Mark Francois MP: written questions
461 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Diego GarciaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43425More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that activities on the outer Chagos islands do not impact the operation of Diego Garcia.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave to the Urgent Question on the British Indian Ocean Territory on 2 April 2025.
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Written QuestionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43424More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 36052 on Strategic Defence Review: Contracts, tabled on 6 March 2025 by the Rt hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford.
Answer: I responded to the right hon. Member on 3 April 2025.
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42423More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason the Chagos Islands agreement was not finalised in early March 2025.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to his previous Question 41388, which remains the same.
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInternational Court of Justice: Public AppointmentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42422More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria was used to select Dapo Akande KC to represent Britain at the International Court of Justice in the 2026 election.
Answer: Members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration from each contracting State form "National Groups". Under the International Court of Justice (ICJ) statute, national groups are entitled to nominate candidates for election to the ICJ and should cons...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Legal OpinionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) Philippe Sands and (b) Dapo Akande have provided external legal advice to his Department since 4 July 2024.
Answer: It is not normal practice to comment on the provision of external legal advice. However, in this case we can confirm that neither Philippe Sands KC nor Professor Dapo Akande have provided external legal advice to the FCDO since 4 July 2024.
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHMS Northumberland and Type 26 FrigatesMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of retiring HMS Northumberland on the Royal Navy’s operational capacity; and what steps he is taking to support the Royal Navy until the Type 26 fri
Answer: I refer the right hon. Member to the response provided by the Minister for the Armed Forces (Luke Pollard) to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge) on 10 December 2024 to Question 17147.
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChallenger Tanks: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the Challenger 3 remains competitive against (a) Russia’s T-14 Armata and (b) other emerging threats; and whether he plans to upgrade the (i) firepower and
Answer: The Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank will deliver a significant improvement in capability over its predecessor, the Challenger 2. Enhancements include a digitalised turret fitted with the latest 120mm smoothbore gun paired with the most lethal ammunition ava...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChallenger 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 record
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