Written questions by Shastri-Hurst.

With reference to paragraph 9 of section 7.5 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 2 June 2025, what his planned timetable is for the Cabinet sub-Committee or equivalent Ministerial group to meet.

I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s interest in space. The Ministry of Defence along with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments, is coordinating space activities across government. Ministers from across government met on the 22 April to discuss space and, since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review, Ministers met on 7 July to follow up on our approach to space. We remain committed to establishing and evolving the right space governance structure to ensure that activities are effectively coordinated across all relevant departments.

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of bus service provision per capita in (a) Solihull Metropolitan Borough, (b) Warwickshire, (c) Worcestershire and (d) Birmingham City Council areas; and how that compares to the national average.

The Department for Transport publishes statistics on vehicle distance travelled on local bus services, which can be used as a proxy for bus service provision. These figures have been combined with Office for National Statistics population estimates to assess trends in provision per capita. The year ending March 2024 figures have been calculated using mid-year 2023 population estimates, as these are the latest available figures. Data for Solihull and Birmingham is not available, so figures for West Midlands Combined Authority have been provided instead. Table: Vehicle distance travelled (kilometres) per capita on local bus services from year ending March 2015. 2015201620172018201920202021202220232024Warwickshire25.622.125.624.524.124.116.819.920.818.1Worcestershire19.517.819.116.617.717.113.413.78.99.0West Midlands Combined Authority42.942.041.239.839.639.034.635.332.033.5England outside London34.032.832.130.529.928.923.225.823.924.0

What steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that the training received by combat medical technicians who are not qualified paramedics is recognised by civilian health care employers.

The training Combat Medical Technicians (CMTs) receive leads to Higher or Advanced Apprenticeship qualifications which are recognised by civilian healthcare employers. Initially, CMTs undertake a Foundation Medic course, followed by a Level 3 qualification as a Senior Healthcare Support Worker. Further to this CMTs are able to access Level 3 and 4 Pre-Hospital Emergency Care and First Response Emergency Care Apprenticeships and can continue to a Level 5 Diploma in Emergency and Urgent Care. In some instances, CMTs can also progress and complete a degree in Paramedic Science. Further to this, those employed in Public Health settings also have the opportunity to access courses and qualifications in specialist areas such as audiometry, phlebotomy and the delivery of vaccinations; again these qualifications are nationally recognised. CMTs work in the NHS whilst on Clinical Placements in both Secondary Healthcare and Ambulance Trusts with many delivering Emergency Care to the general populous.

What proportion of (a) Royal Navy, (b) British Army, and (c) RAF personnel are in frontline roles.

The Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force do not have a definition for ‘frontline roles’ and the figures below therefore reflect the current Full-Time Trained Strength: Royal Navy/Royal Marines – 28,040Army – 70,860Royal Air Force – 27,710

What data her Department holds on the (a) delivery and (b) effectiveness of knife crime prevention training provided by police forces in schools.

The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), the government-funded what works centre for protecting children from involvement in violence, provides detailed, practical and evidence-based guidance for schools and education settings on how best to protect children from involvement in violence. To further understand how it can support schools, the Department for Education has commissioned research with 40 schools on the ways in which they identify and respond to serious violence and knife crime. The research report will be published later this year.

What the proportion of maintenance downtime is for (a) tanks, (b) armoured fighting vehicles and (c) armed personnel carriers across the armed forces.

It will take time to collate and review the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s question. I will write to him shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

What steps his Departments is taking to assess the feasibility of retrofitting existing platforms for autonomous capability.

The Strategic Defence Review recognised that the RAF must stay at the leading edge of combat air's evolution, through the transition from exclusively crewed combat air platforms to a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with a mix of crewed, uncrewed, and increasingly autonomous platforms, integrated into the UK's digital targeting web. The future of the RAF lies in accelerating its adoption of the latest technology and innovation. That will be considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan, and in subsequent force development work.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that armed forces GPs (a) maintain up-to-date skills in the delivery of emergency and urgent care and (b) have access to appropriate NHS (i) placements and (ii) training opportunities.

Armed Forces GPs have a unique scope of practice and develop military and medical experience and skills throughout their career. The General Practice programme for the Armed Forces personnel includes ‘Operational Preparedness’ courses covering areas of practice which are unique to Service and beyond the core licensing standard. The curriculum includes clinical leadership; occupationally focused primary care; pre-hospital medicine; force health protection and operational medicine. The 2025 Operational Preparedness course is using immersive simulation methodologies to develop skills in pre-hospital emergency care; medical planning; environmental health and other military medical specialist training. Once qualified as a GP, extensive continuing professional development ensures that Armed Forces GPs maintain up-to-date skills through training, experience, exercise and deployment. Specific pre-deployment and mission-specific training incorporates individual and collective training, validation and assurance events. NHS and other medical placements, including pre-hospital care, may also be facilitated as required to develop a GP for their operational role supporting military operations across the globe.

What steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that all Defence Medical Services medical officers undertaking Foundation Year (a) 1 and (b) 2 training within NHS hospitals receive (i) high-fidelity and (ii) role-specific training to (A) maintain and (B) develop their core military medical skill set.

Defence Medical Services (DMS) medical officers undertake Foundation Programme training within NHS hospitals as Phase 0 Trainees prior to initial (Phase 1 and 2) military training. This is to allow DMS medical officers to develop their clinical and professional skills in the workplace and meet the competences and outcomes of the Foundation Programme. Following completion of the Foundation Programme, Phase 1 and 2 training ensures high-fidelity and role-specific training to develop core military medical skill set.

What his planned timetable is for (a) completing negotiations on and (b) implementing the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal announced on 8 May 2025.

