Military Operations: Parliamentary Scrutiny
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he will commit to seeking prior parliamentary approval before permitting foreign military operations to be launched from UK air bases, including RAF Fairford.
Answered by Al Carns
As the Prime Minister shared on 1 March 2026, the US requested permission to use British bases for specific and limited defensive purposes. The request was accepted to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region.
Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity.
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