James Cartlidge MP: written questions 2026
1040 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Air Force: Military ExercisesMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14374More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June to Question 10213 on Military exercises, how many training exercises took place for the Royal Air Force in financial years (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answer: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of The House.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordSubmarines: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14373More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many attack submarines his Department plans to procure.
Answer: As set out in the Defence Investment Plan, we will procure up to 12 next-generation SSN-AUKUS nuclear powered, conventionally armed attack submarines. In addition, we will complete the build of the final Astute Class submarine.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordMarines: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13889More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled High-Speed boats and new drones for elite commando force under defence investment plan, published on 28 June 2026, how much of the £500 million to be spen
Answer: The press release announcement of over £500 million is all planned to be spent in this Parliament. This will deliver an initial investment in new amphibious shipping and the Joint Commando Craft as well as increased funding to progress the transformation ...
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArmy: Military ExercisesMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13888More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June to Question 10213 on Military exercises, how much will his Department spend on training exercises for the Army in financial years (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.
Answer: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of The House.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArmy: Military ExercisesMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13887More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June to Question 10213 on Military exercises, how many training exercises will take place for the Army in financial years (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.
Answer: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of The House.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArmy: Military ExercisesMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13886More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June to Question 10213 on Military exercises, how many training exercises took place for the Army in financial years (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answer: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of The House.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGlobal Combat Air ProgrammeMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13885More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has a target date for the first flight trial of the Global Combat Air Programme prototype.
Answer: The exact date for the first flight will be finalised nearer the time to leverage maximum benefit to Global Combat Air Programme development.
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGlobal Combat Air ProgrammeMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13884More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has held discussions on the acceleration into service of the Global Combat Air Programme.
Answer: The programme continues to exploit every opportunity to accelerate delivery of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with our international partners, and the schedule is kept under continual review.
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: InnovationMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13883More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, how much of the £400m investment in UK Defence Innovation has been spent as of 29 June 2026.
Answer: Around £385 million of the £400 million UK Defence Innovation funding for the financial year 2026-27 has been allocated and fully costed, with numerous projects and programmes in progress.
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGuided Weapons: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13882More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, how many of the 7,000 new long-range weapons have been delivered as of 29 June 2026.
Answer: It is not Ministry of Defence policy to comment on the exact numbers of weapons procured, as disclosure of such detail could undermine operational security. The Defence Investment Plan funds a weapons programme that represents a substantial and sustained ...
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAmmunition: ExpenditureMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13881More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, how much of the £6bn investment in munitions this Parliament has been spent as of 29 June 2026.
Answer: Since the commencement of this Parliament, the MOD’s spend on munitions, including procurement of complex weapons and General Munitions, has been £2.319 billion. Further future investments in munitions within this Parliament have been made within the Defe...
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: Cost EffectivenessMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13880More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 5 of the Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, if he will provide a breakdown of how many of the £6bn in savings will be made through (a) efficiency and productivity savings, (b)
Answer: Defence is committed to efficiency and ensuring every pound spent on Defence is used in the best way for our Armed Forces and the taxpayer. The Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, identifies, in section 4 - Defence Reform and Efficiency, t...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUncrewed Systems: TestingMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13879More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much will his Department invest in autonomy testing infrastructure in the United Kingdom in the (a) current Parliament and (b) next Parliament.
Answer: Autonomous capability is at the forefront of Uncrewed Systems development across air, land, maritime and sub-surface domains. Ministry of Defence will optimise use of the Test, Trials, Training & Evaluation partnership with QinetiQ backed by a £1.54 b...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGuided Weapons: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13515More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, whether all of the new long-range weapons will be delivered in the current Parliament.
Answer: As a former Defence Minister, I am certain the hon. Member will recall it is not MOD policy to comment on the exact numbers of weapons procured, as disclosure of such detail could undermine operational security. The Defence Investment Plan funds a weapons...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBiodiversity: Property DevelopmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13514More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to implement the proposed exemption from mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain for developments of less than 0.2 hectares by the end of July 2026.
Answer: Defra will bring forward secondary legislation in due course.
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBOWMAN Combat Radio System: ExpenditureMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13513More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, how much of the £1bn investment to deliver the new Digital Targeting Web has been spent as of 26 June 2026.
Answer: As my right hon. Friend, the Defence Secretary, set out in his statement to the House on 30 June 2026, the Digital Targeting Web (DTW) will receive a £1.8 billion investment from the Defence Investment Plan to integrate the Armed Forces through AI, softwa...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGlobal Combat Air ProgrammeMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13512More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has a target date for the first flight trial of the Global Combat Air Programme demonstrator.
Answer: The Combat Air flying demonstrator is expected to begin testing key capabilities by mid-2028. The timing of the first flight will be confirmed closer to the milestone to ensure maximum value is delivered in support of GCAP development.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGlobal Combat Air ProgrammeMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13511More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to accelerate the delivery of the Global Combat Air Programme.
Answer: The programme continues to exploit every opportunity to accelerate delivery of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with our international partners, and the schedule is kept under continual review.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBallistic Missile Defence: ExpenditureMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13510More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how much of the new funding for homeland air and missile defence has been spent as of 26 June 2026.
Answer: It is not Ministry of Defence policy to comment on the exact numbers of weapons and capabilities procured, as disclosure of such detail could undermine operational security. The Strategic Defence Review committed to enhance the UK’s homeland air and missi...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: Cost EffectivenessMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13509More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 5 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how much saving will be achieved through (a) efficiency and productivity savings, (b) civilian workforce changes and (c) structu
Answer: Defence is committed to efficiency and ensuring every pound spent on Defence is used in the best way for our Armed Forces and the taxpayer. The Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, identifies, in section 4 - Defence Reform and Efficiency, t...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: Cost EffectivenessMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13508More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 5 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how much of the new savings have been achieved as of 26 June 2026.
Answer: Defence has delivered significant savings and efficiencies, in line with other government departments, and as agreed with HM Treasury in the Spending Review. Departmental savings and efficiencies against these targets are due to be published by HM Treasur...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordType 83 Destroyers: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13507More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2026 to Question 106653 on Type 83 Destroyers: Procurement, whether the review of the Type 83 concept will published as part of the Royal Navy's Hybrid Strategy.
Answer: The Defence Investment Plan sets out the Royal Navy’s (RN) approach to delivering the UK’s most advanced maritime air defence capability and the rationale for this approach. Rather than delivering this capability through a small number of large and expens...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordType 83 Destroyers: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13506More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2026 to Question 106653 on Type 83 Destroyers: Procurement, when the outline business case will be submitted.
Answer: The Defence Investment Plan sets out the Royal Navy’s (RN) approach to delivering the UK’s most advanced maritime air defence capability and the rationale for this approach. Rather than delivering this capability through a small number of large and expens...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordType 83 Destroyers: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has authorised a change to the timeline for delivering the Type 83 programme.
Answer: The Defence Investment Plan sets out the Royal Navy’s (RN) approach to delivering the UK’s most advanced maritime air defence capability and the rationale for this approach. Rather than delivering this capability through a small number of large and expens...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: Length of ServiceMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there is a formal target for the length of service for reserves personnel in the (a) British Army, (b) Royal Air Force, (c) Royal Navy and (d) Royal Marines.
Answer: Currently there is no formal target for length of service within the Reserves as it is dependent on when an individual joins the services. There are a variety of age cut offs for joining, depending on the service and trade, balancing the time takes to tra...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament record
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