Neil Shastri-Hurst MP: written questions
4 Jul 2024–3 Jul 2025
How these years work
Our reporting years run from 4 July to 3 July, starting with the 2024 general election. They are not official parliamentary sessions. Office costs keep IPSA’s April–March financial years. Records may cover only part of a year; a missing record does not mean no work was done.
Read what this MP said, asked and contributed in Parliament.
32 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Armed Forces: Health ServicesMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57168More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS (a) information systems and (b) clinical protocols are interoperable with those used by (i) Defence Medical Services, (ii) Programme Cortisone and (iii) other defence in
Answer: Programme CORTISONE will provide the Defence Medical Services (DMS) with an up-to-date electronic healthcare information management system. One of the programme’s objectives is to enable greater interoperability with NHS information systems and the electr...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Space CouncilMinistry of DefenceTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56695More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to re-establish the National Space Council.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence along with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other Departments, remains committed to ensuring that space activities are effectively coordinated across government. Ministers from across Government met on the ...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52091More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many defence contracts his Department has awarded since 5 July 2024; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken for procurement on the defence industrial base.
Answer: Based on contracts created in the Ministry of Defence Commercial Contracting system there have been 1986 contracts created with a start date more recent than 5 July 2024. It is widely recognised that there are issues with the Department’s procurement syst...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInfrastructure: Risk AssessmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51044More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential military and dual-use implications of Chinese investment in UK critical infrastructure.
Answer: The UK welcomes foreign investment. The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA) provides the UK Government robust powers to scrutinise and, if necessary, intervene in acquisitions or investment that may pose a risk to national security. This legi...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUkraine: War CrimesMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50716More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that evidence gathered by (a) UK armed forces and (b) partners in Ukraine is preserved for potential use in war crimes prosecutions.
Answer: The UK deplores the barbaric acts that are taking place in Ukraine, after Russia’s illegal invasion, and will continue to support holding all perpetrators to account. We continue to support the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigati...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: TechnologyMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48710More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to (a) invest in and (b) develop advanced defence technologies to enhance the United Kingdom's military capabilities; and how these technologies are being integrated into curre
Answer: The Government launched the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) on 16 July 2024 to ensure we have the military capabilities needed to protect the United Kingdom now and in the future. The SDR has been considering all aspects of Defence, including the capabilit...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: SpaceMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48709More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on developing a sovereign defence space capability in the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this initiative on (
Answer: The Ministry of Defence is working closely with other Departments to develop sovereign space capabilities, and with our Allies and partners.We use the 'own-access-collaborate' framework to identify where the UK must own sovereign capabilities, access serv...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAUKUSMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48702More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to (a) implement the objectives of Pillar Two of the AUKUS partnership and (b) increase collaboration on (i) artificial intelligence, (ii) quantum technologies, (iii) cyber and
Answer: The UK remains staunchly committed to AUKUS. Working with Australia and the US, we are committed to addressing the most important military challenges each nation faces, delivering cutting-edge capability advantage, and enhancing interoperability. We have ...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Nuclear EnterpriseMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48701More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the (a) resilience and (b) sustainability of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise; and what estimate he has made of the (i) current and (ii) future workforce requir
Answer: The Government has an unwavering commitment to ensuring the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) is resilient and sustainable through significant investment in our infrastructure, people and places. This includes recapitalising critical elements of our infras...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46349More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people served in the Armed Forces (a) in total and (b) by service between 2003 to 2023.
Answer: The requested information is shown in the attached spreadsheet. UK service personnel statistics on strengths, requirements, intake, applications and outflow is published quarterly on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/quarterly-service...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42206More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of the additional £0.4 billion 2025-26 resource DEL allocated to Defence at the Spring Statement will be spent on additional service personnel; and if he will make an estimate of the number of additional
Answer: The Department is committed to taking decisive action to address recruitment and retention challenges that we inherited from the last administration and strengthen our Armed Forces, including launching the new, combined Armed Forces Recruitment Service in...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSpace TechnologyMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of commercial providers being used to implement the UK's defence space capabilities on the resilience of those capabilities.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence is committed to investing £6.5 billion over 10 years to ensure the UK is a competitive force in the Space domain. The National Space Strategy makes clear that to meet the Government's goals, the UK requires a flexible approach to d...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: Space TechnologyMinistry of DefenceTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40310More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the additional resources that will be available for the development of space capabilities in the 2027-28 financial year, in the context of increases in defence spending.
