Written questions by MacCleary.

How many consultancy contracts are currently in place in relation to major air capability programmes.

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Whether his Department has established an oversight mechanism to monitor delivery of the Atherton Report recommendations.

Of the House of Commons Defence Committee's report ‘Protecting those who protect us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life’, Defence has accepted 33 recommendations, partially accepted a further four recommendations and noted 13 points which were conclusions rather than recommendations. Three of the Committee’s recommendations were not implemented; these related to timelines for Service Complaints appeals and civilian jurisdiction.All the actions Defence committed to have been delivered and are being evaluated. Most recently in November, Defence published the results of the first tri-Service survey to fully understand the experiences of personnel and perceptions of sexualised behaviours, including harassment, in the Armed Forces. Work continues to improve Service life for women in the Armed Forces beyond the Atherton Report. New initiatives are being developed to better prepare female Service personnel for arduous training roles as well as bringing a gender perspective to the future development of existing equipment and uniform. We also continue to drive for continuous improvement in addressing unacceptable behaviours, including an ongoing review of our Zero Tolerance policies and establishing a new Tri-Service Unit for handling of serious complaints independent of the military chain of command.

What the average tenure has been for Senior Responsible Owners of major procurement programmes since 2015.

The average time served in post as a Senior Responsible Owner for defence major programmes listed on the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) for each Financial Year from 1 April 2015 is: Financial YearAverage Time in Post (Years)2015/20160.52016/20171.32017/20181.72018/20191.82019/20201.32020/20211.92021/20221.42022/20231.72023/20241.62024/20252.1 The average tenure is impacted by churn in the GMPP as new programmes join and those in the final stages of delivery leave. The department recognises the importance of continuity in programme leadership and is working to improve this.

How many RAF personnel are assigned to support VIP fleet operations.

There are eight personnel in the Command Support Air Transport (CSAT) tasking team, responsible for tasking the Envoy and Voyager aircraft in support of Op VESPINA (Flights for Head of State or Head of Government on State business only). CSAT operations are further supported by a wide network of personnel who plan, engineer, fly, cost and enable these operations. This includes, 32 (The Royal) Squadron, which operates the Envoy; 10 and 101 Squadrons, which operate Voyager during Op VESPINA when not performing its primary air-to-air refuelling role.

Which major defence programmes currently lack a full-time Senior Responsible Owner.

The time commitment required from a Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) depends on the scope, scale and complexity of the project. We follow National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) guidance and have full-time SROs on the most challenging projects. In agreement with NISTA, we have identified the 15 most challenging of our Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) projects that require a full time SRO. The remaining 33 projects currently in the GMPP, are led by SROs who may lead more than one project or have additional responsibilities. The role of the SRO - whether civilian or military – is to provide leadership, while day to day management of programmes is the responsibility of the Programme Director.

How much his Department has spent on external consultants supporting the A-7 Wedgetail programme since its inception.

To date, external consultancy spend on E-7 Wedgetail is £1.27 million and was spent in the 2017-18 financial year.

How many major procurement programmes have capability gaps due to the speed of their delivery.

The Ministry of Defence takes a rigorous approach to manage risks arising from capability gaps, ensuring that we are able to deliver defence's strategic and operational tasks. It is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation of gaps in UK military capability, so it would be inappropriate to comment further.

How many consultancy contracts with his Department have overrun or required extensions within the last five years.

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of inflation on capital procurement programmes over the last five years.

The Ministry of Defence prepares its cost forecasts with inflation estimates included. However, the higher levels of inflation experienced following Covid-19 and the start of Russia's war against Ukraine has increased costs to Defence, as inflation increased above the levels anticipated by previous forecasts.In 2022, under the last Government, the Department published an evidence paper on the 'Drivers of Defence Cost Inflation', which is available online.

How many recommendations from the 2023 Defence Committee report on the Ajax programme have been implemented to date.

It is unclear which report the hon. Member is referring to. The Defence Committee reported findings following an inquiry into the work of Defence Equipment and Support in 2023; however, no recommendations were made regarding the Ajax programme.

