Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

With reference to page 105 of the Strategic Defence Review, updated on 8 July 2025, if he will list the sites he has considered for the Royal Navy's training estate.

The Ministry of Defence keeps the Royal Navy’s training estate under regular review to ensure it continues to meet both current and future operational requirements. As part of the Strategic Defence Review, all elements of the training estate are being assessed to ensure the Navy can deliver modernised training, support the increased use of Reservists, and maintain the capacity to train allies and partners without impacting national priorities. The Royal Navy has a number of training establishments listed below:Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC)HMS Raleigh (RAL)Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTC)HMS Sultan (SUL)HMS Collingwood (CWD)HMS Yeovilton (YVL)HMS Culdrose (CUL)HM Naval Base Devonport

What (a) financial, (b) manpower and (c) other material contributions the UK has made to foreign comparative testing with the US in the last 12 months.

The Ministry of Defence actively supports the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) programme by collaborating on programme development and working with FCT representatives to identify promising UK technologies. Detailed outcomes remain the responsibility of the individual companies and the FCT.

With reference to page 11 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the defence dividend on Huntingdon constituency.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring the increased investment in defence translates into more British jobs, increased skills and a stronger and more resilient defence industrial base, supported by major procurement reforms. We hope that all constituencies will benefit from increased defence investment including Huntington Investment decisions will be set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy which will be published later this year.

With reference to the data tables accompanying the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, published on 11 August 2025, which projects are affected by the challenges to recruit the required (a) skills and (b) experience levels in the Army Programme Management Office.

These resource challenges are impacting a significant portion of the Army Portfolio. The confidence assessments of the programmes are available in the National infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, accessible here: https://ar25.nista.grid.civilservice.gov.uk/tables. The Army Programme and Portfolio Office actively manages the prioritisation of programmes to ensure its workforce is allocated where it is most needed. To retain and enhance this skilled cohort, the office offers comprehensive Portfolio, Programme and Project Management training packages to develop current personnel and to attract talent into the team.

With reference to page 133 of his Department's Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 2 June 2025, what progress he has made in creating a single Recapitalisation Plan for Defence infrastructure.

A Recapitalisation Plan for Defence Infrastructure is currently being drafted with a target completion date of February 2026.

If he will set out when Operation Valour will end.

VALOUR is a new programme that will give veterans across the UK easier access to the essential care and support that is available to them, overseen by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs in the Ministry of Defence. It will improve the coordination of services at a national, regional and local level to ensure that veterans receive the support they need. VALOUR will deliver institutional resilience and is not just a sticking plaster, and therefore it is intended as a long-term solution to cohering the support available to our veterans; crucially making it easier to navigate and therefore access services and support they need.

With reference to page 31 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, whether he made progress on enhancing the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force with France at the France-UK summit in July 2025.

The July 2025 UK-France summit saw a complete overhaul of the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) into the Combined Joint Force (CJF) with significant changes to structure, focus, coordination mechanisms and leadership. This is outlined in the Lancaster House 2.0: Declaration on Modernising UK-French Defence and Security Cooperation press release of 10 July 2025.

With reference to page 36 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, whether he has made recent progress on developing capability under the defence partnership with India.

Defence Partnership India was formally launched in India at Aero India in February 2025. Since its inauguration there have been advancements in a range of capability areas across the air, maritime and land domains, as can be seen through the recent announcements from the Prime Minister’s visit to India earlier this month. For example, the Indian Army will procure THALES Lightweight Multirole Missiles through a Government-to-Government arrangement between our countries and both Prime Ministers were pleased to confirm the intent to finalise the Inter-Governmental agreement on cooperation in developing maritime electric propulsion systems to Indian Naval Platforms.

With reference to recommendation 22 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on strengthening Europe’s collective industrial base.

The UK recently launched its Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) which reaffirms our belief that close cooperation with our European allies is essential. We remain clear that, in order to effectively deter and defence against increased aggression, we need to strengthen our shared defence industrial base to ensure Europe is able to secure the critical capabilities needed at the necessary speed, scale and value for money. As part of these efforts, we have set out our ambition to explore the potential for enhanced cooperation through the EU’s SAFE instrument. We have also re-set our bilateral relationships with France, helping to strengthen the European complex weapons industrial base through Lancaster House 2.0, and with Germany, strengthening the land combat industrial sector, through the Trinity House agreement. While the new UK-Norway defence partnership, including the Type 26 procurement, will sustain 4.000 jobs in the UK.

With reference to page 34 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what the themes will be of each of the next three six-monthly foreign and security policy dialogues.

