Mark Francois MP: written questions 2025
453 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Boeing E-7Ministry of DefenceTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason the second Royal Air Force E-7 Wedgetail airframe (WT002) did not conduct test flights during the period when WT001 was grounded.
Answer: The three aircraft arrived at the modification facility at STS Aviation Services in Birmingham between January 2021 and October 2022. Given their staggered arrival, the aircraft modification programmes are at varying degrees of completion.
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7Ministry of DefenceTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what were the reasons for the nine-month gap between the first flight of the Royal Air Force’s E-7 Wedgetail (WT001) in September 2024 and its subsequent test flight.
Answer: Between delivery to STS Aviation and its first flight in September 2024 the aircraft has undergone significant structural modification to support the Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar and mission systems. Since concluding previous fligh...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Written QuestionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66124More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to answer Question 62175, tabled on 24 June 2025.
Answer: I will respond to the right hon. Member shortly.
Answered 14 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023Northern Ireland OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prevent former IRA members from claiming damages from the Government, in the context of the document entitled A proposal for a Remed
Answer: I refer to the answer given last week to the Honourable Member for Stockton North (UIN 63126). The main issue here is the application of the Carltona principle in the context of ICOs. The previous Government’s attempt to address this following the 2020 Su...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023Northern Ireland OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65212More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he plans to lay the draft Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order.
Answer: On 4 December 2024, the Government laid a proposal for a draft Remedial Order to amend the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act.The Government has been carefully considering responses received including from the Joint Committee on Hum...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Written QuestionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64407More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to answer Question 59988, tabled on 16 June 2025.
Answer: I responded to the right hon. Member on 3 July 2025.
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Written QuestionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64406More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to answer Question 61737, tabled on 23 June 2025.
Answer: I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member's question. I issued a response to the hon. Member on 3 July.
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRoyal MarinesMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63532More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the refit of RFA Lyme Bay on the operational capability of the Royal Marines; and what steps he is taking to ensure the Royal Marines’ amphibious capabilitie
Answer: RFA LYME BAY is undergoing routine planned maintenance to ensure continued sustainability for operations. Royal Marines operations continue to be supported by the remainder of the amphibious fleet. These ships will continue to support amphibious capabilit...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Written QuestionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63531More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when his Department plans to answer Question 60828, tabled on 18 June 2025.
Answer: My response to Question 60828 was returned on 02 July.
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63530More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 61738 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, which Department will fund costs arising from the function of the Joint Commission; a
Answer: The payments will be split between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence.As is clear from paragraph 2 of Annex 3, both the UK and Mauritius shall appoint one senior representative as co-chair of the Joint Commission ...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans: Government AssistanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63289More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he plans to take ensure that independent oversight is provided for the activities of the VALOUR Team; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of that oversight on tackling regiona
Answer: The structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR are currently being developed and will also be informed by lessons learned during the Northern pilot announced last week. It will not be a service that is a blueprint for everyone, but we will take th...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans Advisory and Pensions CommitteesMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63288More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the recruitment of new members to the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees has been paused; and what plans he has to restart that process.
Answer: Ministry of Defence officials are currently working through the latest advice that the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committees have provided, for which I am most grateful. We are currently considering their functions and activity against wider Department...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee: Public AppointmentsMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63287More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to appoint a new Chair of the Northern Ireland Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that veterans in Northern Ireland receive parity of support
Answer: Ministry of Defence officials are currently working through the latest advice that the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committees have provided, for which I am most grateful. We are currently considering their functions and activity against wider Department...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans Advisory and Pensions Committees Act 2023Ministry of DefenceTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63286More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the ability of Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees to fulfil their statutory functions under the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees Act 2023 prior to the co
Answer: Ministry of Defence officials are currently working through the latest advice that the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committees have provided, for which I am most grateful. We are currently considering their functions and activity against wider Department...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans Advisory and Pensions Committees Act 2023Ministry of DefenceTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63285More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on bringing forward regulations to implement the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees Act 2023.
Answer: Ministry of Defence officials are currently working through the latest advice that the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committees have provided, for which I am most grateful. We are currently considering their functions and activity against wider Department...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 26 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62941More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has for allowing parliamentary time for (a) scrutiny and (b) ratification of the UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garci
Answer: We have consistently said that, once a deal was signed, we would lay it before the House for scrutiny in the usual way. That is exactly what we have done. Parliamentary business will be arranged in the usual way.I have appeared before the IRDC/IAC on 17 J...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRAF Brize Norton: SecurityMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62547More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 61499 on RAF Brize Norton: Security, which (a) agency or (b) organisation was responsible for security at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June 2025.
Answer: The Royal Air Force Police and Military Provost Guard Service are responsible for security at RAF Brize Norton. This is a part of the multilayered approach to security across the site. The Counter Terrorism Policing investigation continues and the Defence...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAjax Vehicles: JournalismMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 60432 on Ajax Vehicles, if she will list the journalists invited to Bovington to (a) attend and (b) observe activities relating to the Ajax armoured vehicle prog
Answer: Journalists are routinely present at events where Ajax is demonstrated and/or discussed. Ajax is currently in the manufacturing and fielding platforms to the Army phase of the programme. Since 1 February 2025, there have been no Ajax-specific events to wh...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what discussions he has had with Mauritius on its status as a state p
Answer: The United Kingdom will ensure all operations on Diego Garcia comply with our obligations under applicable international law.
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Annex 3 of the UK-Mauritius agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 22 May 2025, who will be responsible for appoin
Answer: The UK Government will appoint members of the Joint Commission. These will likely be officials with related responsibilities from relevant departments. There will be no additional remuneration for fulfilling these duties.
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Annex 3 of the UK-Mauritius agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 22 May 2025, where meetings of the Joint Commis
Answer: The management of the Joint Commission will be agreed between the Parties as part of the implementation of the Agreement.
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordIran: USAForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) his US counterpart and (b) other international partners on the compliance of US military strikes on Iran with the United Kingdom’s obliga
Answer: The UK did not participate in the US' strikes. The Foreign Secretary has been engaging with Secretary of State Rubio on a regular basis, to discuss the need for Iran to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and to make progress on a lasting ...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Written QuestionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61736More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to answer Question (a) 59988 on Grumman E-2 Hawkeye: Procurement, (b) 59989 on Boeing E-7: Procurement, (c) 59990 on Boeing E-7: Procurement and (d) 59991 on Boeing E-7: Cost Effectiveness, tabled o
Answer: I responded to the right hon. Member’s Questions 59990 and 59991 on 26 June 2025 and I will respond to Questions 59988 and 59989 shortly.
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRAF Brize Norton: Trespass and VandalismMinistry of DefenceTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61500More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to prevent (a) trespass and (b) vandalism at (i) RAF Brize Norton and (ii) other Ministry of Defence sites designated as protected under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
Answer: As per my statement on Monday 23 June, an investigation is underway into the incident. The SDR identified Brize Norton as needing investment. After many years of under-investment and hollowing out under the previous administration, we have identified this...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRAF Brize Norton: SecurityMinistry of DefenceTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61499More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Ministry of Defence Police was responsible for security at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June 2025.
Answer: No.
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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