Ben Obese-Jecty MP: written questions 2025
3013 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Norway: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98220More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under the Lunna House Agreement, by when will the Royal Navy adopt advanced Norwegian naval strike missiles and what existing capability will they replace.
Answer: The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a Norwegian anti-ship and land attack missile, which has been acquired for the Royal Navy’s escort force. It replaces the Harpoon anti-ship missile, which went out of service in December 2023. The NSM is 20 years newer, h...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordNorway: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98219More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the press release titled UK and Norway to operate together to counter Russian undersea threat through major new defence agreement, published on 4th December 2025, by when does he expect a combin
Answer: The Type 26 frigates are expected to begin entering service from 2028, to be operated by the UK and Norwegian Navies. This is part of a carefully managed modernisation programme. There will also be significant long-term investment in the six Daring Class ...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordChallenger TanksMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98218More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Challenger 2 tanks have now begun conversion to Challenger 3.
Answer: There are 285 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks in service in the British Army. The Ministry of Defence does not break down equipment numbers further due to operational sensitivity. Eight vehicles are allocated to Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) for the ...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordChallenger TanksMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98217More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Challenger 2 tanks remain in service with cavalry regiments following the donation of tanks to Ukraine and the conversion programme to Challenger 3.
Answer: There are 285 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks in service in the British Army. The Ministry of Defence does not break down equipment numbers further due to operational sensitivity. Eight vehicles are allocated to Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) for the ...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUSA: DefenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98216More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Security Strategy of the United States of America, published on 5th December 2025, what assessment has he made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of a US re
Answer: Whilst it is for the United States (US) to answer questions about the specifics of their own National Security Strategy, the UK will continue to work closely with the US to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security through NATO, support Ukraine, and deepen our co...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNorway: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98215More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under the Lunna House Agreement what deeper industrial collaboration between the UK and Norway does he plan to achieve.
Answer: Under the Lunna House Agreement, our vision for the combined T26 fleet is to be as integrated and interoperable as possible, which opens opportunity for UK and Norway industrial cooperation to spirally develop the vessels and deliver the in-service suppor...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: SafetyMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98214More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the safety assurances the Chief of the General Staff gave the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry regarding the Initial Operating Capability status of the Aj
Answer: The safety of Service personnel remains the top priority for Defence. As previously confirmed, prior to Ajax Initial Operating Capability being announced, assurances were provided regarding the safety of the platform. I have commissioned a Ministerial rev...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: SafetyMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by when does he expect the results of the a) army inquiry and b) safety investigation into the Ajax programme.
Answer: We will always put the safety of our personnel first; therefore, it is appropriate that the investigations are given adequate time to allow the underlying issues to be identified. I will provide a written update to the House before the end of term.
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aircraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98212More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, following the selection of the Leonardo AW149 as the British Army New Medium Helicopter, what is the total value and size of the contract.
Answer: A formal decision on the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) competition has not yet been made. The second stage of the NMH competition commenced on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aircraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98211More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, following the selection of the Leonardo AW149 as the British Army New Medium Helicopter, a) how many platforms will be purchased, in b) how many tranches and c) over what delivery timeline.
Answer: A formal decision on the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) competition has not yet been made. The second stage of the NMH competition commenced on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSubmarines: DecommissioningMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98210More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many submarines are due to be dismantled under the Submarine Dismantling Programme.
Answer: I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s interest in this area. There is currently one decommissioned submarine undergoing dismantling at Rosyth Dockyard (HMS Swiftsure). A further 22 decommissioned submarines are awaiting disposal: six are at Rosyth Dockyard, all ...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordFrigates: ShipbuildingMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98209More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the status of all Royal Navy frigates under construction and when is the first due to come into service.
Answer: As of December 2025, the Royal Navy has five of eight Type 26 City-class frigates and three of five Type 31 Inspiration-class frigates under construction at BAES and Babcock shipyards. The first Type 26, HMS Glasgow, is expected to enter service in the la...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordFrigatesMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, following the decommissioning of HMS Lancaster, how many frigates are (a) in service and (b) undergoing maintenance with the Royal Navy.
