Mark Francois MP: written questions 2025
453 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Chagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 3(b) of Annex 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025)
Answer: There are a range of vital facilities and capabilities on the base on Diego Garcia and the surrounding area that keep Britain safe. We do not discuss these publicly for security reasons.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 3(c) of Annex 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025)
Answer: The UK has unrestricted ability to control and manage the electromagnetic spectrum for Diego Garcia and the surrounding 12 nautical miles. Decisions related to the electromagnetic spectrum beyond Diego Garcia will be taken jointly by the UK and Mauritius ...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ExpenditureMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54237More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the costs for the UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia [CS Mauritius No.1/2025] are accounted for under his Department's Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit
Answer: These are being considered as part of the wider Government engagement on the second phase of the Spending Review, which concludes on 11 June 2025.
Answered 3 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: Social MediaMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52845More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of the investigation into unauthorised social media use by a British Army regiment.
Answer: The Army has investigated a number of social media posts which were published in error and without correct authorisation. Those posts have been removed and updated guidance has been issued to Regimental HQs on the appropriate use of regimental websites an...
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: Social MediaMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52844More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the findings of the investigation into unauthorised social media use by a British Army regiment will be made publicly available.
Answer: The Army has investigated a number of social media posts which were published in error and without correct authorisation. Those posts have been removed and updated guidance has been issued to Regimental HQs on the appropriate use of regimental websites an...
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: Social MediaMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52843More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timeline is for concluding the investigation into unauthorised social media use by a British Army regiment; and whether he plans to make a Statement to Parliament on the findings of the investiga
Answer: The Army has investigated a number of social media posts which were published in error and without correct authorisation. Those posts have been removed and updated guidance has been issued to Regimental HQs on the appropriate use of regimental websites an...
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: Social MediaMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52842More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the terms of reference are for the investigation into unauthorised social media posts by a British Army regiment.
Answer: The Army has investigated a number of social media posts which were published in error and without correct authorisation. Those posts have been removed and updated guidance has been issued to Regimental HQs on the appropriate use of regimental websites an...
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: Social MediaMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52841More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who is leading the investigation into unauthorised social media use by a British Army regiment.
Answer: The Army has investigated a number of social media posts which were published in error and without correct authorisation. Those posts have been removed and updated guidance has been issued to Regimental HQs on the appropriate use of regimental websites an...
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK-Mauritius Treaty on the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands will be signed before the House rises for summer recess.
Answer: The Treaty was signed on 22 May and secures the long-term operation of the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. A copy of the Treaty was deposited in the House and can be found at the following link - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukmauritius...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordTerrorism: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52588More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) Gerry Adams and (b) others interned without trial in the 1970s do not receive compensation following the proposed repeal of sections 46 and 47 of th
Answer: This is an issue that the previous Government failed to adequately address following the 2020 Supreme Court judgment in Adams. Its belated attempt to do so via an amendment to the Legacy Act has been found by the Northern Ireland courts to be unlawful. Th...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: UniformsMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52587More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of the Crye Precision uniform programme; and whether a replacement combat uniform programme is planned.
Answer: The Royal Navy have spent £15.803 million to date regarding the total procurement of Crye Precision uniforms. A future uniform programme is in development.
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: CommunicationMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52586More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what budget has been allocated to Project Eve; what the (a) current and (b) anticipated future spend are for that project; and what steps he is taking to ensure interoperability with the (i) Army’s and (ii) Royal
Answer: As part of the Commando Force (CF) Programme, £99.78 million has been spent on spiral development and fielding of the EVE digital backbone capability. A further £56 million budget for EVE is approved as future spend, to enable interoperable development an...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRifles: CostsMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52585More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of the L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle programme for the Royal Marines; and whether additional costs have been incurred due to the adoption of the 6.5mm Creedmoor calibre.
Answer: The L129A1 is provided to the Royal Marines from the Army, via Defence Equipment and Support, as part of the Lead Command Model. The total cost to Defence was £1.5 million. Additional costs have been incurred for Creedmoor as the transition to this calibr...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRifles: CostsMinistry of DefenceTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52584More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the total cost of the Royal Marines’ Knights Armament Stoner 1 (KS-1) rifle programme, including (a) optical and thermal sights and suppressors and (b) all associated equipment; and how much of this budge
Answer: The Knight Stoner KS-1 has been procured by Royal Navy as part of the Future Commando Force Transformation. The total cost of this rifle to the Programme is £30.422 million, of which, £22.887 million has been spent to date.
Answered 27 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNavy: ConferencesMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent on the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference 2025.
Answer: The Royal Navy allocated £38,000 of funding for the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference 2025. This money has not been spent and will be utilised when the conference is re-scheduled.
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 48367, what his Department's timeline is for implementing that robust mechanism review process; what steps his Department
Answer: Once the treaty is signed it will be put before both Houses for scrutiny before ratification in the usual way.
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 49325 on Boeing E-7, what challenges his Department has encountered in the (a) modification and (b) integration processes for the second and third E-7 Wedgetail ai
Answer: The second and third E-7 Wedgetail aircraft continue their modification process at STS Aviation, Birmingham airport. The build is progressing well with lessons learned from aircraft one having been adopted.
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7Ministry of DefenceTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 49322 on Boeing E-7, what further test flights are planned for the first E-7 Wedgetail aircraft before it enters its test and evaluation phase.
Answer: The Wedgetail programme has already entered the flight test programme and has completed three flights. There is a comprehensive ground and flight test programme in 2025 prior to the aircraft being handed over to the Royal Air Force, the exact number of wh...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNavy: ConferencesMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51110More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding his Department provided for the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference 2024.
Answer: Funding for the First Sea Lord’s Sea Power Conference 2024 was £38,000.
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7Ministry of DefenceTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49327More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the previous ownership status was of each of the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
Answer: The three airframes were previously on the United States civil aircraft register. They were registered to Boeing.
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7: CostsMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49326More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) acquisition, (b) modification, (c) training and (d) infrastructure development costs are of each of the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
Answer: The whole life costs of the E7 programme are subject to approval by His Majesty's Government and cannot be confirmed until this process concludes.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49325More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the status is of the (a) modification and (b) integration processes for the second and third E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
Answer: The modification of the second and third E-7 Wedgetail aircraft continues.The second Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar is fitted to aircraft two and the third MESA is on site and scheduled to be fitted in June 2025.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax VehiclesMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49324More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any issues have been reported to his Department on the Ajax armoured vehicle’s ability to fire on the move.
Answer: No issues have been reported; the Ajax armoured vehicle’s ability to fire on the move has been successfully demonstrated.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: SafetyMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Ajax armoured vehicle programme has completed its full safety case.
Answer: Yes. Full safety cases are in place for all Ajax variants.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7Ministry of DefenceTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many test flights the first E-7 Wedgetail aircraft has successfully completed.
Answer: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 January 2025 to Question 25383 to the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter).
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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