Andrew Snowden MP: written questions

Written questions

• Armed Forces: Labour Turnover and RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27606More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's recruitment and retention targets are for each of the three Services for 2026/27.

  Answer: The 2026-27 Single Service recruitment targets for Regular and Reserve (Officer and Other ranks) are detailed below: The Naval Service (inclusive of the Royal Marines and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary) total Recruitment Targets for all streams for Recruiting ...

  Answered 15 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Veterans: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22710More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has issued guidance on the relevance of the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act 2021 to investigations relating to Operation Banner.

  Answer: The Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act 2021 is limited in scope to legal proceedings arising from overseas military operations outside the British Islands. The Act has no application for actions committed in Northern Ireland during O...

  Answered 7 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Coroners: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22709More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what costs his Department has incurred in supporting the judicial review relating to the Clonoe inquest findings.

  Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) records show it has incurred over £600,000 in legal costs for the judicial review. This total covers the costs of both the MOD, and of the veterans' judicial review proceedings.

  Answered 7 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Veterans: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22708More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what expenditure his Department has incurred on legal representation for veterans involved in Troubles-related legacy proceedings since 5 July 2024.

  Answer: Since 5 July 2024, MOD records suggest more than £3.2 million has been spent on external legal representation commissioned directly by the Ministry of Defence for veterans involved in Troubles-related legacy proceedings.

  Answered 7 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Veterans: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22707More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many former members of the Armed Forces are receiving legal support funded by his Department in relation to Troubles-related investigations, inquests or prosecutions.

  Answer: The Ministry of Defence is currently funding independent legal representation for 13 former members of the Armed Forces in relation to Troubles-related investigations, inquests and prosecutions.

  Answered 8 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Future Combat Air System: Skilled WorkersMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22639More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on skills provision for the Future Combat Air System programme.

  Answer: The Ministry of Defence works closely with the Department for Education to ensure skills provisions reflect the needs of major defence programmes, including the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme.

  Answered 8 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Future Combat Air SystemMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22638More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the export potential of technologies developed under the Future Combat Air System programme.

  Answer: The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme is sustaining and growing the UK’s Combat Air sector and the UK's strong international position in combat air exports. The Global Combat Air Programme will deliver a sixth-generation crewed combat aircraft whi...

  Answered 8 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Future Combat Air System: Job CreationMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22637More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled £708 million to accelerate UK next-generation air combat technology, published on 22 July 2026, what assessment he has made of trends in the regional dist

  Answer: The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme supports jobs across the UK, including in all nine regions of England and in Scotland. Of these, approximately 90% are based outside of London and the south east.

  Answered 8 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Future Combat Air System: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22636More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding has the Future Combat Air System programme received in each financial year since 2018.

  Answer: Since 2018, the UK Government has invested more than £5 billion across the Future Combat Air System programme.

  Answered 8 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Future Combat Air System: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22635More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press notice entitled £708 million to accelerate UK next-generation air combat technology, published on 22 July 2026, whether the funding announced for the Future Combat Air Sys

  Answer: The £708 million announced on 22 July 2026 was allocated within the Defence Investment Plan.

  Answered 8 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Armed Forces: HousingMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22627More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many additional Service Family Accommodation properties are scheduled to be upgraded during the 2026–27 financial year.

  Answer: Upgrades have recently completed on 1,250 of the poorest-quality homes. Further improvement programmes are progressing across the estate this financial year, including bringing 1,000 previously unavailable homes back online, while targeted works continue ...

  Answered 8 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Armed Forces: HousingMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22626More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military family homes have been fully upgraded under the Defence Housing Strategy since its publication, broken down by region.

  Answer: 395 Service Family Accommodation homes have been fully upgraded under the Defence Housing Strategy, since its publication on 3 November 2025. The table below shows the regional breakdown: NorthCentralSoutheastSouthwest455919596 Delivery is already underw...

  Answered 8 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Ministry of Defence: Westminster Hall SittingsMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22617More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the number of hours spent (a) responding to and (b) preparing for Westminster Hall Debates by (i) government ministers, (ii) civil servants and (iii) special advisers in his Departm

  Answer: It is not possible to provide information on the number of hours spent for preparing Ministers, civil servants and special advisers to respond to Westminster Hall Debates. There will be differences in the time spent depending on the policy matter and leng...

