Oral Answers to Questions

Katrina Murray Excerpts

Monday 8th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dr Allison Gardner (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Lab)]

1. What steps he is taking to increase innovation in the defence sector.

[Katrina Murray (Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch) (Lab)]

17. What steps he is taking to increase innovation in the defence sector.

[The Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey)]

I am sure that the House will want to offer its sympathies to His Majesty and the royal family on the passing of the Duchess of Kent.

The world is more dangerous and less predictable that ever, and as a result we need a strong British defence industry that is capable of innovating ahead of our adversaries. Our defence industrial strategy, launched later today, will meet that challenge. It will create jobs, grow skills, and drive innovation. It will make defence an engine for growth in every region and nation of the UK, and it will put Britain at the leading edge of innovation within NATO.

[John Healey]

I know that the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard), will be pleased to meet my hon. Friend. She recognises the truth at the heart of the need for a strong British defence industry that is resilient and capable of supporting the businesses, jobs and innovation that we need to develop here in Britain. Gone will be the days when we let contracts in the defence field without worrying where the jobs, businesses, and long-term investment will go.

[Katrina Murray]

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Stewart-Buchanan Gauges, a proud employee-owned business in my constituency that supplies high-quality gauges and valves to clients in more than 50 countries. It even provides gauges for the SpaceX shuttle, and it exemplifies the world-class small and medium-sized enterprises that drive our economy and support the defence sector. Will the Secretary of State outline what steps the Government are taking to ensure that firms such as Stewart-Buchanan Gauges are included in defence innovation initiatives and remain integral to UK supply chains?

[John Healey]

I take my hat off to the firm in my hon. Friend’s constituency—it is exactly those sorts of businesses that are the backbone of a strong British defence industry. Small or medium-sized companies, often with the potential to grow, have not in the past seen support from Government. That is why we have set up an SME support centre that is dedicated to making it easier to access Government contracts, and why we will ringfence £400 million of direct defence investment that will go to SMEs. That will grow in each successive year.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Katrina Murray.

[Katrina Murray]

You are giving me another bite of the cherry, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

You are down on my Order Paper.

[Katrina Murray]

I have just asked my question.

[Mr Speaker]

Let us go to Mark Pritchard.

--- Later in debate ---

[Al Carns]

If the hon. Member writes to me with the details of that case, I will look into it. There is a plethora of issues and complexities with some of these policies, but I will take this case on and have a look.

[Katrina Murray (Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch) (Lab)]

T7.   We have already highlighted the welcome investment in shipbuilding on the Clyde and the Forth, which clearly demonstrates the real benefit of being part of the Union. What assessment has the Minister made of other potential export deals? What steps is he taking to ensure that the Ministry of Defence takes up those opportunities?

[Luke Pollard]

The Type 26 deal with Norway shows what is possible when we have a determined export campaign. We are looking at working with a number of our European allies, and allies further afield, on export deals, not just for our larger platforms, such as warships, but missiles, electronic systems and a whole range of defence equipment, to create more jobs here in Britain. I am happy to discuss that further with my hon. Friend.