Answer: Following the decommissioning of HMS Lancaster, the Royal Navy will have seven frigates in service, one frigate (HMS KENT) is currently undergoing planned deep maintenance. New Type 26 and Type 31 frigates are in build in Scotland currently.
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUSA: Intelligence ServicesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98201More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the National Security Strategy of the United States of America, published on 5 December 2025, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of the US
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of funding SEND provision from within her Department’s existing RDEL core budget of £69 billion in 2028-29 on provision of existing Educational resources.
Answer: The government has set out its position on page 105 of the budget document, confirming that special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) pressure will be absorbed within the overall government departmental expenditure limits (DEL) budget from the fin...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWarrior Vehicles: DecommissioningMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97408More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timeline is for the Warrior disposal plan up to its out of service date in 2027.
Answer: As of 8 December 2025, there are 388 Warrior vehicles in service in the active fleet and those yet to start the disposal process: VariantTotalFV510191FV51159FV51270FV51332FV51436FV5150Total388 The Out of Service date for Warrior is 2027 with all vehicles...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordWarrior VehiclesMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97406More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of each Warrior variant are still in service; and with which sub-units.
Answer: As of 8 December 2025, there are 388 Warrior vehicles in service in the active fleet and those yet to start the disposal process: VariantTotalFV510191FV51159FV51270FV51332FV51436FV5150Total388 The Out of Service date for Warrior is 2027 with all vehicles...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: Health and SafetyMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025 to question 94926 on Ajax Vehicles: Health and Safety, if he will set out the criteria that will allow the pause to be lifted.
Answer: Investigations by the Defence Accident Investigation Branch supported by the Army Safety Investigation Team and General Dynamics are ongoing. Further detail will be available once the investigation has concluded. Any decisions on the pause will be made by...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97315More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is the total cost to the public purse of the decision to extend the statutory override for the cost of SEND to 2027-28.
Answer: The statutory override is an accounting measure, designed to keep Dedicated Schools Grant deficits separate from local authorities’ wider financial position. The extension of the override to the end of the 2027/28 financial year does not affect local auth...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElectronic Cigarettes and Tobacco: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97314More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the submissions from (a) Greece, (b) Slovakia, (c) Romania and (d) Czechia on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill through the
Answer: The Technical Regulatory Information System notification is a standard process which applies under the Windsor Framework. It is not an approval process. The Government’s position remains that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will apply in Northern Ireland and i...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMilitary Alliances: SpaceMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97017More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 93242 on Military Alliances: Space, what is included under the banner of space services.
Answer: The space services to which the UK assures access to include the following: (1) Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, (2) Position, navigation and timing, (3) Satellite communications, (4) Missile warning and tracking and (5) Environmental monito...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aircraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97014More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date did Project Matcha (a) start and (b) end.
Answer: The then Secretary of State for Defence granted approval for Project MATCHA in May 2021. The final programme activity occurred through a Closure Board in November 2024.
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSmoking: Northern IrelandAttorney GeneralTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97011More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General, whether the Attorney General has had recent discussions with his Cabinet colleagues on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill’s legal compatibility with the Windsor Framework in relation to Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Attorney sits on the Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee. As part of the process of approving a government Bill for introduction, as set out in the published Guide to Making Legislation, a legal issues memorandum is prepared for this Comm...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: ChinaDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97010More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the growth in the availability of open source Chinese AI platforms on the UK.
Answer: The Government continues to monitor global developments in AI, including open-source platforms. Open-sourcing AI models decentralises control, enabling more developers to innovate, experiment and deploy systems for diverse purposes.This approach can deliv...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96858More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025 to question 94926 on Ajax Vehicles: Health and Safety, whether vehicles within the Ajax programme will be available for use prior to the a) conclusion and b) implementati
Answer: On 22 November, during a routine training exercise, around 30 soldiers operating in Ajax reported being affected by noise and vibration exposure. As a result, I directed the Army to pause all use of Ajax for training and exercising, while a safety investi...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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