group as part of a single NAD Group performance framework for 2026-27. The KPIs will be aligned to the intent set in the Strategic Defence Review recommendations.

How many proposals have been funded through the Defence and Security Accelerator delivering operational advantage via improved self-sufficiency competition.

Due to a change to programme prioritisation after this competition had closed, there were no proposals funded directly through this competition. Fundable proposals submitted into DASA competitions but not funded are retained for potential future use. One proposal submitted as part of the competition was later funded through alternative customer funding.

When he plans to provide a substantive Answer to Question 68513 on Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Repairs and Maintenance.

As the hon. Member is aware, the Department keeps under review its approach to the disclosure of information in light of a wide range of factors. In this instance, having carefully considered the matter, I have concluded that the operational security risks are such that I am not able to disclose the level of detail requested. I can, however, provide a general response to your question regarding the maintenance downtime of various vehicles. Over the last 12 months (June 2024 – June 2025), the proportion of maintenance downtime time for routine mandated inspections, servicing and emergent repairs of the Army’s three main armoured platforms: Challenger 2, Warrior and Bulldog is 2.5%. This information has not been broken down by platform due to operational sensitivities. Maintenance downtime consists of planned routine servicing/inspection and unplanned average annual repair time. To be clear this is an average estimation based on a single sample for each vehicle type of which 2.5% is the combined total.

What steps he plans to take to increase shipbuilding capacity.

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 forthcoming civil shipbuilding programmes. The National Shipbuilding Office (NSO) is leading the work for Government to engage with industry to explore further opportunities and requirements. As part of their remit, the NSO assesses current and future capacity to consider both demand and supply.

With reference to paragraph 9 of section 7.5 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 2 June 2025, what his planned timetable is for the Cabinet sub-Committee or equivalent Ministerial group to meet.

I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s interest in space. The Ministry of Defence along with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments, is coordinating space activities across government. Ministers from across government met on the 22 April to discuss space and, since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review, Ministers met on 7 July to follow up on our approach to space. We remain committed to establishing and evolving the right space governance structure to ensure that activities are effectively coordinated across all relevant departments.

What the proportion of maintenance downtime is for (a) tanks, (b) armoured fighting vehicles and (c) armed personnel carriers across the armed forces.

It will take time to collate and review the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s question. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

How much additional funding his Department plans to provide for space technology within the remit of the National Armaments Director.

The Strategic Defence Review published earlier this year has recommended that Defence must urgently develop the resilience of its military space systems.The new Defence Investment Plan, which will be published in Autumn, will set out how we will deliver the Strategic Defence Review's vision and will be both deliverable and affordable.

What proportion of (a) Royal Navy, (b) British Army, and (c) RAF personnel are in frontline roles.

The Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force do not have a definition for ‘frontline roles’ and the figures below therefore reflect the current Full-Time Trained Strength: Royal Navy/Royal Marines – 28,040Army – 70,860Royal Air Force – 27,710

What steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that the training received by combat medical technicians who are not qualified paramedics is recognised by civilian health care employers.

The training Combat Medical Technicians (CMTs) receive leads to Higher or Advanced Apprenticeship qualifications which are recognised by civilian healthcare employers. Initially, CMTs undertake a Foundation Medic course, followed by a Level 3 qualification as a Senior Healthcare Support Worker. Further to this CMTs are able to access Level 3 and 4 Pre-Hospital Emergency Care and First Response Emergency Care Apprenticeships and can continue to a Level 5 Diploma in Emergency and Urgent Care. In some instances, CMTs can also progress and complete a degree in Paramedic Science. Further to this, those employed in Public Health settings also have the opportunity to access courses and qualifications in specialist areas such as audiometry, phlebotomy and the delivery of vaccinations; again these qualifications are nationally recognised. CMTs work in the NHS whilst on Clinical Placements in both Secondary Healthcare and Ambulance Trusts with many delivering Emergency Care to the general populous.

What steps his Departments is taking to assess the feasibility of retrofitting existing platforms for autonomous capability.

The Strategic Defence Review recognised that the RAF must stay at the leading edge of combat air's evolution, through the transition from exclusively crewed combat air platforms to a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with a mix of crewed, uncrewed, and increasingly autonomous platforms, integrated into the UK's digital targeting web. The future of the RAF lies in accelerating its adoption of the latest technology and innovation. That will be considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan, and in subsequent force development work.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that armed forces GPs (a) maintain up-to-date skills in the delivery of emergency and urgent care and (b) have access to appropriate NHS (i) placements and (ii) training opportunities.

Armed Forces GPs have a unique scope of practice and develop military and medical experience and skills throughout their career. The General Practice programme for the Armed Forces personnel includes ‘Operational Preparedness’ courses covering areas of practice which are unique to Service and beyond the core licensing standard. The curriculum includes clinical leadership; occupationally focused primary care; pre-hospital medicine; force health protection and operational medicine. The 2025 Operational Preparedness course is using immersive simulation methodologies to develop skills in pre-hospital emergency care; medical planning; environmental health and other military medical specialist training. Once qualified as a GP, extensive continuing professional development ensures that Armed Forces GPs maintain up-to-date skills through training, experience, exercise and deployment. Specific pre-deployment and mission-specific training incorporates individual and collective training, validation and assurance events. NHS and other medical placements, including pre-hospital care, may also be facilitated as required to develop a GP for their operational role supporting military operations across the globe.

What steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that all Defence Medical Services medical officers undertaking Foundation Year (a) 1 and (b) 2 training within NHS hospitals receive (i) high-fidelity and (ii) role-specific training to (A) maintain and (B) develop their core military medical skill set.

Defence Medical Services (DMS) medical officers undertake Foundation Programme training within NHS hospitals as Phase 0 Trainees prior to initial (Phase 1 and 2) military training. This is to allow DMS medical officers to develop their clinical and professional skills in the workplace and meet the competences and outcomes of the Foundation Programme. Following completion of the Foundation Programme, Phase 1 and 2 training ensures high-fidelity and role-specific training to develop core military medical skill set.

What steps he is taking to ensure that NHS (a) information systems and (b) clinical protocols are interoperable with those used by (i) Defence Medical Services, (ii) Programme Cortisone and (iii) other defence initiatives.

Programme CORTISONE will provide the Defence Medical Services (DMS) with an up-to-date electronic healthcare information management system. One of the programme’s objectives is to enable greater interoperability with NHS information systems and the electronic transfer of medical records between the NHS and DMS. This capability is in development and expected to be implemented in the next one-two years. The DMS and the NHS both follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the clinical care and the management of patients. All our professionally qualified medical and dental staff are registered with the National Governing Bodies and adhere to the same national standards as all other NHS healthcare professionals. Defence Healthcare Regulations are aligned to those of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), who are commissioned by the Defence Medical Services Regulator to ensure standards align with the NHS. Military doctors, nurses and Allied Health Professionals are permanently based in NHS trusts across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Working in the NHS enables DMS personnel to maintain the skills they require to support military operations across the globe, whilst also providing essential support to our NHS and the general public as a whole. DMS is working collaboratively on a number of projects with the NHS. The joint collaboration at Catterick Integrated Care Centre (CICC) is the first of its kind between the MOD and NHS. CICC will provide a unique integrated care centre, providing medical services for military personnel based at Catterick Garrison and primary and community NHS services for members of the public and military families.

Whether he plans to re-establish the National Space Council.

The Ministry of Defence along with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other Departments, remains committed to ensuring that space activities are effectively coordinated across government. Ministers from across Government met on the 22 April to discuss our approach, and the Strategic Defence Review has recommended that a Cabinet sub-committee or equivalent be used to take forward our space strategy. This will be developed by Government to ensure strong Ministerial support for this vital area.

How many defence contracts his Department has awarded since 5 July 2024; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken for procurement on the defence industrial base.

Based on contracts created in the Ministry of Defence Commercial Contracting system there have been 1986 contracts created with a start date more recent than 5 July 2024. It is widely recognised that there are issues with the Department’s procurement system including that it is inefficient and creates uncertainty and barriers to entry for industry especially SMEs. The Defence Industrial Strategy will radically reform procurement to tackle these inefficiencies, cut waste, reduce red tape, and deliver maximum value for both our Armed Forces and our economy.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential military and dual-use implications of Chinese investment in UK critical infrastructure.

The UK welcomes foreign investment. The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA) provides the UK Government robust powers to scrutinise and, if necessary, intervene in acquisitions or investment that may pose a risk to national security. This legislation is country agnostic and operated by the Investment Security Unit (ISU) in the Cabinet Office. Defence, alongside other Government Departments, works closely with the ISU, which has the cross-Government lead for advising on the national security implications of foreign investment.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that evidence gathered by (a) UK armed forces and (b) partners in Ukraine is preserved for potential use in war crimes prosecutions.

The UK deplores the barbaric acts that are taking place in Ukraine, after Russia’s illegal invasion, and will continue to support holding all perpetrators to account. We continue to support the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating allegations of international crimes committed in Ukraine and are also working closely with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, where the UK has provided £11.3 million to support Ukraine's domestic accountability efforts, including to document, investigate and prosecute atrocity crimes.

What recent steps his Department has taken to improve the (a) resilience and (b) sustainability of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise; and what estimate he has made of the (i) current and (ii) future workforce requirements to support the nuclear deterrent.

The Government has an unwavering commitment to ensuring the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) is resilient and sustainable through significant investment in our infrastructure, people and places. This includes recapitalising critical elements of our infrastructure, modernising our naval bases and manufacturing processes, and working with industry partners to safeguard the DNE supply chain for the future. Our investment in Barrow-in-Furness, through the Plan for Barrow, recognises its crucial role in supporting and sustaining the DNE. The Nuclear Skills Plan is aiding the growth of the UK defence nuclear workforce to meet the skills demand across the sector, with the DNE workforce set to expand from around 47,600 to around 65,000 by 2030.

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on developing a sovereign defence space capability in the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this initiative on (a) national security and (b) military operations in space.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with other Departments to develop sovereign space capabilities, and with our Allies and partners.We use the 'own-access-collaborate' framework to identify where the UK must own sovereign capabilities, access services from the commercial sector, or collaborate with our Allies and partners to secure military capabilities. This is achieved through the SKYNET military satellite communications programme and, most recently, the development of UK sovereign earth observation capabilities.