Oral Answers to Questions

Luke Pollard Excerpts

Monday 19th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) (Lab)]

1. What steps he is taking to help increase investment in jobs and skills in the defence sector in the north-east.

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

The north-east plays a vital role in supporting the UK’s defence sector. I am delighted that our increased defence spending means that in the north-east spending rose from £187 million in 2024-25 to £198 million in 2025-26, supporting around 2,000 jobs, and 49% of our spending goes to the region’s small and medium-sized enterprises.

[Mr Brash]

I welcome the investment outlined by the Minister, but as a north-east MP, I always want to see more. One way that can be achieved is by helping our small and medium-sized enterprises to navigate the procurement system. Steel Benders UK is making a major investment in Hartlepool and is keen to understand how it can play a greater role in the defence supply chain. I have recently written to the Secretary of State about that, as its managing director, Tania Cooper, also sits on the steering committee of the north-east regional defence and security cluster. Will the Minister meet me and representatives of the company to discuss how businesses in Hartlepool can contribute to growing our sovereign defence manufacturing capability?

[Luke Pollard]

I may be a south-west MP, but I am a north-east MP when it comes to increasing defence spending, just as my hon. Friend is. I want to see more spending in the north-east. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss how Steel Benders UK can access more of that increased defence spending. I would like to promote the work of the Defence Office of Small Business Growth in providing a single door for small businesses to access more defence contracts, helping to create more jobs, growth and opportunities in every part of the UK, including the north-east.

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[Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)]

9. What steps he is taking to support defence procurement companies in Dudley.

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

Thanks to our growing defence budget, last year we spent £1.8 billion in the west midlands, benefiting not just west midlands businesses but those in my hon. Friend’s constituency. That is an increase of 3% on last year. I am keen to visit Dudley to see some of the businesses that I know she has been championing so consistently in Defence questions, but also in between in our many frequent conversations. I know that we are looking to spend more with UK businesses, and that includes ones in her constituency.

[Sonia Kumar]

I wholeheartedly support the Government’s ambition to buy British, and there should be no difference in defence. I take this opportunity to thank the Minister for his defence roundtable being held in Dudley later this year. Can my hon. Friend outline what proactive work has been done to make new small and medium-sized enterprise supply chains in Dudley and outline how industrial bases such as the Pensnett estate in Dudley are well placed to benefit from future defence investment and procurement opportunities?

[Luke Pollard]

I thank my hon. Friend for that work. She will know that we have stood up the Defence Office for Small Business Growth, which is a dedicated front door for small businesses to access and navigate the defence procurement process and speed up security clearances and cyber essentials. She will also know that many companies that could benefit from it may not classify themselves as defence businesses; they may be a provider of a service or component that could make a big difference to defence as well. I look forward to making the case to her businesses that there is an easier way now to contract with defence which I hope will create more opportunities for those in the west midlands.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister. Welcome.

[Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Boxer is vital to defence procurement across the west midlands, including for those constituents in Dudley who work at Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land. The MOD has now confirmed that earlier this year it cut nearly £2 billion from the £7 billion allocated to the mechanised infantry programme—a cut that included three new variants for the Army, including the critical repair and recovery variant. What will the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers light aid detachments be equipped with, given that there is no longer a plan to procure those vehicles, and how will the Army repair and recover damaged Boxer vehicles without a repair and recovery variant?

[Luke Pollard]

I welcome the hon. Gentleman to the Dispatch Box. I am sure there will be no shortage of parliamentary questions from him—indeed, this relates to a question he asked about Boxer to which I have already replied. We look at the criteria for what we need to buy for our armed forces, and that includes looking at the Boxer programme. The Boxer programme is incredibly successful for KNDS and RBSL. We are looking at the variants required to ensure it is appropriate for the modern fight and armed forces, and we are prioritising spend against those capabilities as recommended by the Army. I am more than happy to have a further conversation with the hon. Gentleman and Members with Boxer-producing constituencies. Boxer is a real success story, and I want to continue delivering more Boxer capabilities.

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[Mr Speaker]

Question 13—unlucky for some!

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

This Government have ended the underfunding and hollowing out of our armed forces that we inherited from the last Government. We are getting ready for warfighting readiness by 2030. That is why we are directing more of a growing defence budget at British companies, retiring old equipment, and giving our brilliant men and women in the armed forces the latest kit. Defence spending is up, morale is up and recruitment is up.

[Ian Roome]

Speaking in Washington last week, the Secretary of State for Defence said:

“Defence spending is the measure of our commitment. Defence capability is the measure of our credibility.”

How will the Government ensure that in addition to increasing defence spending, this country maximises the capability that it gets for every pound?

[Luke Pollard]

We inherited defence spending of roughly 2.3% of GDP. That figure will be 2.7%-ish next year, and—as the hon. Gentleman will know, having read page 11 of the defence investment plan—at the spending review next year, the Chancellor will set out the spending profile that takes us to 3% and 3.5%. We are not only spending more on defence, but ensuring that we have the right equipment and capabilities. That is one of the reasons why we are retiring so much old equipment that no longer delivers for our armed forces and investing in new equipment, be that the hybrid Navy, autonomous drones or the latest capabilities for our people.