The Government pledged in its manifesto to pursue a new relationship with the EU to strengthen European security, support growth and reinforce NATO. The recently released Strategic Defence Review (SDR) further reiterates this commitment and recognises that international partnerships are crucial for the UK’s security and prosperity. The Government delivered on this commitment at the UK-EU Summit on 19 May where we agreed a new and ambitious Security and Defence Partnership (SDP). Implementation of the SDP is a joint effort with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and is progressing. Since May, my Rt Hon Friend, Defence Secretary John Healey has held discussions with the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, where they discussed their ambition to explore the potential for enhanced UK-EU cooperation under SAFE. In October, the Foreign Secretary and the Defence Secretary will both meet with the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, for the first UK/EU foreign and security policy dialogue under the SDP. In addition, Ministers and officials from across Government have held consultations with their EU counterparts on a range of issues, including but not limited to, tackling irregular migration and hybrid threats. We continue to work with EU counterparts to strengthen dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation across the range of issues covered in the SDP, including maritime and space security. As the Defence Secretary has previously said to this House, this Government will ensure that any UK commitment– whether financial or non-financial – will provide value for the UK taxpayer and supports our defence goals. We will continue to prioritise engagement and cooperation on the issues that are most important in helping to safeguard European security and prosperity – all in support of this government’s NATO First defence policy.

With reference to page 90 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, when plans for home defence were last fully updated.

The Ministry of Defence routinely plans against a range of potential threats to ensure the UK remains prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to any threat, including an armed attack on the UK. While we keep these plans under regular review, we are taking the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review forward, working closely with the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme.

With reference to page 43 of the National Security Strategy 2025, published in June 2025, CP 1338, which projects are in scope of the £4 billion funding for autonomous systems.

A wide breadth of autonomous systems are under consideration for autonomous funding as described in the National Security Strategy and will be subject to prioritisation to ensure optimum operational benefit. The projects to be included within the £4 billion funding for autonomous systems will form part of the Defence Investment Plan in Autumn 2025.

With reference to page 110 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what funding he has provided for (a) attack drones, (b) surveillance drones and (c) counter-drone-systems.

Drones and counter drone systems are integral to the modern way of warfighting, exemplified in the lessons gleaned from the war in Ukraine. The Strategic Defence Review announced an increase in autonomy investment of £2 billion in this Parliament, taking total Defence investment in autonomy to circa £4 billion. The funding provided for attack drones, surveillance drones and counter-drone systems will be announced as part of the Defence Investment Plan in Autumn 2025.

With reference to page 78 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, who the UK’s regional partners are in the South China Sea.

The UK's regional partners listed in the Strategic Defence Review include Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The UK also has a long-standing partnership with Brunei, where we have recently renewed our agreement to maintain the Garison, which is home to a battalion from the Royal Gurkha Regiment. Alongside New Zealand and Australia, Singapore and Malaysia, the UK is a member of the Five Power Defence Arrangements, which promotes cooperation and interoperability in the region. The UK also regularly collaborate with our remaining Five Eyes partners Canada and the United States.

With reference to recommendation 37 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 8 July 2025, what progress he has made in developing an autonomous air dominance system capable of integrating with (a) directed energy weapons and (b) connectivity with integrated air and missile defence system assets.

Integrated Air and Missile Defence investments will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be set out in the Defence Investment Plan to be published this year.

With reference to page 117 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, what progress he has made on helping to shape the UK space market to support exports to (a) Europe, (b) Asia and (c) the Middle East.

The Ministry of Defence is proactively supporting the UK space industry to access export opportunities. Since June 2025, in conjunction with other Departments, we have supported UK space sector companies to attend trade missions and export-focused events in Australia, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and will support events in Germany and France before the end of 2025.This work compliments our significant investment in defence space technologies and satellite communications, collaboration with UK industry and international partners, and participation in European Space Agency programmes; all of which contribute to supporting exports.

With reference to the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, from which date the Integrated Force Model will be fully operational.

The Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ) is the central command hub for the UK Armed Forces, led by the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS). The MSHQ has been operational since April 2025, bringing together military strategy, operations, and force development in one integrated structure. The Integrated Force Model, as per the Strategic Defence Review, has four elements: a single force design; a common set of foundational enablers; digital enablement at its core; and collaboration with other government departments in real time. All these elements are subject to ongoing work through the Defence Investment Plan which will provide the framework through which the Ministry of Defence is modernised.

With reference to page 78 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, how much funding the UK provides to the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

The UK provided £240,000 in financial year (FY) 2023-24 and £266,000 in the FY 2024-25.

With reference to page 114 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 8 July 2025, when sixth-generation aircraft will replace (a) Typhoon and (b) F-35.

With regard to Typhoon out of service dates I refer the hon. Member to the response by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry on 1 September 2025 to Question 69517. The F35 aircraft will remain a cornerstone of our CA capabilities out to the 2060s. The UK’s sixth generation Combat Air Capabilities will be delivered by the Global Combat Aircraft, alongside uncrewed platforms and the current generation of aircraft.

What recent progress he has made in developing an integrated layered air defence system as part of the Land Ground Based Air Defence programme.

Integrated Air and Missile Defence investments will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be set out in the Defence Investment Plan to be published this year.