Written questions by Holden.

What steps he is taking with the Government of New Zealand to ensure the UK Armed Forces play a present and active role in the Indo-Pacific region over the next 20 years.

Awaiting answer.

On what dates vessels of the a) British Army b) Royal Navy c) Royal Air Force visited New Zealand since 1 January 2020.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2026 to Question 11755, what circumstances have previously been regarded as constituting a justifiable business requirement for making reference to a candidate's protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 in employer input on suitability for military appointments or promotions; and, for each such circumstance, what protected characteristic was considered.

Awaiting answer.

How many vessels identified as part of the Russian shadow fleet have been boarded since 24 February 2022 by UK (a) military and (b) law enforcement personnel; and what information his Department holds on the number of vessels identified as part of the Russian shadow fleet that have been boarded since 24 February 2022 by the (i) military and (ii) law enforcement personnel of allied countries.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 44594 on Ministers: Aviation, how many RAF Envoy flights for Ministers have been made since 1 April 2025.

Awaiting answer.

How the British Army Training Unit in Kenya is supporting the adaptation of what works approaches through engagement with Kenyan police services.

In accordance with the Defence Cooperation Agreement, the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) routinely engages with the Kenyan Police and supports the adaption of ‘What Works’ approaches through regular, collaborative engagement between the Royal Mi...

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2026 to Question 8931, whether a candidate's protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are taken into account when making military (a) appointments and (b) promotions

Military appointments and promotions are made in accordance with Joint Service Policy (JSP) and are based on individual merit, relevant experience and evidence of suitability, with decisions informed by historic performance and experience. Candidate docum...

What investments the Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre has made in the development or use of digital testing and simulation environments to accelerate development timelines for the deployment of autonomous v

The Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre (DAIC) plays a central role in enabling and coordinating AI adoption across Defence. While digital testing and simulation environments are an important part of developing autonomous systems, including autonomous ...

What the estimated yearly cost to the (a) Army and (b) Royal Navy is of using Sustainable Aviation Fuel in each year (i) since its introduction and (ii) for which forecasts are available (A) in total and (B) by l

It is taking time to collate the requested information. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Whether his Department considers factors other than merit for military (a) appointments and (b) promotions.

In addition to appointing on merit, appointing teams across Defence take into account the key skills and experience of candidates, and their Service (Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force) for appointments and promotion. Where a position requires a special...

How much (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design p

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

With reference to the answer of 6 March 2026 to Question 116219, how many taskings have been undertaken for Ministers on RAF CSAT (a) helicopters and (b) planes since July 2024.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to question 116221 on 6 March 2026. It has been the practice of successive administrations not to publish granular information relating to the official movements of Ministers and those accompanying them within ...

What the estimated yearly cost to the RAF is of using Sustainable Aviation Fuel in each year (a) since its introduction and (b) for which forecasts are available (i) in total and (ii) by litre; and whether those

It is taking time to collate the requested information. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Whether the RAF Command Support Air Transport fleet and RAF Envoy IV fixed wing aircraft are used to transport Ministers (a) domestically and (b) internationally.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 116220 on 6 March 2026.https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-02-26/116220

What his position is on the (a) procurement by the UK Government and (b) development by the Atomic Weapons Establishment, of non-ballistic, tactical nuclear weapons, for use in a conflict.

The UK does not categorise nuclear weapon capabilities as either strategic or sub-strategic/tactical. The UK’s nuclear weapons are intended to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, as well as that of our NATO Allies, rat...

With reference to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 44594, on Ministers: Aviation, which Ministers took the flights.

It has been the practice of successive administrations not to publish granular information relating to the official movements of Ministers and those accompanying them within the United Kingdom. Information about official overseas ministerial travel is pub...

How much and what proportion was the change in average fees for his Department's sites offering childcare compared to 2024-25.

The Ministry of Defence does not hold fee information related to UK based childcare centrally, and this could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Childcare provision in the UK Defence estate is typically delivered by third-parties, with contractual...

How many times has the Drone Task Force met since 4 July 2024, which Ministers in Government Departments and private sector companies constitute it, and which a) countries and b) companies are they engaged with in seeking guidance on best practice from regarding the use of drones.

The Department does not recognise any body titled the “Drone Task Force”.

Whether he has had discussions with his Ukrainian counterparts regarding the fit of a) uniform and b) body armour for female soldiers in combat operations, and whether his Department has discussed lessons learnt from the Government of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defence remains firmly committed to ensuring that all service personnel are equipped with appropriate and effective protective equipment. As part of this commitment, we are delivering an update to body armour for UK personnel through the Tactical Ballistic Plates project.Procurement experts within the National Armaments Director group work closely with the Ministry of Defence's Op INTERFLEX Handling and Processing team, which collates feedback from Armed Forces of Ukraine personnel. This includes lessons from operational experience and female user feedback, which help to inform UK capability development.

What changes have been implemented by his Department as a result of operational lessons identified from the war in Ukraine, including (a) force structure and procurement priorities, (b) stockpiling and supply chain resilience for munitions and equipment and (c) integration of new technologies into frontline capability, including artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.

The UK's Armed Forces are learning much from the war in Ukraine, particularly the need for a much faster 'learn and adapt' cycle to accelerate developments in our capabilities, doctrine and tactics. More broadly, the Strategic Defence Review considered all aspects of Defence, including the capabilities required by the UK to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century. The Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme is strengthening the resilience of our supply chain, and the Strategic Defence Review also confirmed that we will invest in "Always On" munitions production for our most critical ammunition types, and Ukraine lessons have been incorporated as we assess munitions choices across the force. The Strategic Defence Review also highlighted the importance of autonomous systems within the UK's Integrated Force. Decisions on our equipment requirements, including artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.