James Cartlidge MP: written questions
1844 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Cyprus: HMS DragonMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118831More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he held any discussions with (a) officials from his Department or (b) his ministerial colleagues on the deployment of HMS Dragon before 3 March 2026.
Answer: As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming ...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCyprus: HMS DragonMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118830More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date did he first discuss the deployment of HMS Dragon to Cyprus.
Answer: As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming ...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCyprus: HMS DragonMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118829More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the decision was made to deploy HMS Dragon to Cyprus.
Answer: As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming ...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordQatar: Military BasesMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have visited Al-Udeid base in Qatar since 5 July 2024.
Answer: All Ministerial overseas travel is published quarterly online within the Transparency Returns on GOV.UK.
Answered 26 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUnited Arab Emirates: Military BasesMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have visited the Al Minhad Air Base in UAE since 5 July 2024.
Answer: All Ministerial overseas travel is published quarterly online within the Transparency Returns on GOV.UK.
Answered 26 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordOman: Military BasesMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have visited the UK base in Oman since 5 July 2024.
Answer: All Ministerial overseas travel is published quarterly online within the Transparency Returns on GOV.UK.
Answered 26 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBahrain: Military BasesMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have visited the UK base in Bahrain since 5 July 2024.
Answer: All Ministerial overseas travel is published quarterly online within the Transparency Returns on GOV.UK.
Answered 26 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPortsmouth Dockyard: StaffMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether around-the-clock staffing is in place at HMNB Portsmouth.
Answer: HM Naval Base Portsmouth operates on a continuous 24‑hour basis. Appropriate Duty Staff are in place at all times to maintain the safety, security, and operational availability of the site. He will recall from his time as a Defence Minister that for secur...
Answered 17 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordHMS Anson: DeploymentMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118823More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to authorise any changes to the deployment of HMS Anson.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence does not comment on the tasks or plans for individual submarines for reasons of national security.
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMiddle East: HMS AnsonMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118822More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to deploy HMS Anson to the Middle East.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence does not comment on the tasks or plans for individual submarines for reasons of national security.
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordType 45 Destroyers: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118821More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Navy made a formal offer for the preposition of a Type 45 Destroyer between 1 January 2026 and 2 February 2026.
Answer: We constantly review deployments of Royal Navy assets in line with securing the interests of the UK and our allies. No formal offer was made by the Royal Navy to deploy a Type 45 Destroyer ahead of HMS Dragon’s deployment at the first available moment on ...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCyprus: HMS DragonMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118820More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when HMS Dragon will be deployed to Cyprus.
Answer: As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming ...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCyprus: Unmanned Air SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the counter drone capabilities that will be deployed to Cyprus.
Answer: We do not comment on specifics, however, the Government has been increasing the counter-drone capability in Cyprus since January, through the addition of 400 personnel, Typhoon and F-35 jets, air defence missiles, and radar. HMS Dragon is on the way to th...
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCyprus: HMS DragonMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will state the length of HMS Dragon's deployment to Cyprus.
Answer: As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming ...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUncrewed Systems: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Navy's Proteus programme will receive funding allocated in the Defence Investment Plan.
Answer: Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy, will be prioritised appropriately against the assessed threat picture as part of the future Integrated Force and will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Pla...
Answered 17 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordHMS Dragon: LasersMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether DragonFire will be installed on HMS Dragon.
Answer: DragonFire is a cutting-edge Laser Directed Energy Weapon system that remains in its demonstration and evaluation phase. Under current plans, the DragonFire system will commence delivery in 2027.
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aicraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the New Medium Helicopter will be included in the Defence Investment Plan.
Answer: The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aicraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, w
Answer: The New Medium Helicopter (NMH) has been procured with an open architecture that will enable integration with crewed and uncrewed systems as future requirements and funding are defined by Defence. This approach is supported by the wider benefits delivered...
Answered 7 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aicraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117814More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, w
Answer: The New Medium Helicopter (NMH) has been procured with an open architecture that will enable integration with crewed and uncrewed systems as future requirements and funding are defined by Defence. This approach is supported by the wider benefits delivered...
Answered 7 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aicraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117813More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, w
Answer: The Army does not currently plan to procure any additional medium lift helicopters beyond the 23 already announced. As with all major capabilities, the size of the medium lift fleet will be kept under review to ensure it remains aligned with Defence plann...
Answered 13 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aicraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117812More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Billion-pound helicopter deal secures 3,300 British jobs, boosts battlefield kit and unlocks up to £15 billion in UK exports, published on 2 March 2026, w
Answer: Given the hon. Gentleman’s former role as the Minister for Defence Procurement he will be aware of the details of the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract. We have improved upon that deal, renewing and strengthening MOD’s relationship with a key industry ...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordNavy: North Atlantic OceanMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117811More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February to Question 112837 on Navy: North Atlantic Ocean, how much money will be committed to testing and development in each remaining financial year of this Parliament.
Answer: The Defence Investment Plan, when published, will set the funding envelope for this and we will publish it shortly.
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordNavy: North Atlantic OceanMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117810More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February to Question 112837 on Navy: North Atlantic Ocean, whether the £14 million referred to is separate to the £10 million of pre-concept funding announced.
Answer: I can confirm that the £10 million is included in the £14 million pre-concept funding that has been announced.
Answered 13 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to stockpile one way attack drones on UK territory.
Answer: In addition to the ongoing deployment of the Callen‑Lenz Nyan One‑Way Effector with UK Forces on Operation CABRIT, the Army, supported by Defence Equipment and Support and Defence Science Technology Laboratory, is reviewing long‑term stockpile options to ...
Answered 13 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117808More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to publish a strategy on stockpiling one-way attack drones on UK territory.
Answer: In addition to the ongoing deployment of the Callen‑Lenz Nyan One‑Way Effector with UK Forces on Operation CABRIT, the Army, supported by Defence Equipment and Support and Defence Science Technology Laboratory, is reviewing long‑term stockpile options to ...
Answered 13 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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