12 Sep 25. DBT, MoD and FCDO ministers Sir Chris Bryant, Luke Pollard and Hamish Falconer to face questions on arms exports to Israel. On Monday 15 September the Committee will recall trade, defence and Foreign Office minsters for an update on the UK position on arms exports to Isreal since its previous hearing with ministers on 10 December 2024.
The Committee is seeking to understand:
- How the Government is ensuring it meets its obligations under the UN Arms Trade Treaty and other international obligations;
- Application of the UK Strategic Exports Licensing Criteria, in particular Criterion 1 and Criterion 2(c) in reaching its decisions;
- The exemption of the export of F-35 components (unless going directly to Israel) from the decision to suspend export licences.
On Monday 15 September 2025 at 1.30pm
- Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State at Department for Business and Trade
- Dr Rosemary Pratt, Director, Export Controls and Sanctions at Department for Business and Trade
- Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry at Ministry of Defence
- Keith Bethell CBE, Director – Fixed Wing, Defence, Equipment and Support at Ministry of Defence
- Mr Hamish Falconer MP, Minister for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
- Ciaran Morrisey, Official, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
08 Sep 25. Chair comment: Defence Industrial Strategy
Defence Industrial Strategy – Defence Committee responds
The Defence Committee has issued a response to the Defence Industrial Strategy, published today.
Chair of the Defence Committee, Tan Dhesi MP, said: “I welcome today’s publication of the Defence Industrial Strategy. I’m pleased to see the Government’s clear acknowledgement that this heightened threat era we occupy requires renewed focus. We need to be able to deter threats, and the Ukraine war shows that a strong industrial base is essential.
“I am hopeful that this Strategy represents progress towards meeting the overall objectives set out in July’s Strategic Defence Review. Today’s strategy makes all the right noises. However, this must be backed by genuine urgency and action that matches the scale of the challenge ahead.”
07 Sep 25. PAC to question MoD on Afghan data breach and F-35 fighter jet programme.
Evidence Session
Monday 8th September, 3.30pm, Grimond Room, Portcullis House
The UK’s F-35 stealth fighter capability / The Afghanistan Response Route
Watch live or catch-up on Parliamentlive.tv
The National Audit Office (NAO) has published a report on the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR) to support the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) scrutiny of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold an evidence session with senior Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials on Monday 8 September.
The session will have two panels – the first will take place at 3.30pm. The PAC will take evidence on the ARR scheme, informed by the NAO’s factual account.
A second, separate panel will then be held at approx. 4.15pm on the UK’s F-35 fighter jet capability, also informed by the NAO’s equivalent report on the topic.
The ARR was set up by the MoD to mitigate the security risks arising from a data protection breach and the unauthorised disclosure of personal information about Afghan citizens which occurred in February 2022.
The NAO report found that the MoD does not know exact cost to date of the ARR scheme. HM Treasury (HMT) has also prepared a briefing note for the PAC on HMT’s understanding of rules and expectationsfor reporting the actual/estimated spending or contingency incurred following the data breach and in relation to spending on the ARR.
The second panel on the F-35 will take place at approx. 4.15pm. The NAO’s report found that the UK’s 37 F-35 jets significantly improve the armed forces’ warfighting capability. It also expressed the view that the capability achieved for the estimated £11bn spent to date is a disappointing return so far compared with MoD plans, even if other benefits have been significant.
The NAO found that, although the F-35 represents an upgrade on any previous UK aircraft, deliveries of it have been delayed by over a year; important capabilities such as the ability to attack ground targets from a safe distance have been delayed into the 2030s; and the aircraft are available to fly far less often than the MoD’s targets. The report further found that the MoD’s estimate of £18.8bn for whole life costs for the programme is likely a significant under-forecast, with NAO estimates putting it at £71bn at least. The PAC will explore how the MoD can better invest its resources in the F-35 programme, with other subject topics likely to include:
- Shortages of engineers, cyber workers, pilots and flying instructors;
- Slow maintenance and lack of spare parts driving the F-35’s availability issues;
- The delayed deliveries of the aircraft by over a year from the original plan.
Panel One on Afghan data breach (from 3.30pm)
- David Williams, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence (MoD)
- Dominic Wilson, Director General Transformation, MoD
Panel Two on F-35s (from approx. 4.15pm)
- David Williams, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence (MoD)
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton KCB ADC FREng, Chief of the Defence Staff
- Air Commodore Nick Lowe, Assistant Chief of Staff Combat Air and Senior Responsible Owner for F-35 capability
05 Sep 25. Defence Committee holds first AUKUS evidence session
Evidence Session: AUKUS
Tuesday 9 September 2025, 10.30, Committee Room 15
The Defence Committee holds its first session in its AUKUS inquiry, hearing from expert witnesses Sophia Gaston and Dr Sidharth Kaushal.
AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership between the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia.
This evidence session is likely to explore whether Pillar 1, which will see Australia acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines, is on track. Questions may focus on the announcement in the Strategic Defence Review that the UK will acquire up to 12 SSN-AUKUS submarines.
Members will also discuss Pillar 2, which facilitates broader cooperation on cutting-edge technological advancements. Questions are likely to focus on whether there is sufficient clarity around its delivery and funding. The session may also discuss Pillar 2’s role in countering the dominance of China
This evidence session will ask whether geopolitical changes since the launch of AUKUS in 2021 have impacted the partnership.
Tuesday 9 September, 10.30:
- Sophia Gaston – Senior Fellow at Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)
- Dr Sidharth Kaushal – Senior Research Fellow at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)