Written questions by Akehurst.

What assessment he has made of the capacity of the UK shipbuilding industry to sustain the production of complex warships.

The UK has a strong sovereign shipbuilding industry with a long history of delivering complex vessels for the Royal Navy. This expertise is also recognised by our allies and partners, including the £10 billion strategic partnership deal to export the Type 26 Frigate class to Norway that will be built by BAES on the Clyde. In Rosyth, Babcock Marine recently achieved the simultaneous steel cutting and rolling out of two Type 31 Frigates, highlighting the growing capacity to deliver concurrent builds. The work to recapitalise Harland and Wolff by Navantia is on track to return major naval vessel builds to Belfast. The Type 26, Type 31 and Fleet Solid Support programmes, coupled with export success, have driven investment in the capacity and capability of our UK shipyards with new infrastructure, panel line technology and the development of our future skilled workforce. This capacity extends to our wider supply chain and to companies like APCL Group and our small and medium shipyards which play a vital role in delivering the Navy’s current and future ambitions. The £20 million Government investment to support the restoration of Inchgreen dry dock on the Clyde also secures additional strategic capacity. The Shipbuilding and Maritime Technology Action Plan will set out further detail on our future ambitions for the sector and the actions we will take to ensure we sustain and grow capacity, capability and resilience in our UK shipbuilding sector and our wider sovereign supply chain.

What estimate he has made of the total value of recent UK warship exports, including those of the Type 26 and Type 31 frigate programmes.

The UK continues to support defence exports through the provision of design expertise, government‑to‑government engagement, and industrial collaboration. Recent successes include an agreement worth £10 billion to supply Norway with Type 26 frigates, and the selection of the Type 26 design by the navies of both Canada and Australia. The Arrowhead 140 design, upon which the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate is based, has also been exported to Poland and Indonesia. These programmes demonstrate the competitiveness of UK naval design and contribute to sustaining the nation’s maritime industrial base.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the levels of demand among allied navies for specialised anti-submarine warfare frigates.

The Government continues to review trends in allied demand for specialised anti‑submarine warfare capabilities as part of its assessment of the evolving and growing undersea threat.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure sufficient artillery ammunition stockpiles for sustained operations in a peer-on-peer conflict.

The hon. Member will know UK stocks have been reduced from gifting to Ukraine since Putin’s full-scale invasion. The Strategic Defence Review sets out the plan to recover stockpiles - munition stockpile levels are actively reviewed to ensure current holdings are balanced against threats, availability, industrial capacity and evolving technology. The announcement of six new energetics and munitions factories are part of this effort. It would not be appropriate to comment on specific stockpile levels, as this information is operationally sensitive.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of war stocks held by the British Army to replace damaged or destroyed equipment in a high-intensity conflict.

The Army has undertaken a broad assessment of the capabilities and enablers required for a UK Strategic Reserve Corps (SRC), inclusive of a division, to operate as a credible war‑fighting formation. This assessment is aligned with Defence planning assumptions and NATO standards and is kept under regular review. The assessment also recognises the importance of the entire system to enable divisional operations at scale and tempo, as well as sufficient stocks of munitions, spares, and fuel. These requirements are considered alongside the need for integration with allies, interoperability, and the ability to operate in contested and degraded environments. For reasons of operational security, the Department does not release detailed assessments of specific stock levels.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for this policies of the absence of a mechanised infantry combat vehicle in British Army equipment plans.

Boxer is set to become the new British Mechanised Infantry Vehicle, an eight-by-eight-wheeled, all-terrain, armoured transport vehicle, designed for rapid deployment, high mobility, and modularity.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of cancelling the Ajax programme on planned British Army equipment numbers.

As advised within my Written Ministerial Statement dated 22 January 2026, the future of the Ajax platform is being considered as part of the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan (DIP). The DIP will set out investment priorities across Defence, to ensure we can deliver the capabilities required to meet the threats we face today and in the future.

What assessment he has made of the equipment that would be required to enable a UK Army division to operate as a war-fighting formation.

The Army has undertaken a broad assessment of the capabilities and enablers required for a UK Strategic Reserve Corps (SRC), inclusive of a division, to operate as a credible war‑fighting formation. This assessment is aligned with Defence planning assumptions and NATO standards and is kept under regular review. The assessment also recognises the importance of the entire system to enable divisional operations at scale and tempo, as well as sufficient stocks of munitions, spares, and fuel. These requirements are considered alongside the need for integration with allies, interoperability, and the ability to operate in contested and degraded environments. For reasons of operational security, the Department does not release detailed assessments of specific stock levels.

What discussions he has had with Canada, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands on cooperation in the North Atlantic in connection with the Atlantic Bastion concept.

Within the Atlantic Bastion concept, Royal Navy general‑purpose frigates will continue to play an important role in providing maritime presence, patrol, escort and reassurance tasks, while also acting as flexible platforms able to integrate with uncrewed systems. The exact pace and scale of capability enhancements delivered through Atlantic Bastion will be determined through the Defence Investment Plan. The Secretary of State for Defence and First Sea Lord have engaged with counterparts and senior officials from Canada, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands on the Atlantic Bastion concept through a range of bilateral and multilateral forums, including NATO Defence Ministerial meetings and North Atlantic-focused working groups. The UK will continue to work closely with these Allies to ensure the North Atlantic remains secure and resilient.

