Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Obese-Jecty this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 981–1,000 of 2,264 · Ministry of Defence
What the scope was of Project Matcha.
The scope of Project MATCHA was to replace the Gazelle AH Mk1, employed in Northern Ireland in the Rotary Wing Manned Airborne Surveillance role, with an Airbus H135. The project scope also included the integration of new Mission Role Equipment.
Following the use of lasers by the Russian ship Yantar to disrupt a Royal Air Force Poseidon P-8, what is the threshold needed to necessitate offensive action by the UK military if a foreign vessel is operating in a) UK territorial waters b) our Exclusive Economic Zone and c) international waters off the UK coast.
The Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence continuously assess its response options to ensure our Armed Forces can act appropriately against malign activities and future threats. For reasons of national security, I am not able to disclose specific details of military operations or response options. To do so would be beneficial to our adversaries.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of cancelling the Iron Duke conversion programme.
The Ministry of Defence keeps all capability programmes under regular review to ensure they remain affordable, deliver value for money, and align with operational priorities. The decision to cancel the Iron Duke conversion programme was based on a comprehensive assessment. Given the platform's remaining Service life, the time required to complete the conversion, and competing operational priorities, the benefits of proceeding did not justify the additional cost or extended period out of service. Resources were therefore re-prioritised to deliver greater operational effect.
What the outcome was of Royal Navy integration into US Carrier Strike Group certification training in October and November 2024.
In October 2024 the UK Carrier Strike Group and US Carrier Strike Group 8 completed a period of combined integration training during Exercise STRIKE WARRIOR. Exercise STRIKE WARRIOR included the successful re-certification of the UK Carrier Strike Group staff as part of the preparations for the Op HIGHMAST deployment in 2025. Exercise STRIKE WARRIOR involved warships and support vessels from the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary along with elements of the British Army, Royal Air Force and NATO warships from six nations – Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Portugal and the UK.
Pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to question 89765 on Military Aircraft: Procurement, what the in-year saving made by cancelling the Shadow Mk2 upgrade programme was.
The decision to cancel the Shadow Mk2 upgrade programme was driven by delays in delivering the required capability and an assessment of increased costs for uncontracted work. As a result, no direct in-year savings were realised from this decision. However, allocated sustainment funding continues to support the operational output of the existing Shadow R Mk1 fleet.
What the scope was of Project Rarden.
Project RARDEN is a legacy project that designed and introduced the Rarden cannon into service in the 1970s.
With reference to the press conference he gave on 19th November 2025 regarding the use of lasers by the Russian ship Yantar, what changes has he made to the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement.
The Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence continuously assess our Rules of Engagement to ensure our Armed Forces can act appropriately in response to malign activities and evolving threats, including unsafe or unprofessional behaviour by foreign vessels and aircraft. For reasons of national security, I am not able to disclose specific detail on Rules of Engagement.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of adopting a 6.8 x 51mm calibre rifle for frontline combat roles.
A review of performance requirements and technical solutions is ongoing as part of the concept phase for Project GRAYBURN. On current plans, Project GRAYBURN is due to enter its assessment phase in 2026. The project aims to replace the SA80 family of rifles through the 2030s. The ongoing analysis includes efforts to understand the benefits and compromises of changing calibre. While no decision has yet been made, intermediate calibres including the 6.8 x 51mm are part of this work.
What assessment has he made of the potential benefit of forward mounting Royal Marines from the Fleet Contingency Troop to HMS Somerset in order to provide interdiction options for the tracking of the Russian ship Yantar.
The Ministry of Defence continually evaluates the most appropriate options and resources to address the evolving threats faced by the United Kingdom. For security reasons, we cannot disclose specific assessments or operational decisions publicly. However, we can confirm that the Ministry of Defence maintains robust and responsive capabilities to safeguard the UK’s territorial waters and ensure national security as required.
What level of readiness is 42 Commando’s Fleet Contingency Troop held at in order to conduct maritime interdiction operations in UK territorial waters.
The Ministry of Defence continually evaluates the most appropriate options and resources to address the evolving threats faced by the United Kingdom. For security reasons, we cannot disclose specific assessments or operational decisions publicly. However, we can confirm that the Ministry of Defence maintains robust and responsive capabilities to safeguard the UK’s territorial waters and ensure national security as required.
How many settlements for non-freezing cold injuries did his department make in 2024/25.
The War Pensions Scheme (WPS) and Armed Forces Compensation Schemes (AFCS) compensate service personnel and veterans for a wide range of injuries and illnesses arising from or exacerbated by their service. Non-freezing cold injuries (NFCI) are included in both schemes. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, there were 13 awards for NFCI conditions under the War Pensions Scheme (WPS). Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, there were 32 initial awards for Non-Freezing Cold Injury conditions under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). AFCS awards for NFCI that were initially rejected, but subsequently awarded are not included and not available at this point. In addition, settlements of common law compensation claims for alleged MOD negligence or omissions resulting in personal injury are published annually. The statistical bulletin is published in the year following the end of the previous financial year so settled claims and compensation paid in financial year (FY) 2024-25 will be published in summer 2026. The link below provides the most up to date information relating to common law claims in FY2023-24 including NFCI claims. MOD common law compensation claims statistics 2023/24 - GOV.UK
What is the full scope of Operation Olympic Defender.
