Oral Answers to Questions

Gurinder Singh Josan Excerpts

Monday 3rd November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Russell (Congleton) (Lab)]

1. What steps he is taking to help strengthen the defence industrial base.

[Gurinder Singh Josan (Smethwick) (Lab)]

6. What steps he is taking to help strengthen the defence industrial base.

[Antonia Bance (Tipton and Wednesbury) (Lab)]

11. What steps he is taking to help strengthen the defence industrial base.

--- Later in debate ---

[John Healey]

I do indeed, and my hon. Friend is right. Firms such as that in her constituency hold the future of our security and our economic growth. That is why we have set up UK Defence Innovation and ringfenced it with at least £400 million in the Budget this year, with fresh freedoms. We have also doubled to £4 billion the amount of money that we will invest in British drones and autonomy over this Parliament.

[Gurinder Singh Josan]

A key ingredient in strengthening the industrial base is the innovation that our companies bring to the table. A&M EDM Ltd in my constituency is a specialist engineering company working with aerospace, automotive, Formula 1 and other industries. When I visited recently, it was testing a drone engine that it had designed and built, with most parts being produced in house. What routes are available to companies such as A&M EDM Ltd to bring that innovation, specialist engineering capacity, and research and development ability to the defence industrial supply chain?

[John Healey]

UK Defence Innovation has been set up to transform defence’s innovation system. One of its priorities is to foster collaboration with small and medium-sized firms in fields beyond defence, just like A&M EDM Ltd in my hon. Friend’s constituency. I have set out my determination to see Britain become the best place to start, grow and invest in new defence companies.