What steps is his Department is taking to ensure interoperability of Type 26 frigates across UK, Canadian, and Norwegian fleets.

The UK works closely with Canada and Norway to ensure interoperability across frigates based on the Type 26 design through regular engagements covering shipbuilding, training, supply chain management, through life sustainability and aligned standard operating procedures.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for UK maritime security of the United States Navy placing increased strategic emphasis on the Pacific region.

The Strategic Defence Review 25 clearly sets out how the UK will maintain its Defence and Security, including maritime security. This includes the Defence Secretary’s foreword to the review highlighting investment in the hybrid navy as a priority, and in the context of the changing priorities of the United States.

What role general-purpose frigates within the Royal Navy will have following the development of the Atlantic Bastion concept.

Within the Atlantic Bastion concept, Royal Navy general‑purpose frigates will continue to play an important role in providing maritime presence, patrol, escort and reassurance tasks, while also acting as flexible platforms able to integrate with uncrewed systems. The exact pace and scale of capability enhancements delivered through Atlantic Bastion will be determined through the Defence Investment Plan. The Secretary of State for Defence and First Sea Lord have engaged with counterparts and senior officials from Canada, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands on the Atlantic Bastion concept through a range of bilateral and multilateral forums, including NATO Defence Ministerial meetings and North Atlantic-focused working groups. The UK will continue to work closely with these Allies to ensure the North Atlantic remains secure and resilient.

How many Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigates are expected to be available for operations in the North Atlantic in support of the Atlantic Bastion concept.

The Type 26 programme will deliver eight anti-submarine warfare frigates for the Royal Navy, which are designed primarily for operations in the North Atlantic and will form a core component of the Atlantic Bastion concept.

Whether anti-submarine warfare is the primary operational focus of the Royal Navy for the foreseeable future.

Anti-submarine warfare remains a central and enduring operational priority for the Royal Navy due to the need to protect the UK’s Continuous at Sea Deterrent and to counter the growing undersea threat in the North Atlantic through the Atlantic Bastion concept.

Whether his Department expects to incur any cost of safety trials for Ajax vehicles.

As with procurement of any military equipment, it is normal for the Department to pay for trials required to validate compliance with requirements. This includes safety aspects, which we take extremely seriously for Ajax, as with any other capability.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure future armoured vehicle programmes secure intellectual property rights to avoid sole-source support contracts.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has an established Intellectual Property (IP) acquisition policy which applies to all procurement contracts including those for equipment and armoured fighting vehicles. Unless special circumstances apply, the MOD’s policy is to leave the ownership of IP resulting from a contract with the contractor, while securing rights to use IP for internal use by the MOD, its technical advisers when necessary, and for competitive contracting for goods and services (including equipment support) needed by the MOD. This approach enables the MOD to operate, maintain and refresh capabilities without being dependent on others (“freedom of action”); and provides value-for-money. ​

What investigations are underway into the safety case for Ajax and the decision-making process that led to Initial Operating Capability being signed off.

As the hon. Member will be aware, investigations into Ajax remain ongoing, and time must be given to ensure all information and evidence is considered. I will continue to keep the house informed of developments, as I have done since the issue arose n Exercise Titan Storm. I released a written Ministerial Statement in the House on 22 January 2026 in which I provided an update to Parliament on the British Army’s Armoured Cavalry Programme (commonly known as Ajax) and the findings of the Ministerial review which has now concluded. It would not be appropriate to release any further specific details than those contained in my previous statement.

What is the timetable expected for a full safety report into Ajax family vehicles.

As the hon. Member will be aware, investigations into Ajax remain ongoing, and time must be given to ensure all information and evidence is considered. I will continue to keep the house informed of developments, as I have done since the issue arose n Exercise Titan Storm. I released a written Ministerial Statement in the House on 22 January 2026 in which I provided an update to Parliament on the British Army’s Armoured Cavalry Programme (commonly known as Ajax) and the findings of the Ministerial review which has now concluded. It would not be appropriate to release any further specific details than those contained in my previous statement.

Whether contractual mechanisms exist to recover costs if Ajax is cancelled; and what is the estimated financial exposure to the MoD.

Investigations into Ajax remain ongoing, but the Ajax contract does contain mechanisms to ensure General Dynamics rectify any failure to meet requirements or obligations, as well as provisions for terminating the contract if there is a material breach of their obligations. This would allow the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to recover costs. The value of the Ajax contract is already published. It would undermine the MOD's position by exposing its view on the level of costs it feels would be claimed in the event of a termination event of this nature.

What estimate he has made of the number of F-35As that need to be procured to undertake training for the wider UK F-35 fleet and perform the tactical nuclear delivery mission.

The United Kingdom is purchasing at least 12 F-35A aircraft. The aircraft will allow the UK to participate in NATO's Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) nuclear mission. The nuclear weapons allocated to the NATO DCA nuclear mission are United States (US) nuclear weapons and the US retains control and custody over them. NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept states that the strategic nuclear forces of the Alliance, particularly those of the US, are the supreme guarantee of the security of the Alliance. The Government has no plans to expand the UK nuclear deterrent beyond our existing submarine-based system but continues to keep its nuclear posture under constant review in light of the international security environment and the actions of potential adversaries.