James Cartlidge MP: written questions
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Written questions
Chiefs of Staff: Military Strategic HeadquartersMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47277More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there is a minimum level of operational experience required to hold the position of Chief of the Defence Staff following the establishment of the Military Strategic Headquarters.
Answer: The Chief of the Defence Staff is chosen through a highly rigorous selection process to ensure the most suitable and qualified candidate for the role. This will continue to be the case. Operational experience is one of the criteria for eligible candidates...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEuropean Union: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed Security Pact with the European Union on UK operational independence.
Answer: The Government has been clear about our commitment to negotiate an ambitious Security and Defence Partnership with the EU to strengthen European security and reinforce NATO. Talks are ongoing, and no agreements have been reached. I hope the hon. Member wi...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEuropean Union: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46796More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed Security Pact with the European Union on the UK procurement system.
Answer: The Government has been clear about our commitment to negotiate an ambitious Security and Defence Partnership with the EU to strengthen European security and reinforce NATO. Talks are ongoing, and no agreements have been reached. I hope the hon. Member wi...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEuropean Union: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46795More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the proposed Security Pact with the European Union.
Answer: The Government has been clear about our commitment to negotiate an ambitious Security and Defence Partnership with the EU to strengthen European security and reinforce NATO. Talks are ongoing, and no agreements have been reached. I hope the hon. Member wi...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming Incentive: South SuffolkDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46794More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39920 on Sustainable Farming Incentive: South Suffolk, if his Department can provide the latest figures available.
Answer: The answer to Question 39920 provides the data as of 21 March 2025.There has been no change in the number of farm businesses with a Sustainable Farming Incentive agreement in South Suffolk constituency since 21 March 2025.
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming Incentive: South SuffolkDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39920 on Sustainable Farming Incentive: South Suffolk, how many of the 154 farmers primarily farm (a) arable crops, (b) horticultura
Answer: Defra does not hold data on farming business types for the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChiefs of Staff: Public AppointmentsMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the next Chief of the Defence Staff will be announced.
Answer: Future appointments will be announced in due course.
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: EmergenciesMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46791More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel are currently held at readiness for UK resilience tasks.
Answer: As of the 23 April 2025, Defence holds c. 1,600 personnel at readiness for operations designed to support UK resilience. The tasks they are attributed to are wide ranging, from support in the instance of flooding (provided by the UK Standby Battalions) to...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: EmergenciesMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46790More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what units are currently held at readiness for UK resilience tasks.
Answer: As of the 23 April 2025, Defence holds c. 1,600 personnel at readiness for operations designed to support UK resilience. The tasks they are attributed to are wide ranging, from support in the instance of flooding (provided by the UK Standby Battalions) to...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Equipment: TechnologyMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46789More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42281 on Defence Equipment: Technology, what percentage of his Department's equipment procurement budget was spent on novel technology (a) as of 22 April 2025 an
Answer: The Ministry of Defence continues to invest significant funding into novel technologies such as various uncrewed systems and our cutting edge Directed Energy Weapons. Further detail on the novel technologies ringfence will be finalised through the Spendin...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWaste Disposal: BirminghamMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any military personnel have been deployed to Birmingham to support the response to the ongoing disruption to waste collection.
Answer: Following a Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) request from the Ministry of Housing, Community, and Local Government, a small number of military personnel deployed to support Birmingham City Council. This support, which was focused on operationa...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWaste Disposal: BirminghamMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46787More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential provision of military support in relation to waste collection in Birmingham.
Answer: Following a Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) request from the Ministry of Housing, Community, and Local Government, a small number of military personnel deployed to support Birmingham City Council. This support, which was focused on operationa...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHMS Trent: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46786More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is his target date for the completion of HMS Trent's maintenance period.
Answer: There has been no delay to HMS TRENT's refit. She started a capability refit in October 2024, which completed in December 2024. This was followed by a Capability Insertion Period, which is now complete. HMS Trent is currently undergoing planned force gene...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHMS Trent: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46785More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there has been any delay to the refitting of HMS Trent.
Answer: There has been no delay to HMS TRENT's refit. She started a capability refit in October 2024, which completed in December 2024. This was followed by a Capability Insertion Period, which is now complete. HMS Trent is currently undergoing planned force gene...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46784More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April to Question 41493 on Defence: Finance, if he will provide a breakdown of the calculations used to reach the £14.2 billion figure referred to.
Answer: £14.2 billion is the difference between the NATO qualifying spend of £66.3 billion in 2024-25 and 2.5% of GDP in financial year 2027-28, which is £80.5 billion based on the OBR's latest growth forecast.
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46783More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April to Question 43215 on Armed Forces: Recruitment, what his Department's targets are for applications for (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Army and (c) the Royal Air Force in the 2025-26
Answer: The current Government inherited a crisis in recruitment and retention from the last administration. We have made a series of announcements to improve recruitment since July 2024. The Army’s target for applications for all streams (Regular soldier, Regula...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStrategic Defence ReviewMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46782More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 07 April 2025 to Question 43150 on Strategic Defence Review, when the Prime Minister last met with (a) Lord Robertson, (b) General Barrons and (c) Fiona Hill.
Answer: As the Prime Minister reported in his Statement on Defence and Security in the House of Commons, the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) is being finalised. It will help set the path for Britain's defence for the next decade. The Defence Secretary meets regula...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: HousingMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46781More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the remuneration package is for (a) the Chair and (b) all other members of the Defence Housing Strategy review team.
Answer: In line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, Natalie Elphicke-Ross has been appointed as the Chair of the Defence Housing Strategy review team. Natalie will bring with her a wealth of technical and industry expertise to get the most out of on ...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: South SuffolkDepartment for EducationTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46780More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to decarbonise schools in South Suffolk constituency.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for South Suffolk to the answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 45368.
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMeteor Missiles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45067More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on delivering the Meteor programme.
Answer: Meteor is in service on Typhoon with integration onto F-35 Lightning II progressing to plan. Initial Meteor Mid Life Activities are also on track and due to report at the end of 2025. Progression to the next stage of Mid Life is subject to the six Meteor ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAWE Burghfield: Nuclear WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45066More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Mensa programme.
Answer: The MENSA programme has presented several challenges which have resulted in cost growth and delays. The programme is nearing the end of its construction and commissioning stage, which is reflected by the Amber rating in the Infrastructure and Projects Aut...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGuided Weapons: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45065More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the Martlet programme.
Answer: The Martlet programme achieved Initial Operating Capability in October 2021 and is on track to reach Full Operating Capability in Summer 2025. Martlet has been in regular use including successful firings in support of training and trials and has been depl...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aircraft: Air Traffic ControlMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45064More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Marshall programme.
Answer: The Marshall Programme currently remains on track to achieve Full Operational Capability in October 2026. The latest major milestone achieved was the successful transition of RAF Lossiemouth to the new air traffic systems in November 2024. In co-ordinatio...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aircraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45063More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on the New Medium Helicopter programme.
Answer: The New Medium Helicopter (NMH) Programme is an initiative to acquire a modern medium-lift support helicopter, addressing multiple rotary wing requirements to improve efficiency and operational flexibility. The NMH programme is part of a wider holistic ap...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordLE TacCIS ProgrammeMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on the Land Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance programme.
Answer: The Land Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) programme will deliver a suite of new sensor systems and enable a digitalised Army, by fusing data sources and ensuring capacity for effective and faster decision-making. A...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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