Answer: The hon. Member and I share a passion for space, and he will know that the Ministry of Defence has invested £6.5 billion over ten years in space, including £5 billion in satellite communications through the SKYNET programme and £1.5 billion in innovative ...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordUncrewed Systems: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Drone Strategy, published on 22 February 2024, how much of the £4.6 billion has been spent so far; and if he will publish an estimated profile of future spending over the remaining y
Answer: I will write to the hon. Member once the information is available. Any future spend profile for Uncrewed Systems is subject to the outcomes of the Strategic Defence Review.
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordUncrewed SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to implement the Defence Drone Strategy, published on 22 February 2024.
Answer: The Defence Drone Strategy was released in February 2024 to provide a strategic approach to drive delivery across Defence and support Frontline Command Drone capabilities. With over £4.5 billion of funding already being invested in Drones, the Ministry of...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Unmanned Air SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40307More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on delivering the Ukraine-UK uncrewed systems initiative.
Answer: Since February 2022, the UK has provided over 10,000 drones to Ukraine covering a broad range of capabilities including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, logistical and strike drones for both the land and maritime domain. This includes 400 dr...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: Space TechnologyMinistry of DefenceTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39720More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings his Department has had with representatives of the defence space sector since 5 July 2024.
Answer: As discussed during my meeting with the hon. Member on 10 March 2025, the Ministry of Defence engages substantially with the space sector as they are critical to the UK’s status as a global player on space. The Department holds a wide variety of meetings ...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArtillery: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38491More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the 24 Archer artillery systems ordered in 2019 were operationally ready on 14 March 2025.
Answer: A total of 14 Archer 6x6 artillery systems were procured in 2023 to fill a capability gap following the Granting in Kind of AS90 to Ukraine. Archer reached Initial Operating Capability in November 2024 and there are no current plans to procure any additio...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRoyal Army Medical CorpsMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38490More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many full-time regular personnel were serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps on 14 March 2025; and if he will make an estimate of the number of full-time regular personnel who will be serving in the (a) 20
Answer: The Royal Army Medical Corps have been amalgamated with Royal Army Dental Corps and Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps to form the Royal Army Medical Service. As at 1 January 2025 there were 3,954 Trade Trained Regular personnel in the Royal Army ...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArmoured Fighting VehiclesMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38489More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many additional (a) tanks and (b) armoured vehicles are expected to be operational in 2027-28, in the context of increases in defence spending.
Answer: Whilst the Army’s modernisation will continue over the next decade with a programme of investment worth billions of pounds, future capability development priorities will be guided by the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). There are no current plans to procur...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38488More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of additional service personnel who will be recruited to the (a) Royal Navy, (b) British Army, (c) Royal Air Force in the 2027-28 financial year, in the context of increase
Answer: The increase in defence spending is a vital part of ensuring the nation can realise the ambition which will be set out in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). All Defence personnel - in and out of uniform - are at the heart of Defence's plans. The SDR has ...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Protective ClothingMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30448More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many 3M Combat Arms Earplugs V2 his Department purchased between 2003 and 2015.
Answer: 3M Combat Arms Ear Plugs V2 were purchased by the Ministry of Defence during this period, however records of the quantities purchased are no longer held.
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29320More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average annual workforce and activity cost is of the (a) Regular Army Infantry Battalion, (b) Army Reserve Infantry Battalion, (c) Royal Armoured Corps Regular Army Regiment and (d) Royal Armoured Corps
Answer: We do not hold a central record of detailed workforce costings and activity at the granular unit level requested.
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29319More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) workforce and (b) other costs are to maintain the (i) 4th Light Brigade Combat Team, (ii) 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team, (iii) 102 Operational Sustainment Brigade and (iv) 1st Deep Reconnaissance
Answer: We do not hold a central record of detailed workforce costings and activity at the granular unit level requested.
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Protective ClothingMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27710More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many 3M Combat Arms Earplugs V2 his Department has purchased in the last five years.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence holds no records of any 3M Combat Arms Earplugs V2 being purchased in the past five years.
Answered 7 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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4 Jul 2024–3 Jul 2025. One record per UIN and tabled date; the named department is not a measure of answer quality.
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