Neil Shastri-Hurst MP: written questions 2025
232 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Space Technology: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68517More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much additional funding his Department plans to provide for space technology within the remit of the National Armaments Director.
Answer: The Strategic Defence Review published earlier this year has recommended that Defence must urgently develop the resilience of its military space systems.The new Defence Investment Plan, which will be published in Autumn, will set out how we will deliver t...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSpaceMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68516More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 9 of section 7.5 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 2 June 2025, what his planned timetable is for the Cabinet sub-Committee or equivalent Ministerial group to meet.
Answer: I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s interest in space. The Ministry of Defence along with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments, is coordinating space activities across government. Ministers from across government met on t...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68515More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of (a) Royal Navy, (b) British Army, and (c) RAF personnel are in frontline roles.
Answer: The Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force do not have a definition for ‘frontline roles’ and the figures below therefore reflect the current Full-Time Trained Strength: Royal Navy/Royal Marines – 28,040Army – 70,860Royal Air Force – 27,710
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordArmoured Fighting Vehicles: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68513More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the proportion of maintenance downtime is for (a) tanks, (b) armoured fighting vehicles and (c) armed personnel carriers across the armed forces.
Answer: It will take time to collate and review the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s question. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Answered 25 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAutonomous WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Departments is taking to assess the feasibility of retrofitting existing platforms for autonomous capability.
Answer: The Strategic Defence Review recognised that the RAF must stay at the leading edge of combat air's evolution, through the transition from exclusively crewed combat air platforms to a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with a mix of crewed, uncrewed, and incr...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: General PractitionersMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65595More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that armed forces GPs (a) maintain up-to-date skills in the delivery of emergency and urgent care and (b) have access to appropriate NHS (i) placements and (ii) train
Answer: Armed Forces GPs have a unique scope of practice and develop military and medical experience and skills throughout their career. The General Practice programme for the Armed Forces personnel includes ‘Operational Preparedness’ courses covering areas of pr...
Answered 14 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Medical Services: TrainingMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65590More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that all Defence Medical Services medical officers undertaking Foundation Year (a) 1 and (b) 2 training within NHS hospitals receive (i) high-
Answer: Defence Medical Services (DMS) medical officers undertake Foundation Programme training within NHS hospitals as Phase 0 Trainees prior to initial (Phase 1 and 2) military training. This is to allow DMS medical officers to develop their clinical and profes...
Answered 14 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Space CouncilDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 50701 on National Space Council, if he will make it his policy to reconvene the National Space Council.
Answer: No, although we remain committed to ensuring that space activities are effectively coordinated across all relevant departments, we are committed to establishing a new space policy governance structure to deliver such benefits, and Ministers from across go...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57526More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his planned timetable is for (a) completing negotiations on and (b) implementing the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal announced on 8 May 2025.
Answer: Talks with the US are ongoing, and the Secretary of State met with his counterpart Jamieson Greer at the OECD on 3 June to progress implementation of the General Terms of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal and ensure businesses feel the benefits as soon a...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Armed ForcesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered using capacity in the private healthcare sector to help reduce pressure on the NHS while maintaining clinical support for defence personnel.
Answer: NHS England works closely with the Defence Medical Services to support operational medicine, and this includes considering clinical research and innovation and how this can be implemented to support the Armed Forces. A partnership agreement is in place be...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Medical ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57174More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increased collaboration with Defence Medical Services in (a) medical research and development, (b) specialist training, and (c) the deve
Answer: NHS England works closely with the Defence Medical Services to support operational medicine, and this includes considering clinical research and innovation and how this can be implemented to support the Armed Forces. A partnership agreement is in place be...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Medical ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) clinical research and (b) innovation developed using NHS funding is shared with Defence Medical Services to support operational medicine.
Answer: NHS England works closely with the Defence Medical Services to support operational medicine, and this includes considering clinical research and innovation and how this can be implemented to support the Armed Forces. A partnership agreement is in place be...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Armed ForcesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57172More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has a defined role for the NHS in supporting (a) medical care and (b) rehabilitation for armed forces personnel injured in conflicts.
Answer: The National Health Service in England provides a range of secondary and tertiary care services for the Armed Forces personnel, including medical care for Armed Forces personnel injured in conflicts.A partnership agreement is in place between NHS England ...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Conflict and Emergencies: CasualtiesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role NHS England is playing in joint planning with the Ministry of Defence for scenarios involving (a) mass casualty care, (b) pandemic response and (c) strategic national emergencies.
Answer: The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.The Department an...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Armed ForcesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57170More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered the creation of an independent review board similar to the US Defense Health Board to oversee the joint medical readiness of the (a) NHS, (b) Defence Medical Services and
Answer: There are currently no plans to create an independent review board to oversee joint medical readiness in the United Kingdom.The Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health and Social Care’s Partnership Board facilitate joint working across the UK to ...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Armed ForcesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with NATO on (a) the implementation of the NATO Medical Action Plan and (b) its potential implications for UK civil-military health coordination.
Answer: The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England continue to engage with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services on the NATO Medical Action Plan, to consider how best to implement the recommendations of the Medical Action Plan.Thi...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed 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 recordArmed Conflict: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57167More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to participate in a joint sprint review with the Ministry of Defence to assess the national health ecosystem’s capacity to meet the demands of major military operations
Answer: Ensuring that the national health system is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of major military operations is of vital importance to deterrence and defence.The Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57166More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered a Sponsored Reserve model or similar arrangement to enable NHS clinicians to contribute directly to Defence Medical Services while maintaining NHS employment.
Answer: There have been no formal considerations for the implementation of a Sponsored Reserve model within the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, is focused on growing and maintaining t...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps with the Secretary of State for Defence to create a formal framework for supporting NHS-employed clinicians who serve as medical Reservists.
Answer: Clinicians who serve as Reservists play a vital role in supporting both the National Health Service and the Armed Forces. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Defence work with NHS Employers to ensure that NHS organisations are sup...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57164More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of NHS staffing shortages on the availability of medical Reservists for the armed forces.
Answer: No specific assessment has been made. NHS Employers, which is part of the NHS Confederation and supports workforce development across the National Health Service, runs a programme that is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Conflict: CasualtiesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57163More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS capacity constraints do not undermine the UK’s ability to sustain armed forces medical readiness in times of conflict.
Answer: The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.The Department an...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Conflict: CasualtiesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57162More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has developed a contingency framework to ensure NHS hospitals and clinical staff can respond to a surge in military casualties alongside civilian demand.
Answer: The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.The Department an...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence Medical ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the National Health Service’s readiness to support the Defence Medical Services in the event of a large-scale military conflict or mass casualty event.
Answer: The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.The Department an...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: Stocks and SharesTreasuryTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57088More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on whether there were irregular trading activities in UK-listed defence sector stocks on 2 June 2025.
Answer: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the UK’s markets regulator and the lead agency responsible for monitoring UK markets, and investigating and taking any enforcement action related to market abuse.
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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