Multinational Force Operation OLYMPIC DEFENDER (MNF-OOD) is a US led multinational force which provides national-level authority for centralised planning of combined space operations. The core members are the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and New Zealand. MNF-OOD's focus is to optimise space operations, improve mission assurance, enhance resilience of space-based systems and synchronise efforts to strengthen deterrence against hostile actors. UK Space Command is leading the UK's contribution. The UK's role is to analyse and share information about the space domain to ensure troops on the ground are aware of threats and their options to maintain access to space services.
What are the requirements of the Royal Navy's a) Stratus LO (Low Observable) and b) Stratus RS (Rapid Strike) programmes.
The Royal Navy has a requirement called the Future Offensive Surface Weapon (FOSuW) which will provide a long range anti-ship strike weapon with land attack capabilities, compatible with the Mk41 Vertical Launch System (VLS). The FOSuW requirement will be met through the Future Cruise Anti-Ship Weapon (FCASW) programme, which comprises two concept solutions, STRATUS LO and STRATUS RS. The STRATUS LO concept is planned to be integrated onto the Type 26 frigate to meet the Royal Navy FoSUW requirement.
Based on the £34.7 billion cost of the deal for the Chagos Islands calculated by the Government Actuary’s Department, how much of the total figure will be paid by his department (a) each year and (b) in total.
The £34.7 billion figure is incorrect. The correct figure is £3.4 billion, which reflects the real costs of a treaty that lasts 99 years, with an average cost of £101 million per year.The treaty payments will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
What is the current status of all MOD sites listed within the Defence Estates Optimisation Programme.
Defence Estates Optimisation (DEO) has completed construction at 17 sites and has disposed of 30 Ministry of Defence sites. The status for the remaining disposal sites is listed in the House of Commons Defence Disposal Database report on the Gov.UK website. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disposal-database-house-of-commons-report
How much was the UK contribution to Lots 39 and 40 of the $3.5 billion contract awarded to Raytheon on 31 July 2025, for the continued production of Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM).
Lot 39 of the contract is expected to be placed by the end of 2025. Lot 40 of the contract is yet to be negotiated by the US Government. The UK proportionate contribution towards the $3.5 billion contract is classified as commercially sensitive information.
Pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025 to Question 69526 on Army: Ajax Vehicles and Boxer Vehicles, will anti-tank platoons be equipped with a mix of Ajax and Boxer or one or the other depending on whether the unit is tracked or wheeled.
Anti-tank platoons within Armoured Infantry units will be equipped with Boxer variants.
With reference to page 135 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress has he made in establishing comprehensive oversight of a) assets, b) liabilities, c) rates of obsolescence and d) lifecycle costs across his Department's estate.
In line with the Strategic Defence Review 2025, the Ministry of Defence has established the following to support oversight of a) assets, b) liabilities, c) rates of obsolescence and d) lifecycle costs across his Department’s estate: (a) a centralised asset register,(b) a liability baseline,(c) introduced an obsolescence model for critical infrastructure,(d) and embedded lifecycle costing within the Defence Investment Plan to ensure transparency and alignment with the Strategic Defence Review 2025 objectives.
With reference to page 135 of his Department's document entitled Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 2 June 2025, what progress he has made in making Ministry of Defence sites available for (a) start-ups and (b) scale-ups to help nurture innovation.
In line with the Strategic Defence Review 2025, the Ministry of Defence has been reviewing its estate to identify land that it can release from current operational use. The purposes to which this land can be put is now being assessed. Some sites may become available for start-ups and scale-ups, supporting innovation in defence and technology sectors.
With reference to page 139 of the Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, how was the retirement of the Albion and Bulwark landing platforms calculated at a constructive loss of £428,459,000.
The decision to decommission both HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark was announced in November 2024. In the period from 2022 to 2024, a total of £72.1 million has been spent on refitting HMS Bulwark. Neither HMS Albion nor HMS Bulwark were due to go to sea ahead of their out-of-service dates in 2033 and 2034. Their disposal shows that we are delivering for defence by divesting ourselves of old capabilities to make way for the future. These ships were effectively mothballed by the previous Government. As part of disposal procedures, we have calculated the write-down costs, in line with Managing Public Money and Ministry of Defence accounting policies. The constructive loss of £428,459,000 reflects the write-down of remaining value of HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark and their associated capital works, spares and consumables following the decision to bring forward their out-of-service dates.