Talks with the US are ongoing, and the Secretary of State met with his counterpart Jamieson Greer at the OECD on 3 June to progress implementation of the General Terms of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal and ensure businesses feel the benefits as soon as possible.The government continues to engage intensively with the US to complete negotiations on the Economic Prosperity Deal at pace and will update on progress in due course.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 50701 on National Space Council, if he will make it his policy to reconvene the National Space Council.

No, although we remain committed to ensuring that space activities are effectively coordinated across all relevant departments, we are committed to establishing a new space policy governance structure to deliver such benefits, and Ministers from across government met on the 22 April to discuss our shared cross-government approach.

What information her Department holds on whether there were irregular trading activities in UK-listed defence sector stocks on 2 June 2025.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the UK’s markets regulator and the lead agency responsible for monitoring UK markets, and investigating and taking any enforcement action related to market abuse.

What steps he is taking to ensure that NHS (a) information systems and (b) clinical protocols are interoperable with those used by (i) Defence Medical Services, (ii) Programme Cortisone and (iii) other defence initiatives.

Programme CORTISONE will provide the Defence Medical Services (DMS) with an up-to-date electronic healthcare information management system. One of the programme’s objectives is to enable greater interoperability with NHS information systems and the electronic transfer of medical records between the NHS and DMS. This capability is in development and expected to be implemented in the next one-two years. The DMS and the NHS both follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the clinical care and the management of patients. All our professionally qualified medical and dental staff are registered with the National Governing Bodies and adhere to the same national standards as all other NHS healthcare professionals. Defence Healthcare Regulations are aligned to those of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), who are commissioned by the Defence Medical Services Regulator to ensure standards align with the NHS. Military doctors, nurses and Allied Health Professionals are permanently based in NHS trusts across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Working in the NHS enables DMS personnel to maintain the skills they require to support military operations across the globe, whilst also providing essential support to our NHS and the general public as a whole. DMS is working collaboratively on a number of projects with the NHS. The joint collaboration at Catterick Integrated Care Centre (CICC) is the first of its kind between the MOD and NHS. CICC will provide a unique integrated care centre, providing medical services for military personnel based at Catterick Garrison and primary and community NHS services for members of the public and military families.

Whether he plans to take steps with the Secretary of State for Defence to create a formal framework for supporting NHS-employed clinicians who serve as medical Reservists.

Clinicians who serve as Reservists play a vital role in supporting both the National Health Service and the Armed Forces. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Defence work with NHS Employers to ensure that NHS organisations are supportive and flexible when it comes to people joining the Armed Forces Reserve, and to enable individuals to train and deploy when needed. All NHS trusts are signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant and all have been awarded an Employer Recognition Scheme award to reflect their commitment to supporting our Armed Forces, including the Reserves.

Whether he has considered a Sponsored Reserve model or similar arrangement to enable NHS clinicians to contribute directly to Defence Medical Services while maintaining NHS employment.

There have been no formal considerations for the implementation of a Sponsored Reserve model within the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, is focused on growing and maintaining the Active Armed Forces reserve and works with NHS organisations to enable individuals to train and deploy when needed.

What assessment he has made of the impact of NHS staffing shortages on the availability of medical Reservists for the armed forces.

No specific assessment has been made. NHS Employers, which is part of the NHS Confederation and supports workforce development across the National Health Service, runs a programme that is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Defence to encourage NHS organisations to be supportive and flexible employers when it comes to people joining the Armed Forces Reserve. This ensures that people with the critically important skills that the reserves are looking for, such as doctors, are able to train and deploy when needed.

Whether he has considered the creation of an independent review board similar to the US Defense Health Board to oversee the joint medical readiness of the (a) NHS, (b) Defence Medical Services and (c) private healthcare in the UK.

There are currently no plans to create an independent review board to oversee joint medical readiness in the United Kingdom.The Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health and Social Care’s Partnership Board facilitate joint working across the UK to address issues relating to the health of, and healthcare for, Armed Forces personnel and veterans. The Partnership Board meets three times a year, to ensure that departments and stakeholders meet the requirements of the Armed Forces Covenant and to improve the health and healthcare of the UK Armed Forces before, during, and after deployment, and of their families.With oversight from the Partnership Board, the Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to consider the recommendations of The Strategic Defence Review 2025, to ensure that the National Health Service is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of any potential future conflict.

Whether his Department has a defined role for the NHS in supporting (a) medical care and (b) rehabilitation for armed forces personnel injured in conflicts.

The National Health Service in England provides a range of secondary and tertiary care services for the Armed Forces personnel, including medical care for Armed Forces personnel injured in conflicts.A partnership agreement is in place between NHS England and the Ministry of Defence that sets out how the Ministry of Defence and NHS England will work together in the planning and organising of the delivery of healthcare and supporting policies.The Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to consider the recommendations of The Strategic Defence Review 2025 to ensure the national health system is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of any potential future conflict.

Whether his Department plans to participate in a joint sprint review with the Ministry of Defence to assess the national health ecosystem’s capacity to meet the demands of major military operations.

Ensuring that the national health system is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of major military operations is of vital importance to deterrence and defence.The Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to consider the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review 2025 to ensure the national health system is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of any potential future conflict and to mitigate the wider impacts on staffing, care capacity, and service delivery.

What discussions his Department has had with NATO on (a) the implementation of the NATO Medical Action Plan and (b) its potential implications for UK civil-military health coordination.

The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England continue to engage with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services on the NATO Medical Action Plan, to consider how best to implement the recommendations of the Medical Action Plan.This work is part of wider efforts to strengthen the resilience of the health system and its preparedness for the demands of a warfighting or mass casualty scenario, and to increase civil-military coordination on health. This includes developing the mechanisms and plans required to mitigate wider impacts on staffing, care capacity, and service provision caused by a potential future warfighting or mass casualty scenario, in line with directives from the Ministry of Defence and NATO.