Mark Francois MP: written questions
604 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Challenger Tanks: AmmunitionMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41798More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress has been made on the development of the Enhanced Kinetic Energy round for the Challenger 3; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure its lethality matches that of the depleted uraniu
Answer: The qualification of selected Enhanced Kinetic Energy ammunition has already started under a bilateral UK-Germany programme. This ammunition will deliver a significant enhancement to the lethality provided by the current ammunition of Challenger 2.
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChallenger Tanks: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help mitigate potential delays in the Challenger 3 programme achieving Initial Operating Capability by 2027.
Answer: The Armour Main Battle Tank programme has been impacted by some delays within the supply chain. Additional resources have been directed towards resolving these issues and the next phase of trials will start in Quarter 2 2025. Progress will be monitored ca...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChallenger Tanks: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41789More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of the Challenger 3 programme which include budget increases due to (a) technical challenges or (b) inflation; and how this aligns with the original £800 million
Answer: There have not been any increases to the total budget for the Armour Main Battle Tank programme due to technical challenges or inflation. The Approved Budgetary Level for the programme remains £1.9 billion and includes the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land con...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41397More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 1.2.of the Office for Budget Responsibility's report entitled Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published on 26 March 2025, what assessment he has made of the (a) affordability and (b) achi
Answer: The Government is committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP in 2027, with an ambition to increase to 3% in the next Parliament as fiscal and economic conditions allow. The increase to defence spending is fully funded. ODA is being reduced to...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Growth Board: FinanceTreasuryTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41396More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the projected cost of establishing and operating the Defence Growth Board is; and how it will be funded within the constraints of the fiscal rules and his Department's existing budget.
Answer: The Defence Growth Board is an internal cross-departmental board. It has been created to maximise Defence’s contribution to the Government’s first priority, the Growth Mission, through providing a mechanism for Ministers to drive the integration of econom...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Growth Board: Strategic Defence ReviewTreasuryTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41395More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how the Defence Growth Board fits into the upcoming Strategic Defence Review.
Answer: The Defence Growth Board has been created to maximise Defence’s contribution to the Government’s first priority, the Growth Mission. It will be co-chaired by both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Defence. Membership also incl...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Growth BoardTreasuryTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41394More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, will the Defence Growth Board report to (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (b) the Secretary of State for Defence or (c) Parliament; and how will its performance be measured.
Answer: The Defence Growth Board has been created to maximise Defence’s contribution to the Government’s first priority, the Growth Mission. It will be co-chaired by both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Defence. Membership also incl...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Growth BoardTreasuryTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41393More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her planned timetable is for the Defence Growth Board to create growth.
Answer: The Defence Growth Board has been created to maximise Defence’s contribution to the Government’s first priority, the Growth Mission. It will be co-chaired by both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Defence. Membership also incl...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Growth BoardTreasuryTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41392More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who the membership of the Defence Growth Board will be.
Answer: The Defence Growth Board has been created to maximise Defence’s contribution to the Government’s first priority, the Growth Mission. It will be co-chaired by both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Defence. Membership also incl...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41391More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Parliament will be provided with an updated briefing on the Chagos deal’s implications, in the context of the reported U.S. military build-up at Diego Garcia and its potential to extend operations.
Answer: Details of the Treaty agreed between the UK and Mauritius will come before Parliament for scrutiny in the usual manner following its signature. The joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia plays a crucial role in regional and international security. The ...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any portion of the £2.2 billion spending uplift for the Ministry of Defence in the 2025-26 financial year is allocated to cover costs associated with the Chagos agreement.
Answer: The Diego-Garcia military base agreement is still being finalised, once the treaty is finalised it will be put before Parliament for scrutiny in the usual way.
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to (a) expedite and (b) delay the ratification of the Chagos sovereignty transfer to Mauritius.
