Written questions by Lewis.

If he will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the relocation of Armed Forces personnel causing families to lose their place in the waiting list for NHS dental provision in their new location; and what requirements the Armed Forces Covenant makes on this matter.

The Armed Forces Covenant requires organisations to give due regard to the principle that Service personnel and their families should face no disadvantage when developing, delivering, and reviewing policies and decisions that may impact the Armed Forces community. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) remains committed to supporting the Armed Forces community under the Armed Forces Covenant and as announced by the Prime Minister in June, work is currently underway to put the Covenant fully into law. This means that the Legal Duty will apply across 14 broad policy areas, increasing from three, applying also to Central Government, Devolved Governments and at a local level. The MOD recognises that, while there are challenges in accessing NHS dental care nationally, these difficulties are often exacerbated by the mobile nature of Service life. Defence actively works in close partnership with the NHS and other government departments to address these issues and explore solutions to improve access to essential services for Service families. Families of Service personnel who are currently receiving dental treatment in the UK and are about to be mobilised, or are returning from overseas can contact NHS England at england.armedforceshealth@nhs.net for advice on continuity of care.

For what reason records of Service personnel previously dismissed from the Armed Forces for reasons of sexual orientation were ordered to be destroyed in 2010; how fully that policy of destruction was implemented; and whether such reasons for dismissal would routinely be included in the Record of Service which each veteran would normally have received on leaving the Armed Forces.

In 2010 and 2011, most remaining investigative records concerning decriminalised sexual offences were destroyed in line with Ministry of Defence policy and data protection legislation. These records were deemed to have no further investigative value, and there was therefore no basis for further retaining them, particularly where records contain sensitive personal information. The destruction was implemented as a general policy. It is not possible to establish an accurate statistic on the completeness of implementation. However, is it recognised that some relevant records were not destroyed. Personnel Service records were not affected by the destruction of investigative records and remain intact. Whether reasons for dismissal were routinely included in the Record of Service provided to Veterans would depend on the specific practices at the time and may require further investigation.

How many veterans previously dismissed from the Armed Forces for reasons relating to their sexuality have applied to the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme since December 2024; whether the allocated funds will be adequate to deal with the numbers anticipated; how many of the applicants have already received awards; and what priority is given to applicants on grounds of (a) advanced age and (b) serious infirmity.

As of 7 July 2025, 856 Veterans had applied for the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) Dismissed or Discharged Payment, and 84 payments had been made. The FRS rules specify that priority is given to applicants who are over 80 years of age, have a terminal illness, or are experiencing severe financial hardship. This is to ensure these prioritised groups receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. All other applications are processed in the order in which they are received.

Pursuant to the Written Statement of 30 June 2025 on Nuclear Test Veteran Records Exercise and the Merlin Database, HCWS748, for what reason the Individual Medical Records of military personnel who participated in the nuclear testing programme are not being examined as part of the search for relevant medical data.

This Government has reset our relationship with nuclear test veterans and the organisations that support them, and we remain committed to listening to their concerns and working collaboratively to address them. I understand that many are eager for an update on progress on the records exercise. Our focus has been to start by reviewing all surviving policy records and instructions related to blood and urine testing, as well as policies relating to the retention of these records. We have begun with the policy files to ensure there is an understanding of the policy procedures and instructions for medical tests that were given at the time. Doing this first helps us to understand whether policies and instructions were followed. The Ministry of Defence has begun the process of looking at Nuclear Test Veterans' service and medical records. I will update the House when I am in a position to share the findings of this exercise.

Pursuant to the Written Statement of 30 June 2025 on Nuclear Test Veteran Records Exercise and the Merlin Database, HCWS748, if he will publish the findings gathered from the 43,000 files which have already been reviewed, in the context of the (a) age and (b) infirmity of the remaining Nuclear Test Veterans.

