The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) has been designed with Allies and partners at its heart and interoperability at the centre of its development.

We and our GCAP partners Italy and Japan agree that the programme is in principle open to additional partners to secure burden-sharing, industrial benefits and growth opportunities, as long as programme delivery is assured. Decisions on any additional partners will be made jointly with Italy and Japan.

There are no plans to fit a 30mm weapon system to HMS Queen Elizabeth or HMS Prince of Wales. The Queen Elizabeth Class carriers are equipped with a range of defensive systems, which along with escort vessels and wider force protection measures, provide a layered defensive system that is effective against a wide range of threats, including emerging uncrewed aerial threats.

The United Kingdom will purchase 12 F-35A aircraft and join NATO’s Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) nuclear mission. This is not a decision to acquire a second sovereign delivery system, and the nuclear weapons allocated to the NATO DCA mission are United States nuclear weapons which remain under US custody and control.

The UK will continue to rely on its four nuclear deterrent submarines. A submarine based deterrent system has served the UK well for decades, providing the assured second-strike capability that is the foundation of the UK’s national security, and we expect a submarine-based approach will continue to offer a high level of capability.

At the 2025 UK-France Summit, and through the Northwood Declaration, His Majesty’s Government agreed concrete steps to further strengthen the United Kingdom’s nuclear co-operation with France. Both nations are resolved to deter threats against Europe. The UK's nuclear deterrent remains declared to the defence of NATO, and our collaboration with France strengthens our existing commitments to our Allies. We welcome the proposals set out by President Macron to co-operate more closely with Allies on nuclear issues.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) was an external document. It was presented to the Department by the external reviewers, who were working to the Terms of Reference that the review be deliverable and affordable within the fiscal envelope available to Defence

The reviewers of the SDR were able to consider all aspects of Defence, with discretion to examine additional issues that arose during the Review. Their remit included established parameters such as the Government's commitment to the independent nuclear deterrent, NATO as the cornerstone of UK Defence, support for Ukraine, and the need to maintain defence ties with key regions.

The Ministry of Defence’s definition of a SME is aligned with that outlined in the Procurement Act 2023, namely they must have fewer than 250 staff, less than or equal to £44 million in annual turnover or a balance sheet total of less than or equal to £38 million, and independent of any larger parent organisation. We would consider small contracts to be those of a total contractual value of £1 million or less.

In line with recommendations from the Strategic Defence Review, the MOD aims to reduce civil service costs by at least 10% by 2030. To achieve this, the Department is employing a range of workforce levers to facilitate a measured and sustainable approach to workforce reductions.

The MOD remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates on workforce matters through regular publications, including the Annual Report and Accounts.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary continue to work alongside DE&S, surveyors and commercial partners to assess the cost and value of effecting the required repairs.

Further details on the delivery of defence capabilities and timelines will be published in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan. This includes details relating to the acquisition of the 12 F-35A aircraft which the UK will contribute to NATO’s dual capable aircraft nuclear mission.

The United Kingdom remains committed to its obligations under NATO's nuclear deterrence framework. Further details on the delivery of defence capabilities and timelines, including those announced in the Strategic Defence Review, will be communicated in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

We recognise that there are increasing threats to maritime security, including the underwater battlespace, from technological change and the proliferation of advanced capabilities. Assessments of these threats directly inform how we pursue technological advancements across all domains, including in the way we design, build and operate our submarines, to ensure the effectiveness of our capabilities in complex and challenging environments.

UK military educational courses have long been open to personnel from a wide range of countries, with all UK military courses emphasising compliance with international humanitarian law.

However, the Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong. There must be a diplomatic solution to end this war now, with an immediate ceasefire, the return of the hostages and a surge in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. We have therefore paused future Israeli participation in UK-run courses.

It will remain the case that none of the UK’s nuclear weapons are designed for tactical use during a conflict.

The Royal Navy has successfully maintained Operation RELENTLESS – the Continuous At Sea Deterrent – without interruption for over 56 years. We do not disclose details of the operation, including the duration of time spent at sea, as such information could be used to undermine the security and capability of the mission and our personnel.

We take the security of all our bases overseas seriously and take appropriate measures for their protection. This process is continually kept under review.

The table below gives the overall expenditure on consultancies in the last five financial years by the Ministry of Defence, On Vote Agencies, Executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Other Bodies (such as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Royal Hospital Chelsea, the Reserve Forces and Cadet Associations and International Military Services Ltd.).

On 1 April 2024, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) civilian personnel headcount was 63,702.

The below table show the MOD civilian personnel headcount for the past five years, as at 1 April.

This data excludes Non-Departmental Public Bodies, Short-Term Employees and Contractors.

Statistics on the number of civilian personnel employed by the MOD by both headcount and FTE are published by the Office for National Statistics on gov.uk at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-biannual-civilian-personnel-report-april-2024/mod-biannual-civilian-personnel-report-april-2024