David Reed MP: written questions 2024
78 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Defence: InnovationMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21209More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the RUSI Lecture given by the Chief of the Defence Staff on 4 December 2024, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support high-risk, high-reward technology experimentation and (b) track th
Answer: Defence invests in high-risk, high-reward technology experimentation from across the Defence enterprise. Defence’s core Science, Innovation and Technology budgets (e.g. Defence Science & Technology Programme and Defence Innovation Fund) are led from H...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of DefenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21206More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the RUSI Lecture given by the Chief of the Defence Staff on 4 December 2024, what steps his Department is taking to (a) streamline decision-making and (b) reduce business case approval timelines
Answer: Through the Defence Reform programme, we will improve procurement efficiency and secure better value for taxpayers, creating a simpler Defence focused on warfighting and deterrence. A key facet of this programme is to create a stronger Defence centre with...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: Career DevelopmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21205More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for Education to encourage young people to pursue careers in STEM fields within the defence sector.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is taking steps itself to secure important skills in areas such as digital, cyber, STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), nuclear and space. As we tackle these challenges we will continue to work closely ...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: Skilled WorkersMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21204More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures his Department is taking to help ensure the retention of UK STEM graduates within the highly skilled defence workforce.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is taking steps itself to secure important skills in areas such as digital, cyber, STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), nuclear and space. As we tackle these challenges we will continue to work closely ...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve its procurement processes to provide greater certainty for private sector defence investors.
Answer: This Government is committed to improving the UK Defence industrial base to ensure a robust Defence sector and provide greater certainty in procurement processes. The Statement of Intent for the Defence Industrial Strategy, published on 2 December 2024, s...
Answered 10 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: Small BusinessesMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21201More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to simplify procurement processes to enable (a) micro, (b) small and (c) medium-sized companies to compete more effectively for defence contracts.
Answer: The Procurement Act 2023 introduces reforms intended to make it easier for small businesses to access public sector procurements, including a requirement for contracting authorities to consider barriers to participation and whether they can be removed or ...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help ensure defence primes’ commitments to (a) apprenticeships and (b) graduate recruitment (i) are geographically balanced and (ii) extend opportunities to (A) micro, (B) small, (C) me
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is taking steps itself to secure important skills in areas such as digital, cyber, STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), nuclear and space. As we tackle these challenges we will continue to work closely ...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: TechnologyMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21199More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) micro, (b) small and (c) medium-sized technology companies in the early stages of development within the defence sector.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting micro, small and medium-sized technology companies. Through the Defence Industrial Strategy the department will foster a more diverse community of suppliers, including non-traditional suppliers, through r...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21198More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to remove bureaucracy from defence primes to enable them to build out their ecosystems of (a) micro, (b) small and (c) medium-sized businesses.
Answer: Micro, small and medium sized businesses make a vital contribution to economic growth and are a valuable source of technical innovation in defence. This is recognised in the recently published Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent. We work with ...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: TechnologyMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21196More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve engagement with micro-sized technology companies through traditional prime contractors.
Answer: Micro, small and medium sized businesses make a vital contribution to economic growth and are a valuable source of technical innovation in defence. This is recognised in the recently published Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent. We work with ...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Security: CybersecurityMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21194More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 17491 on National Security: Cybersecurity, whether there is a formalised process whereby his Department meets with the (a) Cabinet Office and (b) Department f
Answer: Officials from the Ministry of Defence regularly meet with officials from the Cabinet Office and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology through a number of Cross Whitehall meetings and boards. These forums allow Defence to feed in and engag...
Answered 10 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Artificial IntelligenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 17490 on Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence: Artificial Intelligence, what the breakdown is between (a) public and (b) private sector involvement in the (i)
Answer: Many AI technologies, including machine learning, have dual uses and are developed across a broad technology ecosystem. Defence needs to leverage expertise from this ecosystem to solve critical military problems and maintain its edge. The Defence AI Centr...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordElectronic Warfare: TrainingMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December to Question 17489 on Electronic Warfare: Training, what percentage of the Ministry of Defence's demand for personnel with cyber warfare skills is being met; and how many pers
Answer: This Government inherited a retention and recruitment crisis with every part of our Armed Forces not meeting their recruitment targets. Cyber is a key area for the military and we are seeking to expand the number of people working in cyber. The Defence Se...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMulti-role Support ShipsMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21183More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's planned timetable is for awarding contracts for the construction of multi-role support ships.
