Written questions by Cartlidge.

When he last issued instructions to his Department on the threshold for financial sign-off of new procurements; and what those instructions were.

We continue to review and spend on our priorities as part of normal financial management There have been a number of communications as part of departmental business to enable us to get a grip of defence spending. We are committed to securing value for money for taxpayers and cutting waste, for instance taking immediate action to stop all non-essential Government consultancy spending in financial year 2024-25.

What progress he has made on increasing the number of exports of the Type (a) 26 and (b) 31 frigates.

The Ministry of Defence and the Department for Business and Trade are actively supporting the promotion of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship and Type 31 Arrowhead 140 designs to other navies around the world with similar requirements.The Type 26 has been down selected as one of four options for the Norwegian Future Frigate competition.

What steps his Department is taking to assess the extent to which (a) aircrew and (b) other personnel were exposed to toxic fumes whilst operating (i) helicopters and (ii) other aircraft.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to the health and wellbeing of our people. In response to concerns, the Department has previously conducted testing of the now out of service Sea King helicopter. The Department is initiating the testing of the exhaust emissions of in-service helicopters to ensure we are meeting our duty of care for personnel. It is essential that we can assure our people of their safety at work.

Whether he has instructed Defence Equipment and Support to put a hold on new procurement in this financial year.

We continue to review and spend on our priorities as part of normal financial management. Our approach applies to the whole Department and is not specific to Defence Equipment and Support.

If he will list meetings between his Department and relevant US stakeholders on the Chagos Islands since 5 July 2024.

Ministry of Defence and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office personnel have been engaging with counterparts in the US Department of Defense, the State Department and National Security Council multiple times each week since 5 July 2024.

Whether his Department will continue to provide support for export campaigns for the Watchkeeper drone.

Yes. The Government will continue to support the export of Watchkeeper-X. This will support UK industry, growth and jobs whist also strengthening strategic defence relationship with partners and allies.

Whether he has had discussions with his US counterpart on the cost of the new settlement with the Chagos Islands to the (a) UK and (b) US.

This historic agreement protects the long-term secure operation of the UK-US base on Diego Garcia, which plays such a crucial role in regional and international security. The base is a joint UK-US facility and is an essential part of the UK-US defence relationship. Discussions between the Secretary of State and his US counterpart will continue to cover all aspects of the future operation of the base.

With reference to his Oral Statement of 20 November 2024, Official Report, columns 287-289, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of retiring 17 Puma helicopters on the UK's contribution to NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability programme.

The retirement of 17 Puma helicopters at the end of their current lifespan will not affect the UK’s contribution to NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability Programme.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Secretary of State for Defence in response to the question from the hon. Member for South Suffolk during Oral Questions to the Ministry for Defence on 18 November 2024, for what reason he will not publish the cost of the Chagos settlement.

As confirmed in my response to the hon Member's oral question to me during urgent questions on 2 December 2024, he will know as a former Defence Minister, while the Ministry of Defence routinely discloses running costs for overseas bases and training areas it is long-standing policy, followed by successive Governments, that payments made by Government to Governments are not revealed.

Whether he plans to increase the level of funding available for the New Medium Helicopter programme in the Strategic Defence Review.

The Strategic Defence Review will guide future capability development priorities, to ensure the United Kingdom is both secure at home and strong abroad - now and for the years to come. The Reviewers will make their final report in the first half of 2025, and it is therefore only right that we do not prejudice the details of the review at this stage.The New Medium Helicopter (NMH) Programme is an initiative to acquire a modern medium-lift support helicopter, addressing multiple rotary wing requirements to improve efficiency and operational flexibility. The NMH programme is part of a wider holistic approach on the MOD's use of rotary wing. The tender evaluation is now ongoing and is expected to complete in the first half of 2025.

What assessment he has made of the potential (a) causes and (b) consequences of the recent road traffic incident in Estonia involving British armed forces personnel.

The safety and welfare of our personnel is of the utmost importance. An Estonian investigation is underway and it would be inappropriate to comment whilst inquiries are ongoing. In addition, as with all incidents of this nature, an internal review is being conducted in-theatre about further preventative measures to ensure the safety of our deployed personnel.My thoughts are with all those affected, and I wish those injured a full, swift recovery.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7495 on Global Combat Air Programme, whether the Strategic Defence Review will consider whether the core programme will be piloted.

The Strategic Defence Review will guide future capability development priorities, to ensure the United Kingdom is secure at home and strong abroad - now and for the years to come.The Global Combat Air Programme core aircraft is being designed to be crewed when it comes into service, but the programme sustains an important technological and industrial pathway to developing advanced uncrewed capabilities, allowing the programme to maximise the benefits of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence in a crewed aircraft as well as to explore options for uncrewed capability augmentation in the future.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the operational lifespan of the Airbus H145 helicopter.