Answer: Both sides remain committed to concluding a deal on the future of the Chagos Archipelago which protects the long-term effective operation of the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia. Once an agreement is reached and the Treaty is signed, the Treaty will be ...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41010More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's latest estimate is of the cost to the public purse of the proposed agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, including (a) a
Answer: Once an agreement is signed further details of the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny and treaty ratification in the usual way. This will include costs.
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDiego Garcia: Military BasesMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41009More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the annual payment for the lease of Diego Garcia under the proposed Chagos Islands agreement will be funded from the defence budget; and what impact this will have on the Government’s commitment to increa
Answer: The funding arrangements for the treaty are still being finalised and no decision has been made at this time.
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41008More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of25 February 2025 to Question 28896, whether his Department has now received and processed all outstanding invoices for external legal costs relating
Answer: Due to the ongoing issues highlighted in the answer to his previous Parliamentary Question (28896), the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is still to receive a number of invoices for these costs, and it is not possible to provide an accurate fi...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023Northern Ireland OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41007More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the (a) financial and (b) legal liabilities of repealing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answer: The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023 (the Act) was almost universally opposed in Northern Ireland. A number of its key provisions, including those relating to the immunity scheme, have been found to be unlawful by the domes...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023Northern Ireland OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41006More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has made an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of repealing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answer: The Government, as part of the King’s Speech, committed to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023 (the Act). This legislation, which was taken through Parliament by the previous Government, is almost univer...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41005More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of restoring the Loughgall inquest.
Answer: The Government is committed to repeal and replace the almost universally opposed - and in many respects, unlawful - Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023 (the Act). As part of this commitment, the Government has been consistentl...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMerlin HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40430More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to approve the Merlin Out of Service Date Extension Programme.
Answer: The Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter Out-of-Service Date Extension Programme, to retain the capability in service from 2029-30 until 2040, is currently underway through standard Ministry of Defence processes. The Outline Business Case was approved in Octobe...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMerlin HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40429More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what approvals process is required for the Merlin Out of Service Date Extension Programme; and what the timescale is for that process.
Answer: The Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter Out-of-Service Date Extension Programme, to retain the capability in service from 2029-30 until 2040, is currently underway through standard Ministry of Defence processes. The Outline Business Case was approved in Octobe...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMerlin Helicopters: Trident SubmarinesMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40428More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role the Merlin Out of Service Date Extension Programme has in support of the Continuous At Sea Deterrent.
Answer: The Merlin Out of Service Date Extension Programme supports the Continuous At Sea Deterrent by extending the operational life of the Merlin helicopter fleet until 2040. These helicopters provide essential anti-submarine warfare capabilities, ensuring th...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans: Identity CardsMinistry of DefenceTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37544More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) governance structure and (b) ethical oversight mechanisms have been established for the Digital Veterans ID card.
Answer: The Digital Veteran Card will be launched this year as the first digital credential in the GOV.UK Wallet. The Ministry of Defence (MOD), in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, has robust governance arrangements in place...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans: Identity CardsMinistry of DefenceTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37543More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of verification interactions using the Digital Veterans ID card on the safety of veterans; and whether he has developed mitigations for potential risks.
Answer: The Digital Veteran Card will be launched this year as the first digital credential in the GOV.UK Wallet. The Ministry of Defence (MOD), in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, has robust governance arrangements in place...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans: Identity CardsMinistry of DefenceTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37542More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what formal agreements have been established with (a) the Department for Work and Pensions, (b) NHS England and (c) local housing authorities on the (i) acceptance and (ii) integration of the Digital Veterans ID
Answer: The Digital Veteran Card will be launched this year as the first digital credential in the GOV.UK Wallet. The Ministry of Defence (MOD), in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, has robust governance arrangements in place...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans: Identity CardsMinistry of DefenceTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37541More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which veteran organisations representing people who served in sensitive operations were consulted during the discovery phase of the Digital Veterans ID card; how their feedback was incorporated; and what design c
Answer: The Digital Veteran Card will be launched this year as the first digital credential in the GOV.UK Wallet. The Ministry of Defence (MOD), in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, has robust governance arrangements in place...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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