Ben Obese-Jecty MP: written questions
1495 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Ukraine: AmmunitionMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46162More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of UK ammunition stocks have been given to Ukraine.
Answer: Since the beginning of the conflict, we have delivered over 500,000 rounds of artillery ammunition worth over £1.5 billion to Ukraine. With European partners, we are also members of the artillery capability coalition which delivers immediate support to Uk...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHawk Aircraft: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what upgrades Hawk T2 will require in order to remain in use to its planned 2040 out-of-service date.
Answer: The upgrades required to support the Hawk T2 to its planned 2040 out-of-service date are under consideration as part of the Strategic Defence Review.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Military AidMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46160More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much each country within the Coalition of the Willing has contributed to the £450m funding package announced on 11 April 2025.
Answer: The £450 million package was announced at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group on 11 April 2025. This is separate from the Coalition of the Willing.Of the £450 million, £350 million is being provided by the UK with further funding being provided by Norway vi...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy Cadet Force: AmmunitionMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46159More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the amount of 5.56mm ammunition required in order to ensure all Army Cadets are able to complete all annual shooting training requirements.
Answer: The Army’s Cadets branch has conducted a review of the ammunition allocation for Training Year 2025-26 and has confirmed that there is sufficient 5.56mm ammunition to support delivery of the Army Cadet syllabus and both regional and national shooting comp...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCadetsMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46158More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cadets there are affiliated to the (a) British Army, (b) Royal Navy, (c) Royal Air Force and (d) Combined Cadet Forces.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) publishes annual accredited official statistics on the strength of MOD-sponsored Cadet Forces. The latest iteration provides statistics as at 1 April 2024 and can be found at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/governme...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy Cadet Force: TrainingMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46157More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of training area availability on Army Cadet Force training in the next five years.
Answer: Army Cadets Branch will continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure that the needs of cadets are recognised and considered in the priority of Defence Training Estate (DTE) allocation. Six camps and associated training areas have been ringfenced for cad...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy Cadet Force: AmmunitionMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46156More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the ammunition allocation was for the Army Cadet Force in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-25.
Answer: The Army’s Cadets branch has conducted a review of the ammunition allocation for Training Year 2025-26 and has confirmed that there is sufficient 5.56mm ammunition to support delivery of the Army Cadet syllabus and both regional and national shooting comp...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWarships: British SteelMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the last Royal Navy vessel was that was built primarily from British steel.
Answer: UK steel made a significant contribution to the construction of the Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers, for which around 88 per cent of the structural steel was UK-sourced. This is a reflection of the fact that the QEC aircraft carriers are lar...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTrident Submarines: Iron and SteelMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46154More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what the reason the new Royal Navy Dreadnought Submarine programme will be built from steel imported from France.
Answer: United Kingdom (UK) submarine steel requirements continue to be sourced by our prime contractors from a range of UK and international suppliers. This reflects the need to source specific grades of steel, not all of which are available in the UK, and ensur...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWarships: British SteelMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46153More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the potential impact of the Government's recent policies in relation to British Steel on the Royal Navy's shipbuilding capacity.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence is developing a Defence Industrial Strategy that will align this Government’s national security and economic priorities. This will include a review of the UK’s approach to critical supply chain elements, such as steel, alongside re...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChina: Defence EquipmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46152More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what equipment issued to service personnel is manufactured in China.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 December 2024 to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth (Rupert Lowe) to Question 15863.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: ClothingMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what multi-spectral camouflage capabilities are currently (a) in service and (b) undergoing testing with land forces.
Answer: I hope the hon. Member will understand that this information is being withheld as it would prejudice the capability, security and effectiveness of UK Armed Forces, and could provide tactical advantage to hostile forces.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: Career DevelopmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish his Department's analysis of the Private to Sergeant promotion rate for (a) non-UK and (b) UK service personnel.
Answer: Work is ongoing to better understand and improve the careers and lived experience of all members of our Armed Forces. The Army Race Action Plan, delivered in April 2023, observed that non-UK Service Personnel (SP) on average take longer to be promoted fro...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Force: AdvertisingMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46149More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total size is of the Royal Air Force advertising budget in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answer: The Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the RAF advertising budget for FY 2025-26 has not yet received final Cabinet Office approval so is unable to be confirmed at this time. This differs from the British Army, who have a different recruitment contract with ‘C...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRoyal Marines: AdvertisingMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46148More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total size is of the Royal Marines advertising budget in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answer: The Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the RAF advertising budget for FY 2025-26 has not yet received final Cabinet Office approval so is unable to be confirmed at this time. This differs from the British Army, who have a different recruitment contract with ‘C...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNavy: AdvertisingMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46147More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total size is of the Royal Navy advertising budget, excluding the Royal Marines, in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answer: The Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the RAF advertising budget for FY 2025-26 has not yet received final Cabinet Office approval so is unable to be confirmed at this time. This differs from the British Army, who have a different recruitment contract with ‘C...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: AdvertisingMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46146More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total size is of the British Army advertising budget in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answer: Capita is currently contracted to deliver recruitment advertising on behalf of the British Army, until the new tri-service Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) launches in 2027. The approved budget for the Army’s recruitment advertising in 2025-26 is c....
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46145More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of contracting a single advertising agency to deliver all Armed Forces recruitment advertising.
Answer: The Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) contract has recently been awarded to Serco, with a contract commencement date of 1 April 2025. The Recruiting Service will transition to a full-service implementation by October 2027, replacing the separate sche...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Force: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46144More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which company is contracted to deliver recruitment advertising for the Royal Air Force.
Answer: All media is bought through the cross Government buying contract with Manning Gottlieb (MG) Omni Media Group. All Government Departments are mandated to use this contract.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRoyal Marines: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46143More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which company is contracted to deliver recruitment advertising for the Royal Marines.
Answer: Recruitment advertising is procured through the Pan Government contract with Manning Gottlieb (MG) Omni Media Group.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNavy: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46142More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which company is contracted to deliver recruitment advertising for the Royal Navy.
Answer: Recruitment advertising is procured through the Pan Government contract with Manning Gottlieb (MG) Omni Media Group.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46141More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which company is contracted to deliver recruitment advertising for the Army.
Answer: Capita is currently contracted to deliver recruitment advertising on behalf of the British Army, until the new tri-service Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) launches in 2027. The approved budget for the Army’s recruitment advertising in 2025-26 is c....
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Military AidMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46140More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much financial support has the UK contributed to Ukraine through the Ukraine Defence Contact Group since 5 July 2024.
Answer: Since taking a leadership role in the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) in February, the UK Ministry of Defence has published official press releases on the February and April UDCG meetings on the gov.uk website announcing UK commitments. In February, ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air Systems: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46139More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on fpv drone (a) development and (b) procurement since 5 July 2024.
Answer: Uncrewed systems are changing the character of warfare at pace, and this Government is adapting our approaches to acquisition, regulation and operation. In support of the conflict in Ukraine the Ministry of Defence has procured over 30,000 First Person Vi...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air Systems: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46138More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what fpv drones have been procured by his Department since 5 July 2024.
Answer: Uncrewed systems are changing the character of warfare at pace, and this Government is adapting our approaches to acquisition, regulation and operation. In support of the conflict in Ukraine the Ministry of Defence has procured over 30,000 First Person Vi...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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