Oral QuestionMinistry of Defence

“What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of lead ammunition for defence purposes.”

Tabled: 21 May 2026Answered: 1 June 2026

Asked by

Sir Julian Smith

Conservative — Skipton and Ripon

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Defence

Answer from Hansard

The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)

Lead, like other critical minerals and the broader range of chemicals that go into producing energetics and ammunition, has seen constrained supply over the past five years. That is why we are taking a strategic approach to our munitions management, including rebuilding depleted stockpiles, investment in always-on facilities and munitions, and building new energetics factories in the UK.