The Airbus Helicopters H145 is in service as a training helicopter called the Jupiter HT1. This helicopter type is contractor owned, under the rotary wing flying training contract which runs until 2033. It would be for the contractor to manage the operational lifespan of the Jupiter airframes.

With reference to his Oral Statement of 20 November 2024, Official Report, columns 287-289, how many platforms his Department intends to procure through the New Medium Helicopter programme, in the context of his decision to decommission 17 Puma helicopters.

There are no plans to change the extant New Medium Helicopter competition which started on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK. The decision to retire the 14 oldest Chinook helicopters and remaining Puma helicopters has no impact on the New Medium Helicopter procurement process. The New Medium Helicopter competition remains sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process must complete before further details, including aircraft numbers, can be confirmed. The Ministry of Defence is continuing with the established procurement process, managed by Defence Equipment and Support, and the proposal will be evaluated through 2025 when, subject to Government approvals, a contract award is anticipated. The progress of the New Medium Helicopter programme is not dependent on reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on Defence spending.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the operational lifespan of the Lockheed Martin UH-60 Black Hawk.

The Department has not assessed the potential merits of extending the operational lifespan of the Lockheed Martin UH-60 Black Hawk as the Department does not own any.

Whether his Department plans to change the extant New Medium Helicopter competitive tender.

There are no plans to change the extant New Medium Helicopter competition which started on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK. The decision to retire the 14 oldest Chinook helicopters and remaining Puma helicopters has no impact on the New Medium Helicopter procurement process. The New Medium Helicopter competition remains sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process must complete before further details, including aircraft numbers, can be confirmed. The Ministry of Defence is continuing with the established procurement process, managed by Defence Equipment and Support, and the proposal will be evaluated through 2025 when, subject to Government approvals, a contract award is anticipated. The progress of the New Medium Helicopter programme is not dependent on reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on Defence spending.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of his decision to retire (a) Chinook heavy transporter helicopters and (b) Puma helicopters on tender scoring for the New Medium Helicopter programme.

There are no plans to change the extant New Medium Helicopter competition which started on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK. The decision to retire the 14 oldest Chinook helicopters and remaining Puma helicopters has no impact on the New Medium Helicopter procurement process. The New Medium Helicopter competition remains sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process must complete before further details, including aircraft numbers, can be confirmed. The Ministry of Defence is continuing with the established procurement process, managed by Defence Equipment and Support, and the proposal will be evaluated through 2025 when, subject to Government approvals, a contract award is anticipated. The progress of the New Medium Helicopter programme is not dependent on reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on Defence spending.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of his timetable for reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on defence on the progress of the New Medium Helicopter programme.

There are no plans to change the extant New Medium Helicopter competition which started on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK. The decision to retire the 14 oldest Chinook helicopters and remaining Puma helicopters has no impact on the New Medium Helicopter procurement process. The New Medium Helicopter competition remains sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process must complete before further details, including aircraft numbers, can be confirmed. The Ministry of Defence is continuing with the established procurement process, managed by Defence Equipment and Support, and the proposal will be evaluated through 2025 when, subject to Government approvals, a contract award is anticipated. The progress of the New Medium Helicopter programme is not dependent on reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on Defence spending.

What his Department's planned timetable is for announcing the award for the New Medium Helicopter contract.

There are no plans to change the extant New Medium Helicopter competition which started on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK. The decision to retire the 14 oldest Chinook helicopters and remaining Puma helicopters has no impact on the New Medium Helicopter procurement process. The New Medium Helicopter competition remains sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process must complete before further details, including aircraft numbers, can be confirmed. The Ministry of Defence is continuing with the established procurement process, managed by Defence Equipment and Support, and the proposal will be evaluated through 2025 when, subject to Government approvals, a contract award is anticipated. The progress of the New Medium Helicopter programme is not dependent on reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on Defence spending.

Whether his Department has revoked the Chief of Defence staff’s pre-release access to his Department’s Departmental resources and statistical bulletin-M.

Pre-release access for Official Statistics are restricted to eligible personnel and regularly reviewed. This is in line with our responsibility under the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order (2008) and the Code of Practice for Statistics. In line with the order, these lists must be:Limited to those required to draft, make statements, or take action shortly after the time of publication.Restricted to a minimum number of recipients to maintain public trust. The MOD Regional Expenditure with UK Industry and Supported Employment (last released 3rd August 2023) has now been rearranged into two statistical releases:the MOD Regional Expenditure statistic,the UK Industry and Supported Employment statistic.In the routine review of access for these statistics the Chief of Defence Staff was omitted from the new pre-release access lists and has been re-added. The Chief of the Defence Staff has full access to comprehensive data on MOD programmes and finances, including that which is not published as part of statistical releases.