  Answered 7 Sept 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Reserve Forces: Tax AllowancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18215More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will assess the potential merits of increasing tax free bounty payments to members of the reserve forces.

  Answer: This Government recognises that Reserves are at the heart of Defence. Last month, this Government increased the bounty payments by 3.6% on 1 April 2026, following the Armed Forces Pay Review Body recommendations. This increased the annual tax free bounty ...

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• A400M Aircraft: Uncrewed SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17838More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the date by which the capability to deploy uncrewed surface vessels from A400M aircraft will reach Initial Operating Capability.

  Answer: The recent trial was successful demonstration of a novel deployment method for uncrewed surface vessels, demonstrating the potential for rapid deployment of autonomous maritime capabilities in contested or hard-to-access environments. Further information ...

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• A400M Aircraft: Uncrewed SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17837More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the Royal Navy's recent trial involving the airdrop of an uncrewed surface vessel from an A400M aircraft.

  Answer: The recent trial was successful demonstration of a novel deployment method for uncrewed surface vessels, demonstrating the potential for rapid deployment of autonomous maritime capabilities in contested or hard-to-access environments. Further information ...

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Typhoon Aircraft: Global Combat Air ProgrammeMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17836More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications of the Typhoon upgrade programme for the transition to the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

  Answer: As well as ensuring Typhoon remains a credible and robust combat air capability over the coming decades able to operate alongside F35 and GCAP, the Typhoon upgrade programme set out in the Defence Investment Plan (including Long Term Evolution) helps gene...

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Typhoon Aircraft: F-35 AircraftMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17835More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the upgraded Typhoon fleet will operate alongside the F-35 Lightning fleet; and what capabilities are expected to be delivered through integration with Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

  Answer: The upgraded Typhoon fleet will operate alongside the F-35 Lightning as complementary elements of the UK’s combat air force. The Typhoon Long Term Evolution (LTE) programme ensures Typhoon Force remains operationally relevant into the 2040s and can contin...

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Typhoon AircraftMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17834More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs supported by the Typhoon upgrade programme in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Scotland, (c) Lancashire and (d) the wider UK defence supply chain.

  Answer: In January 2026 the department announced that it had committed over £650 million to upgrade the RAF’s Typhoon fighter jet fleet, securing over 1,500 jobs across the UK. This includes around 300 skilled roles in Edinburgh and secures 120 jobs in Lancashire...

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Typhoon AircraftMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17833More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether all RAF Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 Typhoon aircraft are expected to receive the full package of capability upgrades announced in the Defence Investment Plan.

  Answer: Both Tranches of UK Typhoon are being upgraded, and there is no change to the previously stated intention. 40 Tranche 3 aircraft will receive the new radar, ECRS2, and the fleet of both Tranche 2 and 3 aircraft will receive the upgrades to communications ...

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Typhoon Aircraft: RadarMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17832More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many RAF Typhoon aircraft are planned to receive European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 radars under the Defence Investment Plan; and what the planned delivery timetable is for those radars.

  Answer: 40 RAF Typhoon aircraft will receive the European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 upgrade. We expect the radar in service with the RAF before the end of the decade.

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Defence: InvestmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17831More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the economic impact of the Defence Investment Plan by region.

  Answer: The Defence Investment Plan sets out how the Government's increased investment in defence capability, infrastructure and innovation will strengthen national security while supporting economic growth across the UK. While the Defence Investment Plan was not...

  Answered 20 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Armed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17489More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the capability gaps identified by the Chief of the Defence Staff regarding UK military readiness.

  Answer: The Department continually assesses the readiness of the Armed Forces and the capabilities required to meet current and future threats. The Ministry of Defence employs a rigorous approach to identify and mitigate risks arising from gaps in defence capabil...

  Answered 17 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record
• Ministry of Defence: Westminster Hall SittingsMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17476More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the annual cost to her Department of preparing ministers to respond to Westminster Hall Debates.

  Answer: As each session is unique, the time required to prepare Ministers will vary according to the topics being covered and the level of support they require from different areas.

  Answered 17 Jul 2026

  Original Parliament record