Oral Answers to Questions

Gavin Williamson Excerpts

Monday 14th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson (South Staffordshire) (Con)]

4. What support he has given to the promotion of British defence exports.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Dunne)]

Under this Government, there has been a sea change in both attitude and activity in support of responsible defence exports. There has been a concerted effort by senior ministerial colleagues, from the Prime Minister downwards, to support British defence exports by promoting proven British equipment. The announcement just before Christmas of the sale of 12 Typhoon and 8 Hawk aircraft to Oman is a good example.

[Gavin Williamson]

Often when we talk about defence exports, we mean big deals by large companies, but as my hon. Friend will know from when he visited Oldbury UK in my constituency, many small and medium-sized businesses are involved in the defence sector. What additional support and encouragement is he giving to small and medium-sized enterprises to consider exporting more?

[Mr Dunne]

I was pleased that my hon. Friend was able to accompany me on my visit to the firm in his constituency to which he referred. I have been appointed the SME champion in the Ministry of Defence. Where possible I am seeking to raise the emphasis on procurement —both direct and through our prime contractors—towards SMEs, given the source of innovation that they so often provide. The next SME forum, which I shall be chairing shortly, will focus its activities on how we can improve export prospects for SMEs.