Mark Francois MP: written questions 2025
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Written questions
Boeing E-7: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99730More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last met his US counterpart to discuss the progress of the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail programme.
Answer: The Secretary of State for Defence regularly speaks with his US counterpart to discuss critical bilateral topics. Defence ministers, service chiefs, and officials frequently engage with their US counterparts on the E-7 programme. Most recently, the Chief ...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99729More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who manufactures the command system for the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
Answer: The command system onboard Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft, referred to as the Mission System, is primarily manufactured and integrated by Boeing and Northrop Grumman.
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLE TacCIS ProgrammeMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99728More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who is the current SRO for the Le TACSIS programme.
Answer: The current Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) of the Land Environment Tactical Communications and Information Systems (LETacCIS) Programme is Major General Mark Purves.
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBoxer Vehicles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99727More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who is the current SRO for the Boxer programme.
Answer: The Senior Responsible Officer for the Mechanised Infantry Boxer Programme is Martyn Williams, as published in the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Government Major Projects Portfolio transparency data. https://www.gov.uk/gover...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99726More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the salary band of the current Ajax SRO; and whether this has been supplemented by a performance or other bonus within the part three years.
Answer: Information regarding paybands for Army Command Senior Civil Servants can be found at the following link: Army staff roles and salaries
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Armaments DirectorMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99725More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department's outgoing National Armaments Director was paid a bonus or departure payment on leaving his post.
Answer: The previous National Armaments Director (NAD) was the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) CEO Andy Start, now Deputy NAD. All previous remuneration for Mr Start since joining the Department in September 2022 is declared in the DE&S Annual Report...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Armaments DirectorMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99724More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the previous National Armaments Director was paid any performance or other bonuses within the last five years.
Answer: The previous National Armaments Director (NAD) was the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) CEO Andy Start, now Deputy NAD. All previous remuneration for Mr Start since joining the Department in September 2022 is declared in the DE&S Annual Report...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Armaments DirectorMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99723More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the salary band for his Department's new National Armaments Director.
Answer: The National Armaments Director role is a Senior Civil Service (SCS) 4 role, the advertised range for the role was up to £400,000 base salary and an annual performance related payment of up to 60% of base salary.
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBoxer Vehicles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99722More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total estimated a) acquisition cost and b) through life cost is of the Boxer programme.
Answer: As published in the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25 data. The initial acquisition cost for the contracted Mechanised Infantry Boxer vehicles is £3.1 billion. The forecast whole life cost for the Mechanise...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99721More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he next expects to provide either an Oral or Written statement to Parliament on the progress of the Ajax programme.
Answer: I released a second written ministerial statement (WMS) regarding the Ajax programme on 18 December 2025. In a line with this WMS, I confirm that I will provide further updates to the House in due course.
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99720More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has ever sought legal advice from the Treasury Solicitor's Department on Ajax.
Answer: I can confirm that legal advice has been sought from the Government Legal Department on Ajax.
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99719More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the largest sum ever recovered by his Department is following a successful legal action for liquidated damages against a contractor; and for which programme this applied.
Answer: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99718More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what legal actions his Department has sought to initiate for liquidated damages from contractors in the last five years, broken down by a) project name, b) original contract value and c) sums recovered by his Dep
Answer: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99717More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's definition is of liquidated damages.
Answer: The Department's definition of liquidated damages is a pre-agreed sum to compensate for the financial loss that arises from the contractor’s failure to perform their contractual obligations.
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99716More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will name the officers or officials in the current DE&S Ajax Reporting chain at (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3 and (d) 4 star level.
Answer: The key officials in the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Ajax Reporting Chain are as follows: 1* - Head Combat Vehicles, Simon Pearson2* - Director Land Environment, Major General Lizzie Faithfull-Davies3* - Director General Core, Lieutenant Gene...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCadets: CrowboroughMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99715More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which official, team, or directorate within his Department is responsible for identifying a new training location for the Crowborough cadets, now that Crowborough Training Camp has been earmarked to accommodate a
Answer: An alternative temporary venue in Crowborough to deliver weeknight training has been identified by the Army Cadet Force. Its suitability is being reviewed by the Royal Navy Cadet Force and Royal Air Force Air Cadets. The Ministry of Defence continues to w...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCadets: CrowboroughMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99714More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Department or organisation will be responsible for meeting the costs associated with securing and preparing a new site for the Crowborough cadets, now that Crowborough Training Camp has ben earmarked to acc
Answer: An alternative temporary venue in Crowborough to deliver weeknight training has been identified by the Army Cadet Force. Its suitability is being reviewed by the Royal Navy Cadet Force and Royal Air Force Air Cadets. The Ministry of Defence continues to w...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCadets: CrowboroughMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99713More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many alternative sites are currently being assessed by his Department to accommodate the Crowborough cadets, following their proposed displacement from Crowborough Training Camp, to accommodate asylum seekers
Answer: An alternative temporary venue in Crowborough to deliver weeknight training has been identified by the Army Cadet Force. Its suitability is being reviewed by the Royal Navy Cadet Force and Royal Air Force Air Cadets. The Ministry of Defence continues to w...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBOWMAN Combat Radio SystemMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98378More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has paid to General Dynamics on the Bowman Evolve to Operate programme in the last five years.
Answer: The total contract value for the MORPHEUS Evolve to Open Transition Partner contract was £395 million. Due to the confidentiality provisions in the contract protecting commercial interests, we are unable to provide further detail.
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: General DynamicsMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98377More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last met the a) Corporate Chief Executive Officer of General Dynamics and b) Head of General Dynamics UK.
Answer: I met with representatives from General Dynamics on 9 December. The current Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon John Healey MP, has not met with the Corporate Chief Officer or the Head of General Dynamics.
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98376More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has received a request from the Defence Select Committee to provide information relating to the Ajax programme over the last twelve months.
Answer: During the most recent oral evidence session on the AUKUS inquiry, held on 2 December 2025, the Chair of the Defence Committee asked the Department to share with them the advice given by the Chief of the General Staff and the National Armaments Director r...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Equipment & Support: PayMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98375More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the salary bill was for Defence Equipment and Support in 2024-25.
Answer: Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) salary information is detailed in the DE&S Annual Report and Accounts (ARAC), which is published annually on the GOV.UK website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-equipment-support-annual-report-and-ac...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSubmarine Delivery Agency: PayMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98374More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the salary bill was for the Submarine Delivery Agency in 2024-25.
Answer: The Submarine Delivery Agency's Annual Report and Accounts for financial year 2024-25 are expected to be published in the New Year. For financial year 2023-24, the total staff salary and wage costs were £128 million.
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Cost EffectivenessMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98373More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the total target for efficiency savings in his Department for a) Financial Year 2025-26 b) Financial Year 2026-27 and c) Financial Year 2027-28.
Answer: Following the Spending Review in June all Departments, including the Ministry of Defence (MOD), are required to deliver at least 5% savings and efficiencies by 2028‑29. Further details can be found in the Spending Review, published on 11 June.The Autumn B...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98372More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he now intends to publish the Defence Investment Plan.
Answer: We are working flat out between now and the end of the year to finalise the Defence Investment Plan. I am sure the Hon. Gentleman will appreciate the scale of the decisions that we need to make. He will also appreciate the scale of the problems that we fa...
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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