Ben Obese-Jecty MP: written questions 2026
2827 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Nuclear WeaponsCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23208More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether her Department has a) received and is b) considering a policy proposal from former minister Nick Boles regarding the extension of Britain’s nuclear deterrent to cover non-NATO European allies.
Answer: It is not routine to disclose correspondence between the Cabinet Office and any individual or organisation. The Cabinet Office regularly receives correspondence from a range of stakeholders. Since 1962, the UK has declared our nuclear capability to the de...
Answered 15 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence Equipment: SalesMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23207More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the written statement of 30 June 2026 on Defence funding update, HCWS165, what is the nature of the £400 million identified to increase Ministry of Defence spending power from Ministry of Defenc
Answer: The Defence Investment Plan included a target for additional asset sales to increase Defence spending power. These could include proceeds from the disposal of retired capabilities and surplus land or property that is no longer required for Defence purpose...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: DefenceDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23206More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the written statement of 30 June 2026 on Defence funding update, HCWS165, across which projects are the savings in serial 9, Further Department for Transport savings, made in each year from 20
Answer: As set out in the DIP statement, all Departments capital budgets were reduced by 1%. DfT then committed to making further savings of c£700m from the roads sector. The £800m in the HCWS includes the impact from the Barnett formula.To meet these additional ...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHMP Gloucester: ClosuresMinistry of JusticeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23205More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on what date the decision to close HMP Gloucester was first assessed for feasibility.
Answer: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. To determine the specific rationale and internal decision date for each prison closure, the Department would need to identify and review historical records relating to closure deci...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHMP GloucesterMinistry of JusticeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23204More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what investment his Department made in improving the physical condition of the prison estate at HMP Gloucester between 1997 and 2010.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice does not hold total figures for investment in improving the physical condition of prisons between 1997 and 2010.During that period, expenditure on the prison estate took a number of forms, including centrally managed maintenance an...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: Cost EffectivenessDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23203More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the written statement of 30 June 2026 on Defence funding update, HCWS165, what progress she has made on identifying the £2.0 billion of savings in her Department needed in o
Answer: The savings are a small part of DESNZ's overall budget, which saw a significant uplift at Spending Review. We will set out more details in due course
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal Feed: CattleDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the lack of adequate feed for cattle on milk volumes.
Answer: While no data is held on the short-term potential impact of recent drought and heatwave conditions on grazing and silage production for UK dairy farms, Defra continues to work closely with the sector to maintain an over-view of grass growth and availabili...
Answered 4 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordReservoirs: CambridgeshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23201More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether Anglian water have submitted a drought permit in order to refill Grafham Water.
Answer: No.
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Water AbstractionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of irrigation restrictions in place to reduce water abstraction by farmers in Huntingdon constituency.
Answer: There are 99 abstraction licences within the Huntingdon constituency. Currently (02/09/2026) of these, 75 licences include Hands-Off Flow (HOF) cessation conditions. As of Tuesday, 1 September, only 4 have these restrictions in force.
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordReservoirs: CambridgeshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23199More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is the current percentage level of Grafham Water reservoir.
Answer: Grafham Water was 65.43% full on Monday, 31 August 2026.
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Supply: WasteDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23198More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is the estimated volume of water lost annually to leaks by each water company in the last reporting period.
Answer: The Government is committed to urgent action to improve water efficiency and reduce water company leaks, alongside delivering new supply infrastructure. including new reservoirs and water transfers. Water company Water Resources Management Plans show how ...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23197More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Armour Main Battle Tank Programme, whether the programme will be completed by
Answer: The Armour Main Battle Tank Programme is currently subject to an ongoing review of programme performance and a related reapproval process. Under current plans, reapproval is expected during Financial Year 2026-27. As part of this work, the Department is c...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23196More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Armed Forces Recruitment Programme, by when replanning will be completed.
Answer: No replanning of the Armed Forces Recruitment Programme has taken place. The Programme continues to progress in accordance with the agreed delivery schedule, with phased service commencement planned between January and April 2027.
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the MENSA programme.
Answer: The MENSA programme continues to make good progress, with the facility construction completed and the programme now transitioning to the process commissioning stage.
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23194More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Submarine Waterfront Infrastructure Future, by what date the programme reset w
Answer: The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority is scheduled to conduct a review of the Submarine Waterfront Infrastructure Future (SWIF) by the end of 2026, and the programme reset is due to be completed in mid-2027, in line with the Min...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air Systems: Guided WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23193More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the answer of 19 October 2025 to question 79702 on Weapons and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Brimstone 3, wh
Answer: Previous delays have been overcome through a revised plan of combined USA and UK based testing, with final elements of safe separation trials concluding in the USA in June 2026 and further UK testing being conducted in August 2026. Paveway IV has been ope...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23192More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, SKYNET 6, what the resourcing constraints are impacting delivery at programme
Answer: The SKYNET programme has continued to deliver ahead of need, and that is expected to continue
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Astute Boats 1-7, how long the delay is to the build of Boat 7.
Answer: In September 2025, the sixth Astute Class submarine, HMS AGAMEMNON was commissioned into the Royal Navy and is undertaking the final stages of her in-water commissioning, before a handover to the Royal Navy to undertake sea trials. Achilles, the seventh a...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23190More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Clyde Infrastructure, what progress he has made on recruiting staff and securi
Answer: The Clyde Infrastructure Programme has existing frameworks in place with industry to sustain delivery, with supply chain following an agreed delivery plan. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is extending and uplifting headroom within these fram...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026Awaiting answerUIN 23189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Type 26 Global Combat Ship Programme, what the estimated build schedule is for
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23188More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Collective Training Transformation Programme, on what date the preferred tende
Answer: The Army’s Collective Training Transformation Programme was awarded to Omnia Training on the 29 June 2026.
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Protector, what progress he has made on resourcing trained crew numbers for th
Answer: Protector crew training continues to be delivered alongside deployed operational output, which started in November 2026. I am withholding information relating to trained crew numbers as its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effective...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordNATO: NavyMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23186More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many SNMG sea days the Royal Navy contributes to each group annually compared to NATO allies.
Answer: The Royal Navy routinely contributes to NATO's Standing Naval Forces, including Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). This year, the UK fulfilled its leadership role in SNMG1, by providing a Royal Navy Commodore and specialist staff officers to command ...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordNATO: Armed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23185More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of the DSACEUR role on the armed forces in the context of increased NATO spending commitments from European NATO allies.
Answer: In February 2026, NATO Chiefs of Defence agreed a revised allocation of key military leadership positions across the NATO Alliance. They agreed the UK should continue to hold the position of DSACEUR and should take on 4* command of Joint Force Command Nor...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: PalantirDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23184More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it remains her Department’s policy to use Palantir within the Federated Data Platform programme.
Answer: The supplier contract will be reviewed in line with standard contract management processes and the outcome will be announced in the normal way in due course.
Answered 21 Sept 2026
Original Parliament record
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