How many recommendations from the Atherton Report have been fully implemented to date.

Of the House of Commons Defence Committee's report ‘Protecting those who protect us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life’, Defence has accepted 33 recommendations, partially accepted a further four recommendations and noted 13 points which were conclusions rather than recommendations. Three of the Committee’s recommendations were not implemented; these related to timelines for Service Complaints appeals and civilian jurisdiction.All the actions Defence committed to have been delivered and are being evaluated. Most recently in November, Defence published the results of the first tri-Service survey to fully understand the experiences of personnel and perceptions of sexualised behaviours, including harassment, in the Armed Forces. Work continues to improve Service life for women in the Armed Forces beyond the Atherton Report. New initiatives are being developed to better prepare female Service personnel for arduous training roles as well as bringing a gender perspective to the future development of existing equipment and uniform. We also continue to drive for continuous improvement in addressing unacceptable behaviours, including an ongoing review of our Zero Tolerance policies and establishing a new Tri-Service Unit for handling of serious complaints independent of the military chain of command.

How many missions flown by VIP-configured RAF aircraft since 2019 have been classified as operational, diplomatic, or domestic travel.

The Ministry of Defence does not categorise Command Support Air Transport (CSAT) missions under the classification of operational, diplomatic or domestic travel.The majority of CSAT tasks are operational or in support of operations with Operational Command Support activity being the top priority.Separately, RAF Voyager aircraft can be utilised in a VIP role under Op VESPINA though their primary role remains air-to-air refuelling. Op VESPINA is undertaken subject to availability.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91714, whether his Department has had recent discussions with RUK Advance Systems Limited.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 March 2024, to Question 91714.https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-11-17/91714

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91714 on ERCAS BV and RUK Advanced Systems, if he will list any meetings and communications his Department has had with ERCAS BV.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 March 2024, to Question 91714.https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-11-17/91714

When he plans to publish the Defence Investment Plan.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) will determine how Defence intends to realise the vision of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). We are working flat out to finalise the Defence Investment Plan and we will publish it as soon as it's ready. I’m sure the hon. Member will appreciate the scale of the decisions that we need to make. He will also appreciate the scale of the problems that we face, including those to do with a programme of the last Government’s that over-committed, and was underfunded and unsuited to meeting the threats that we will face in the future.

The total number of assessed MoD data breaches since July 2025.

201 personal data breaches were assessed between 1 July 2025 and 23 November 2025 by security personnel and subjected to an initial security risk assessment. Any further action would be taken on a proportionate basis. No data incidents between those dates were assessed as meeting the threshold for reporting to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

How many notices to quit have been issued by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to service families in Service Family Accommodation properties in the UK in each month since January 2023.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation does not issue Notices to Quit to Service families living in Service Family Accommodation. Instead, it issues Notices to Vacate to Service personnel. Notices to Quit are only issued – where and when appropriate – to civilian sublet tenants, Afghan Resettlement Programme tenants, and farming tenants occupying Ministry of Defence properties and land.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the arrangements between local planning authorities and advisory Lead Local Flood Authorities on decision making in the planning system.

Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) are statutory consultees within the planning system and provide expert advice on surface water drainage for major planning applications, supporting local planning authorities in the decision-making process. Local planning authorities must take into account comments raised by LLFAs when determining whether to grant planning permission.

Whether his Department has made a recent assessment on the potential merits of allowing the use of prescribed medical cannabis within NHS buildings.

National Health Service trusts have a duty of care to both staff and patients, as outlined in the NHS constitution, to ensure a safe working and care environment. This will include local policies concerning the use and administration of a patient’s own medicines.The law was amended in 2018 to permit specialist doctors to prescribe unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. While smoking these medicines is banned, vaping and other forms of administration are not prohibited. Regardless of the form of administration, it is always advisable for patients to declare any medicines prescribed, whether on the NHS or privately, and discuss them with their clinical team upon admission.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure accountability for flood risk considerations in the planning process.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 81948 on 14 October 2025.