The Ministry of Defence will procure body armour in accordance with the UK Procurement Act 2023. This allows for the encouragement of manufacturing in the UK while ensuring Service personnel have the protection they require and providing value for money for taxpayers.

The Department’s priority is to ensure all Service personnel receive appropriate and equitable levels of protection.

While there is currently no evidence demonstrating a causal link between the in-service body armour system and an increased incidence of injury among female personnel, we will continue the procurement of Tactical Ballistic Plates, which will replace the in-service OSPREY and Enhanced Combat Body Armour plates. These will be available in four sizes to provide an improved fit for a wider range of personnel and reduced weight for most users. Additionally, we have initiated a Complex Geometry Body Armour project with potential delivery from 2029, subject to trials and validation. This is likely to include the development of an appropriate testing regime and Human Factors Integration work to ensure this capability delivers improved fit and operational effectiveness for Servicewomen.

Source Tactical Gear Limited was the prime contractor for the VIRTUS Integrated Soldier System programme. As the system integrator, Source was responsible for integrating the various components of the VIRTUS system and manufactured certain elements directly, while other elements were produced through its supply chain.

The manufacture of uniform items was not within the scope of the VIRTUS programme and therefore was not the responsibility of Source.

Source manufactured a number of VIRTUS elements in-house, primarily relating to protective equipment and soldier carriage and sustainment capabilities.

The Virtus Recompete procurement is being conducted under the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations (DSPCR) 2011 as a restricted competition, which includes tenderers from the UK. The evaluation criteria have been designed to award a contract which best delivers capability to the Armed Forces for the required level of protection.

More broadly, it is a stated objective of this Government to direct more of a growing defence budget at British firms.

The Department’s priority is to ensure all service personnel receive appropriate and equitable levels of protection. We have initiated a Complex Geometry Body Armour project, which will include the development of an appropriate testing regime and Human Factors Integration work to ensure this capability delivers improved fit and operational effectiveness for servicewomen.

In parallel, we will continue the procurement of Tactical Ballistic Plates, which will replace the in-service OSPREY and Enhanced Combat Body Armour plates. These will be available in four sizes to provide an improved fit for a wider range of personnel and reduced weight for most users.

The Army has conducted a study of the Multi Terrain Pattern (MTP) 23 trouser following its introduction, comparing the current size regime to Defence anthropometric data which has been collected since the introduction of MTP23. There has been extensive feedback from female service personnel which has been formally collated and analysed to inform the design of the next iteration of combat clothing. This clothing will be available in a dual-sizing regime of ‘straight’ and ‘contoured’ fit garments to better meet the needs of all service personnel.

The Department’s priority is to ensure all service personnel receive appropriate and equitable levels of protection. We have initiated a Complex Geometry Body Armour project, which will include the development of an appropriate testing regime and Human Factors Integration work to ensure this capability delivers improved fit and operational effectiveness for servicewomen.

In parallel, we will continue the procurement of Tactical Ballistic Plates, which will replace the in-service OSPREY and Enhanced Combat Body Armour plates. These will be available in four sizes to provide an improved fit for a wider range of personnel and reduced weight for most users.

The Army has conducted a study of the Multi Terrain Pattern (MTP) 23 trouser following its introduction, comparing the current size regime to Defence anthropometric data which has been collected since the introduction of MTP23. There has been extensive feedback from female service personnel which has been formally collated and analysed to inform the design of the next iteration of combat clothing. This clothing will be available in a dual-sizing regime of ‘straight’ and ‘contoured’ fit garments to better meet the needs of all service personnel.

The 4,499 front-line officers (uniformed Bands 3 – 5) who are employed across the long-term high security estate are among the up to 10,000 prison staff who will receive protective body armour as part of the additional provision we have announced. The programme is due to be completed by March 2027. 514 officers have so far been equipped with protective body armour as part of the initial implementation.

HM Prison & Probation Service is satisfied that the protective body armour issued to specialist staff is appropriate for its intended operational purpose. The equipment was selected to provide protection against identified risks while remaining suitable for prolonged operational use. Feedback from users and ongoing operational assurance arrangements continue to inform our assessment of its effectiveness.

The 4,499 front-line officers (uniformed Bands 3 – 5) who are employed across the long-term high security estate are among the up to 10,000 prison staff who will receive protective body armour as part of the additional provision we have announced. The programme is due to be completed by March 2027. 514 officers have so far been equipped with protective body armour as part of the initial implementation.

HM Prison & Probation Service is satisfied that the protective body armour issued to specialist staff is appropriate for its intended operational purpose. The equipment was selected to provide protection against identified risks while remaining suitable for prolonged operational use. Feedback from users and ongoing operational assurance arrangements continue to inform our assessment of its effectiveness.

