Topical Questions 2026-02-02
2026-02-02
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been reviewing licensing obstacles for autonomous vessels, impacting Plymouth's national centre for marine autonomy which is set to receive a share of the £250 million defence growth deal.
Ministers stress how keen they are to remove obstacles hampering defence innovation. Given that Plymouth’s marine autonomy sector is set to receive a share of the £250 million defence growth deal, will the Secretary of State commit to putting further pressure on the Government Legal Service—or whoever else it will take—to get the legislation in place to update the MCA’s workboat code 3 as a matter of urgency?
The hon. Lady makes an important point. The doubling in this Parliament of our investment into autonomy will be directed in significant part towards marine technology. Her part of the world—the south-west—plays a leading role in that. She urges action across Government, so I hope she will see that the shipbuilding and marine autonomy plan that we will publish shortly will show exactly what we are doing on a number of fronts.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to putting additional pressure to expedite updating the MCA's workboat code 3.
Did Not Address Urgency
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
▸
Context
Some home insurers have penalised UK service personnel posted abroad, despite the armed forces covenant which aims to prevent such disadvantages.
Visiting UK service personnel overseas at a NATO airbase, I was appalled to learn that many had been penalised by their home insurers by virtue of being posted abroad. Does the Minister agree that, if insurers are going to sign up to the armed forces covenant, they need to make sure that they are living up to every single part of its important principles?
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. I know that more than 14,000 private organisations have signed the armed forces covenant, and one of its core principles is that service personnel should face no disadvantage compared with other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. I am glad that some insurance companies have taken steps to address this issue, and I urge all businesses to ensure that their policies fully support the armed forces community and reflect their commitment to the covenant.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius stated last August that when his Government take sovereignty over the Chagos islands, nuclear weapons could no longer be stored there.
Last August, the Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius said that when his Government take sovereignty over the Chagos islands, nuclear weapons could no longer be stored there. In last week’s Chagos debate, in answer to our repeated questioning as to whether that was true, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry replied three times by reading annexe 1 of the treaty, whereby it grants ‘unrestricted ability to…control the storage of all goods, including but not limited to fuels, weapons and other hazardous materials’. Does the use of the word “weapons” in that sentence of the treaty definitely include nuclear weapons?
I am not going to read it to him a fifth time—my God! The hon. Member is not being serious. He also knows, as a former Defence Minister, that we do not comment on the storage of nuclear weapons, but I am happy to read it to him again any time he wants, so that he can note the word “weapons” in there.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Avoided answering whether 'weapons' includes nuclear weapons.
Repeatedly Refusing To Answer Directly
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The delay in the new medium helicopter contract is putting Leonardo's national defence readiness, as well as jobs for hundreds of constituents in Glastonbury and Somerton, at risk.
The need for increased defence spending is clear, but the growing uncertainty over the future of the new medium helicopter contract has left Leonardo in the lurch, over a year after the company was left as the only tender. It is putting our national defence readiness, and the jobs of hundreds of my constituents in Glastonbury and Somerton, at risk. As the delay now extends well beyond reason, can the Minister provide an update on the defence investment plan?
As the Secretary of State set out earlier, we are working flat out to deliver the defence investment plan. We are continuing to speak to our colleagues in Leonardo, not just about NMH but about how we are investing in Leonardo’s services nationwide.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific update on the new medium helicopter contract delay.
Referred Generally To Investment Plan
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The Government sold off fishing rights in exchange for access to the EU's SAFE defence fund but received no financial benefit. The Prime Minister now wants to renegotiate.
Last year, the Government sold our fishing rights in return for access to the EU’s Security Action for Europe defence fund, but they did not get a penny in return. The Prime Minister, who is in the Chamber, now says that he wants to renegotiate. Will the Secretary of State please explain what lessons he has learned from the failures in negotiations last year?
The hon. Gentleman will recognise that, for the first time, we have in place a security and defence partnership agreement with the European Union. That is part of our stepping up our willingness to work with the European Union. He knows that the SAFE negotiations did not come to a successful conclusion. That was quite simply because it was not in the interests of the British taxpayer and the British defence industry. We will do a great deal more to support the wider security of the European Union and European nations through NATO.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not provide specific lessons learned from failed negotiations, only stating it was not in Britain's interest.
Under Review
Response accuracy
Q6
Direct Answer
▸
Context
Complaints about water supply to single living accommodation in the constituency have doubled from 116 in 2018 to 232 in 2024, with numerous prolonged outages.
In my constituency, complaints about water supply to single living accommodation doubled from 116 in 2018 to 232 in 2024, with 16 separate losses of water for more than 24 hours last year. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can bring single living accommodation up to the standard that our servicemen and women deserve?
Just last week, we launched the single living accommodation review, which is designed to get at exactly these issues to ensure that our serving personnel have the accommodation they deserve.
▸
Assessment & feedback
null
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
▸
Context
Members of the armed forces lack a professional body to represent and support them.
Members of the armed forces are the only uniformed service without a professional body to represent and support them. Will the Minister give assurances that the Armed Forces Bill will include provisions to establish such a body, ensuring that serving personnel and veterans have access to legal and welfare support when faced with vexatious, unmerited or unsubstantiated allegations from within the system or from external litigants working on behalf of other service personnel or third parties?
I thank the hon. Member for her interest. It is precisely for those reasons that we established the Armed Forces Commissioner, an independent champion for our armed forces and their families. That legislation has now become law, and the recruitment process will conclude shortly.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not provide specific assurances regarding the provisions in the Bill.
Under Review
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The Conservative Government had announced several base closures across the country, impacting various regions. The current government is reviewing these decisions.
The hon. Gentleman will know that we inherited a base closure programme from the Conservative Government, with announcements of closures right across the country. We are looking carefully at the bases we have, at how we can use them for military needs, and, where we can dispose of them, at how we can ensure that we build houses for our armed forces and veterans on that land.
Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. I will set the record straight, including the right hon. Gentleman’s remarks before the House this afternoon —[Interruption.]
▸
Assessment & feedback
The answerer did not address the question about base closures and military land use; instead, he interjected with a point of order regarding another issue.
Changed Subject
Response accuracy