Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Defence: UK Allies

Monday 16 March 2026 · 7 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 6 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Strengthening defence relationships with UK allies is prioritized through joint operations, exercises, intelligence cooperation, and industrial partnerships.
  • Key lessons from the Ukraine war include adapting a high-low mix of fifth-generation capability and ensuring software integration across all domains.
  • The UK's relationship with Cyprus is reaffirmed, with the Cypriot national guard stating that ties are closer than ever.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Michelle Scrogham Lab Barrow and Furness
Defence
Context

UK's defence alliances are critical for security. Recent agreements highlight this priority.

Question

What steps is the government taking to improve defence relationships with the UK's allies?

Answer from Alistair Carns

Strengthening defence relationships with our allies is a central priority for the Government. We do that through joint operations, exercises, intelligence co-operation, deeper industrial partnerships and close planning with NATO and joint expeditionary force allies and other key partners.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions and their impact were not detailed.

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Q2 Gordon McKee Lab Glasgow South
Ukraine Defence Science & Technology
Context

Ukraine has developed a rapid innovation cycle and tech ecosystem due to the war, offering lessons for other countries.

Question

The war in Ukraine shows that rapid innovation cycles are critical. Given that the UK's strategic defence review recommended learning from allies, how is the Minister using the relationship with Ukraine not just to support but also to learn?

Answer from Alistair Carns

There are three key lessons that we need to learn: adapting a process for a high-low mix of fifth-generation capability supported by cheap mass, and ensuring software integration across all domains driven by data and artificial intelligence. We will be able to achieve that only with a closer public-private partnership as we move forward.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific implementation details were not provided.

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Q3 Michelle Scrogham Lab Barrow and Furness
Employment Business & Trade
Context

AUKUS submarines are being built in Barrow-in-Furness, creating jobs. Question is about the broader economic impact on UK SMEs.

Question

What work is the Minister doing to ensure that UK small and medium-sized enterprises are well placed to benefit from AUKUS pillar 2 projects?

Answer from Alistair Carns

The first hundred pages or so of the SDR are about better industrial collaboration between the MOD and our industries. Work on AUKUS will create over 7,000 additional jobs at UK sites and across the supply chain, with over 21,000 working on the programme at its peak. The annual innovation challenge sees suppliers receive support for developing novel capabilities to demonstration phase.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific initiatives for SMEs were not detailed.

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Q4 Mike Martin Lib Dem Tunbridge Wells
Defence
Context

TEK Military Seating risks losing a £400,000 order due to export licence issues.

Question

Will the Minister investigate TEK Military Seating's risk of losing an order to the UAE due to export licence delays?

Answer from Alistair Carns

I do not have the details of that specific case, but I am sure that the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry would love to do so.

Not addressed: Investigation was not committed to.

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Q5 Al Pinkerton Lib Dem Surrey Heath
Defence Foreign Affairs
Context

There is growing disquiet in Cyprus and the Cypriot community regarding the future of the sovereign base areas.

Question

Will the Minister update the House on the Secretary of State's visit to Cyprus earlier this month? Could he also say what reassurance the Cypriot Government need from us?

Answer from Alistair Carns

Our sovereign base in Cyprus is not in question. When the Secretary of State for Defence visited Cyprus, the Cypriot national guard reaffirmed that our relationship is closer now than ever before.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific reassurances were not provided.

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Q6 Derek Twigg Lab Widnes and Halewood
Ukraine
Context

Concerns about potential neglect of Ukrainian support due to attention on the Middle East.

Question

What are the Minister and his fellow Ministers doing to ensure that Putin does not take advantage of the current situation, and that Ukraine continues to get full support?

Answer from Alistair Carns

We continue to lead in the coalition of the willing and in the Ukraine defence contact group, raising billions of pounds-worth of equipment support in weapons, air defence systems and everything through to female body armour. Ukraine absolutely remains a focus.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions for ongoing support were not detailed.

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Q7 Julian Lewis Con New Forest East
Ukraine
Context

Ukraine has developed capabilities in counter-drone warfare that could assist other allies under threat.

Question

Will the Government do everything they can to facilitate Ukrainian assistance to allies threatened by drone attacks?

Answer from Alistair Carns

The Secretary of State has been in discussions with the National Security Agency and with key individuals in Ukraine. I am a firm believer that the Ukrainians need the west now and that in the future we will need them, given some of the technological advances they have made.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific facilitation efforts were not detailed.

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