Following a serious incident at HMP Frankland in April 2025, the Department acted quickly to review the use of protective body armour across the estate.

As a result, we have introduced a significant expansion in provision, with protective body armour now mandated for staff working in the highest-risk areas of the long-term high security estate, including Close Supervision Centres, Separation Centres and Segregation Units. This builds on existing use in high-risk operational contexts such as planned use of force and national tactical deployments.

We issued protective body armour to 514 named staff members in 2025, with a further 264 spare sets available for cross‑deployment.

Tasers are not issued to individual officers. However, 18 officers within the Operational Response and Resilience Unit were trained in the use of the Conducted Energy Device (taser) in 2025.

Our approach is risk-based and evidence-led, ensuring that protective equipment is prioritised for those staff facing the greatest threat, while remaining practical and effective in operational environments.

The Department’s priority is to ensure all service personnel receive appropriate and equitable levels of protection. We are initiating a capability change project for Complex Geometry Body Armour, which will include the development of a suitable testing regime and Human Factors Integration work to ensure this capability delivers improved fit and operational effectiveness for servicewomen.

In parallel, we will continue the procurement of Tactical Ballistic Plates, which will replace the in-service single-sized OSPREY plates. These will be available in four sizes to provide an improved fit for a wider range of personnel and reduced weight for most users, with initial deliveries expected from 2028.

Home Office body armour standards, including for ballistic protection, are developed using expert scientific advice and in line with police operational requirements to ensure that body armour does not place an unnecessary burden on officers while protecting them.

Body armour certified to Home Office standards is rigorously and independently tested to ensure it meets the highest safety standards, based on operational requirements.

The Ministry of Defence routinely assesses emerging and evolving small‑arms threats as part of its ongoing responsibility to protect Service personnel.

The specific threats against which UK body armour is designed to provide protection are held at a higher security classification and therefore it would be inappropriate for me to provide specific details. However, I can confirm that UK body armour requirements are kept under constant review to ensure they continue to reflect the most dangerous and prevalent threats our personnel are likely to face while conducting their duties.

The Ministry of Defence routinely assesses emerging and evolving small‑arms threats as part of its ongoing responsibility to protect Service personnel.

The specific threats against which UK body armour is designed to provide protection are held at a higher security classification and therefore it would be inappropriate for me to provide specific details. However, I can confirm that UK body armour requirements are kept under constant review to ensure they continue to reflect the most dangerous and prevalent threats our personnel are likely to face while conducting their duties.

The Ministry of Defence routinely assesses emerging and evolving small‑arms threats as part of its ongoing responsibility to protect Service personnel. The specific threats against which UK body armour is designed to provide protection are held at a higher security classification and therefore it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

In his speech to DSEI in September 2025, the First Sea Lord set out that the Multi Role Strike Ship (MRSS) concept would fundamentally change to have uncrewed capabilities at their heart, but be more modular, resilient, dispersed and powerful. These changes are subject to the Defence Investment Plan, with further information available once it is published.

Project Catharina continues to ensure that UK and Netherlands amphibious capabilities remain aligned, building on over 50 years of partnership between the Royal Marines and the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps.

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise that issue. The Government have invested £50 million to ensure that our brilliant prison officers, who do incredible work, are fully protected. I believe that I am meeting my hon. Friend tomorrow to talk about an issue in his constituency, and we can put this matter on the agenda, too.

Unlike in category A prisons, prison officers at HMP The Verne and HMP Portland are not routinely issued with protective body armour—namely, stab vests. Protecting our prison officers from harm is essential in all prisons, as has been made abundantly clear to me by local branches of the Prison Officers’ Association. With that in mind, will the Minister work constructively with me and Lord Timpson to introduce appropriate body armour for all prison officers, regardless of the category of prison in which they serve?

The Ministry of Defence remains firmly committed to ensuring that our Service personnel are equipped with appropriate and sufficient protective equipment. As part of this commitment, we are delivering an update to body armour for UK personnel through the Tactical Ballistic Plates (TBP) project.

Anthropometric data was used in the design of TBP. Plates will be available in four sizes, to better fit a broader range of personnel, including women.

A comprehensive range of options will be assessed ahead of the TBP contract award, which is currently scheduled for December 2026. This evaluation will ensure that the new armour achieves the optimal balance between fit and the protection required for all our personnel. In-service dates will be confirmed once the contract has been awarded and the delivery schedule is finalised.

Medical records do not attribute injuries to specific items of equipment, and therefore the Ministry of Defence is unable to provide the information requested.

The Ministry of Defence remains firmly committed to ensuring that our service personnel are equipped with appropriate and sufficient protective equipment.