Answer: The Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) programme is in its Concept Phase. The Royal Navy and Defence Equipment and Support are conducting detailed work on key user requirements, conceptual designs, affordability, and exportability assessments. Alongside other...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMulti-role Support ShipsMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21181More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 17481 on Multi-role Ocean Surveillance Ships, at what stage in its concept phase the Multi-Role Support Ships programme is; and what stages of the concept pha
Answer: The Multi-Role Support Ship programme is progressing well through the Concept Phase. The Royal Navy (RN) and Defence Equipment and Support are conducting detailed work on key user requirements, conceptual designs, affordability, and exportability assessme...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordType 32 FrigatesMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21180More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 17483 on Type 32 Frigates, at what stage in its concept phase the Type 32 frigate programme is; and what stages of the concept phase have been completed.
Answer: The Type 32 frigate programme is in the concept phrase and has not yet reached the level of maturity to allow publication of a specific timetable for design and procurement. This is consistent with a programme of this size and complexity at this early sta...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: DevonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to engage with local communities in Devon on local government restructuring.
Answer: The English Devolution White Paper sets out the Government’s plans for local government reorganisation, and that the Government will write to council leaders as soon as possible to formally invite proposals, setting out information on our criteria for sus...
Answered 27 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much and what proportion of the £2.9 billion of additional total funding announced in Autumn Budget 2024 will be allocated towards covering (a) the recent 6 per cent pay rise for armed forces personnel and (b
Answer: The £2.9 billion increase in funding for the Ministry of Defence for financial year 2025-26 has not yet been allocated to any specific programmes or activities. His Majesty's Treasury has confirmed they will provide funding for the increased cost of Natio...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMilitary Strategic HeadquartersMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many net additional full time equivalent roles will be required to staff the Military Strategic Headquarters; and at what cost.
Answer: While the design, headcount and organisational structure of the future Military Strategic Head Quarters (MSHQ) is still in the development stage, it is expected that the establishment of the MSHQ will be cost neutral and contained within the overall Defen...
Answered 13 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHong Kong: Armed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the condition of (a) former UK military sites and (b) monuments of registered historic importance in Hong Kong.
Answer: The maintenance of former UK public buildings and monuments, in Hong Kong, is a matter for the Hong Kong authorities. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission currently maintain a number of UK war graves in Hong Kong. They are unaware of any wider issues co...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordUnidentified Flying ObjectsMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18321More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s policy is on reporting Unidentified Aerial Phenomena; and whether new material has been classified on the subject since the UK’s declassification programme.
Answer: Whilst we are aware of the differing approaches currently being undertaken by other countries and allies in the investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) position on UAP remains unchanged, which is, that in over...
Answered 11 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Artificial IntelligenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18320More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department's artificial intelligence software is Defence Writing compatible.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is exploring the use of AI in different ways to enhance productivity, efficiency and effectiveness by augmenting the capabilities of our people. The Department’s current policy requires that all outputs generated by AI system...
Answered 11 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordUK Resilience AcademyCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18319More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what priorities on what timelines he has issued to the National Resilience Academy.
Answer: The UK Resilience Academy (UKRA) will be established in April 2025 to ensure that all those who work on resilience have the capability, knowledge and skills they need to play their part in making resilience a ‘whole of society’ endeavour. In his statement...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18318More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on (a) transporting and (b) housing illegal migrants.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence regularly liaises with the Home Office on a range of issues, but there are no plans for Defence to undertake actions in relation to migration in the UK currently outside the Afghan relocations work.
Answered 13 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: CateringMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18317More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the scale of Other Ranks regularly declining use of official catering facilities on camp.
Answer: Implementation of the first stage of the Defence Catering Strategy began in May 2024 with new menus and a change to our charging approach. The Strategy also aims to improve the dining environment, to vary opening times to suit local needs, and to enhance ...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament record
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