This Government has reset the relationship with nuclear test veterans and the organisations that support them, and we remain committed to listening to their concerns and working collaboratively to address them. As of 30 June 2025, officials have reviewed over 43,000 files, including files from the Merlin Database, as part of the exercise that is looking at concerns raised with me about some Nuclear Test Veterans' medical records. The contents of the Merlin database will be transferred to The National Archives (TNA) as formal public records under the Public Records Act. Records will be held in perpetuity and made available via the public facing online catalogue at TNA called "Discovery". As the records are digital they will be free to download and there will be no limit on the number that can be downloaded. I will update the House when I am in a position to share the findings of the exercise that is looking at concerns raised with me about some Nuclear Test Veterans' medical records.

With reference to his oral statement of 2 June 2025 on Strategic Defence Review, Official Report, column 53, how much and what proportion of the funding for military accommodation will be allocated to the reserve forces estate.

None of the funding has been allocated to the Reserve Forces Estate as it does not contain Service Family Accommodation. The Reserves Forces Estate is directly funded from a separate budget.

How many sites for reserve forces managed by (a) the Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations and (b) his Department are (i) unusable and (ii) partly unusable because of (A) boiler breakdowns and (B) leaking roofs.

All Reserve Forces and Cadets sites are managed by the Reserves Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA) and not the Department. The Volunteer Estate (VE) contains some 5112 buildings, of which 59 (1.15%) are fully or partly unusable due to boiler breakdowns and leaking roofs. Further details can be found in the table below: Total No. of Buildings AffectedBuildings unusableBoiler FailureLeaking RoofBuildings partly unusableBoiler FailureLeaking Roof5917910421725 We are committed to growing the Reserves and Cadets. As part of the plan to do so, we are looking at how we make better use of the resources and infrastructure available.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential effectiveness of landmines in enabling the defence of land borders against conventional armed attack.

I hope the right hon. Gentleman will understand that the Ministry of Defence can’t comment publicly on operational matters. All anti-personnel landmines present an enduring risk to civilians in the wake of conflict. It is for this reason the UK remains a committed State Party to the Ottawa Treaty. The UK has successfully operated without anti-personnel landmines for fifteen years.

If he will list the (a) domestic and (b) foreign sources of high-grade steel on which his Department will rely for the manufacture of (i) warships, (ii) armoured vehicles and (iii) jet aircraft (A) for the remainder of the parliament and (B) subsequently.

The Defence Industrial Strategy will carefully consider the Ministry of Defence’s approach to steel, as a sub-sector within Defence and a critical element of the UK’s Defence industrial base. This will include consideration of the MOD’s use of specialist steel and the potential for Defence procurements to support the steel sector, noting capability and value for money considerations. The Defence Industrial Strategy will have a remit extending to 2035. The Government will also bring forward a Steel Strategy that will ensure a sustainable future for UK steelmaking. The Steel Strategy will establish a long-term vision for the industry, promoting long-term growth, that aligns with wider priorities including Invest 2035, the upcoming Industrial Strategy. Defence programmes have some requirements for specialist steel which cannot currently be sourced from UK manufacturers. Steel therefore sometimes needs to be sourced from overseas suppliers. UK steel is utilised where feasible including in both shipbuilding and armoured vehicles manufacture. As part of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT)’s Steel Procurement Pipeline, the MOD publishes information on the steel required for current Defence projects such as shipbuilding and armoured vehicles. As part of the Department for Business and Trade’s Steel Public Procurement release the MOD also provides details on the country of origin for steel used in various Defence projects: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/steel-public-procurement

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office on the prevention of future acquisition of UK defence companies by US defence companies; and what powers are at the Government's disposal to intervene to prevent such sales on national security grounds.

The Secretary of State for Defence has regular discussions with the Foreign Secretary – and other members of the National Security Council – on a range of national security issues. The Government scrutinises any transactions in sensitive sectors such as defence on a case-by-case basis to assess potential national security risks and has powers, including under the National Security and Investment Act 2021, to intervene where it is necessary and proportionate. The Government will not hesitate to act where necessary to protect UK national security interests.

