Written questions by Akehurst.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the World Health Organization on Taiwan’s participation in WHO meetings, activities and mechanisms.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of Taiwan’s exclusion from the World Health Organization on global (a) health co-operation and (b) pandemic preparedness.

Awaiting answer.

Whether UK shipyards will be (a) invited and (b) supported to tender for the Border Force’s new patrol vessel programme.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK supports Taiwan’s participation as an observer at the 78th World Health Assembly.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department plans to increase the proportion of Government ship-building contracts awarded to contractors manufacturing in UK shipyards.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the risk to national security of outsourcing sensitive defence infrastructure to private sub-contractors accused of breaching sanctions against Russia.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department has taken to ensure that the visa sponsorship process includes checks against intelligence assessments of Iranian-linked networks.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department has taken to support UK shipyards to tender for defence procurement contracts.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she is taking steps to ensure that the contract to renew the Border Force coastal patrol fleet will be awarded to domestic shipyards.

Awaiting answer.

Whether subcontracting the construction of Royal Navy support vessels to a Dutch shipbuilder is consistent with the objectives of the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

Awaiting answer.

If his Department will increase the proportion of domestic sub-contractors used by Ministry of Defence contractors.

Awaiting answer.

With reference Answer of 9 February 2026 to Question HL14107, whether his Department has plans to assess the health needs of male veterans and service personnel in particular.

Awaiting answer.

How his Department intends to evaluate progress towards increasing the proportion of defence spending directed towards emerging technologies during this Parliament.

The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) highlights the need for an innovative defence industry that adapts to changing warfare by utilising data, software, procurement, exports, innovation, and R&D to promote UK science and emerging technologies, including clean technology. Following on from the DIS and the Strategic Defence Review. UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) has been established to harness UK ingenuity and boost military technology, as part of the Government’s drive to turbocharge innovation in defence and deliver growth as part of the Plan for Change. UKDI will be fully operational by July 2026 and will have a ringfenced budget of at least £400 million from financial year 2025-26 with the ambition for this to rise as UKDI becomes established. The Ministry of Defence will evaluate progress by regularly reviewing defence spending data to measure the proportion allocated to emerging technologies, setting clear targets, and reporting on these metrics to ensure commitments made for this Parliament are met.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to defence research and development funding for small and medium‑sized businesses specialising in software, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) has been established to harness UK ingenuity and boost military technology, as part of the Government’s drive to turbocharge innovation in defence and deliver growth as part of the Plan for Change. UKDI will be fully operational by July 2026 and will have a ringfenced budget of at least £400 million from financial year 2025-26 with the ambition for this to rise as UKDI becomes established. The Ministry of Defence works closely with UK industry and academia, including Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME), to identify and invest in innovative technologies that address our most pressing capability challenges. This includes businesses specialising in software, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.

What assessment his Department has made of the role of software firms in advancing defence research and development, compared to traditional prime defence contractors.

The Department recognises that software firms are increasingly vital to defence research and development, providing specialised expertise and innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data analytics. While traditional prime contractors continue to play a key role in large-scale system integration and delivery, software companies complement this by accelerating technological advancement and agility.

How his Department defines novel technologies, with regard to the commitment in the Strategic Defence Review that at least 10 per cent of equipment spending be allocated to such technologies.

The Government has set out its ambition for the Ministry of Defence to spend at least 10% of its equipment procurement budget on novel technologies, including areas such as uncrewed and autonomous systems and AI-enabled capabilities. Work is currently ongoing across the Department, to develop the policy arrangements underpinning this commitment in order to support effective prioritisation, reporting and delivery. The formal framework, including the definition of novel technologies, will be finalised as part of the Defence Investment Plan which will set out Defence’s approach to delivering against this ambition.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in fuel costs on voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations; and whether he plans to extend support measures to assist the VCSE sector.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK-based defence technology firms are able to remain internationally competitive with firms in allied countries.

The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) makes clear that strengthening UK defence firms’ international competitiveness depends on working closely with our allies. It promotes deeper collaboration through co‑research, co‑development and co‑production, helping UK companies share costs, access larger markets and deliver interoperable capabilities. The DIS emphasises closer alignment with NATO standards and allied procurement approaches, so UK firms can design once and export across multiple allied markets. It also embeds exportability from the outset of procurement and commits to clearer long‑term demand signals, giving UK industry the confidence to invest, innovate and compete successfully alongside allied firms.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of neo-prime defence companies on returns on investment for defence procurement.

As outlined in the Defence Industrial Strategy, the Ministry of Defence needs to look beyond traditional defence companies to redefine the industrial base, reflecting the deep range of partners and expertise both within our traditional defence sector but also those in adjacent sectors. To improve value for money, we are opening-up procurement to innovative, non traditional suppliers, accelerating delivery through spiral development, and strengthening competition — ensuring we deliver more capable outcomes to the front line at better value for the taxpayer.

What changes his Department has made to defence procurement since 2024 to reduce barriers to entry for non‑traditional defence suppliers, including businesses specialising in software, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has taken significant strides in our approach to defence procurement since 2024, as laid out in both the Defence Industrial Strategy and in a recent Gov.UK notice titled “Ministry of Defence small and medium-sized enterprise engagement”. The establishment of UK Defence Innovation in 2025, as well as the continued efforts of Commercial X including the new Defence Unicorn Fund from earlier this year, are helping our Armed Forces obtain innovative, ground-breaking technologies faster, speeding up procurement cycles, and simplifying terms & conditions where needed. This includes working with non-traditional players in areas such as software, AI, and data analytics. Potential suppliers are also welcome to join the Defence Sourcing Portal, the Neutral Vendor Framework, the Dynamic Marketplace, and the Defence Innovation Marketplace, as appropriate, as a means to promote their services to the MOD.