What criteria are applied by the Defence Medical Services to distinguish the adverse effects caused by the prescribing of Lariam (Mefloquine) to service personnel as an anti-malarial prophylaxis and those caused by post traumatic stress disorder; what treatment options are available for alleviating the effects of Lariam toxicity; and how many service personnel have been discharged in each of the past 10 years as a result of Lariam toxicity effects.

People taking mefloquine (also known as Larium) can experience abnormal dreams, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and more rarely psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations, agitations and psychosis have also been reported. This differs to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) where very specific criteria must be met to establish a diagnosis. Essential to this diagnosis is that the individual will have been exposed to an extremely threatening or horrific event or a series of events. Given the specifics required for the diagnosis of PTSD, is it unlikely for those presenting with any side effects of taking mefloquine to be confused with that of PTSD. The Ministry of Defence does not recognise the term ‘Larium toxicity’ however, the side effects that may be experienced whilst taking mefloquine will be treated according to the diagnosis; for example, if the patient is experiencing depressive symptoms, the treatment for depression will be instigated. The information requested about the numbers of personnel discharged over the previous 10 years whilst experiencing symptoms related to taking mefloquine, is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Whether his Department has continued to (a) monitor and (b) report regularly to Parliament on the numbers of service personnel prescribed Lariam as an anti-malarial prophylaxis, since the Government Response HC 648 published in September 2016 to the Defence Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2015-16 HC 567, published in May 2016 on the use of Lariam; and if he will publish such statistics as are available in tabular form.

The Department continues to monitor and publish bi-annual statistics on the number of prescriptions for mefloquine (also known as Larium) given to UK Armed Forces personnel at Ministry of Defence medical facilities since 12 September 2016. The full release of information can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mefloquine-lariam-prescribing-in-the-uk-armed-forces-statistics-index

What progress his Department has made on investigating drone intrusion incidents at (a) RAF Mildenhall, (b) RAF Lakenheath and (c) RAF Feltwell (i) during and (ii) since November 2024, with reference to the presence at each location of individuals connected with a hostile foreign state; and what steps he is taking to counter such intrusions in the future.

The Ministry of Defence continues to work in partnership with our allies and the appropriate civilian authorities. We take the safety and security of our sites seriously and we maintain robust security measures, including counter-drone capabilities. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign and malign interference. The National Security Act has additionally delivered a range of measures to strengthen the UK’s efforts to detect, deter and disrupt state threats.

What recent steps he has taken to facilitate the (a) recovery and (b) disclosure of medical records held in (i) the Merlin database and (ii) other Departmental archives of service personnel present at UK atomic bomb tests.

The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We recognise their Service and the huge contribution they have made to the UK’s security.I have asked officials to look seriously into unresolved questions regarding medical records as a priority, and this is now underway. This work will enable us to better understand what information the Department holds in relation to the medical testing of Service personnel who took part in the UK nuclear weapons tests.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on the security of the Diego Garcia strategic base; whether he consulted Lord Robertson of Port

This historic agreement protects the long-term secure operation of the UK-US base on Diego Garcia with Mauritius, which plays such a crucial role in regional and international security. We have full Mauritian backing for robust security arrangements, incl...

What recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the use of gas by Russia in Ukraine; and whether he plans to supply respirators to Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defence continues to assess and monitor the evolving threat picture in Ukraine, including Russian use of chemicals as a method of warfare. The UK has been at the forefront of international support and assistance to the armed forces of Ukra...

What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports of the outsourcing by a commercial subcontractor of work to coders based in Belarus; what remedial steps he has taken; whether he has made changes to his Department's procedures; and whether sanctions have been imposed.

Both the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Rolls-Royce Submarines (RRS) investigated a subcontractor's outsourcing of development work for a RRS intranet page; this IT system is separate to the RRS classified systems. The investigation found no evidence that Belarusian nationals had access to sensitive information and concluded that no change to MOD procurement policy was required. No formal sanctions were imposed. Defence took steps to ensure and confirm that there had been no compromise of classified information. The safety and security of the United Kingdom's nuclear submarines and the Deterrent, including the Service personnel who operate it, remain our highest priority. Our security processes are under constant review to ensure best practice.