[Alex Baker (Aldershot) (Lab)]

When it comes to improving defence preparedness and resilience, I was really pleased to see the Minister launch Project Safari at the Hebrides range last week, particularly as I am the MP for Farnborough, which is home to the headquarters of QinetiQ. Will the Minister update the House on Project Safari, how it will modernise test and evaluation provision across the UK, and why this is important?

[Luke Pollard]

Project Safari is a superb example of how, when we have asked industry to step up, it has responded. Steve Wadey, the chief executive of QinetiQ, is pioneering a new set of requirements for test and evaluation, with more access to our ranges for small businesses, a greater focus on more collaboration, and more utility for us to test new capabilities. Project Safari was delivered from start to finish in three months—it is a model for how I expect other companies to react to our move to warfighting readiness.

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[Lloyd Hatton (South Dorset) (Lab)]

T3. Dorset Innovation Park has rapidly become a hub for defence companies, but we now need a college on site to ensure that more young people can gain the qualifications they need to stay and work locally. Will the Minister work with Yeovil college, the innovation park, the Department for Education and me to establish a satellite college on site, which will give more young people a direct pathway into high-skilled, well-paid defence jobs?

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

I was hugely impressed by what I saw when I visited Dorset Innovation Park. Awarding Yeovil college status as one of the five defence technical excellence colleges was good news not only for Yeovil and Leonardo and its helicopter business, but for the wider region. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss how we can operate more of the hub-and-spoke models that the DTECs deliver up and down the country.

[Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)]

T5. Leuchars station in North East Fife has seen investment as an Army base recently, and it is home to a significant military airfield, too. I welcome service families to the community in North East Fife, but there is always pressure on local services, particularly in areas such as education. Can I be advised as to what engagement takes place, so that we can ensure we are as welcoming a community as possible?

[Alan Strickland (Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor) (Lab)]

T4. North-east MPs and business leaders are very keen for an update on procurement for Skynet, the Ministry of Defence’s secure satellite communications system. That is because, were Lockheed Martin UK successful, 500 jobs would be created in Sedgefield in my constituency, and it would be a huge boost to the north-east’s growing satellite industry. The Minister cannot comment on the outcome, but can we get an update on when we might expect this important decision?

[Luke Pollard]

I thank my hon. Friend for the work he does in raising defence business opportunities in his patch. This is an ongoing procurement, and no final decisions have been made. Both the UK-based bidders are subject to full evaluation of their proposals and must offer satellites that are assembled, integrated and tested in the UK. We hope to make an announcement shortly.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

T6. Last month, our oldest allies, the Portuguese, hosted NATO’s REPMUS—robotic experimentation and prototyping with maritime unmanned systems—event, and I had the privilege of attending for a couple of days. Over three weeks, member nations worked together to test the interoperability of autonomous drones, submersibles and surface vessels. Will the Secretary of State join me in thanking the Portuguese navy for hosting this important event again? Will he commit to exploring why the 2022 defence agreement between our two nations has not yet been finalised?

[Luke Pollard]

I think I was the only Plymouth MP not at REPMUS, given that the hon. Member for South West Devon (Rebecca Smith) and my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth Moor View (Fred Thomas) attended. I support the work that the hon. Member for South West Devon is doing. We have a huge opportunity in marine autonomy to create more jobs and increase the lethality and deterrence of our Royal Navy. I am very happy to pick up the points that she raised.

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

T7. How food reaches us is important, and 40% of British food is imported, almost all of it by sea. The combined value of British imports and exports by sea is around £1 trillion. During a crisis, it will be the role of the Royal Navy to protect that essential trade and ensure that imports reach Britain. What is the Minister doing to ensure that the Royal Navy is ready for that role, should we need it?

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[Mr Joshua Reynolds (Maidenhead) (LD)]

Support for defence bonds now reaches far beyond political divides; it has spread from the Liberal Democrat Benches to former Conservative Defence Secretaries and many Labour Members. Given that broad support, can the Secretary of State confirm that he will make representations to the Chancellor about including defence bonds in his Budget next week?

[Luke Pollard]

I thank the hon. Member for his continuing support for defence. There are a variety of methods for increasing support for defence. I am grateful for the work he is doing, and I am always happy to have a conversation with him. In the meantime, the Government will continue to increase defence spending for our armed forces.

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

Across Scotland, including in my constituency, innovative companies are helping to develop the UK’s space capabilities. Innovation in the sector, however, comes with considerable up-front costs, as new technologies require extensive research and development and rigorous testing to the point of destruction. What steps is the Ministry of Defence taking to support research and development, overcome these financial barriers and help businesses in the space sector to grow and thrive?

[Luke Pollard]

I thank my hon. Friend for her interest in championing space. As a space nerd myself, the subject is close to my heart. In fact, I have had two brilliant small ministerial group meetings on space in the last week alone. I direct the House’s attention to the new UK space strategy, which was published only a few weeks ago. It sets out how we will grow the space sector, creating more jobs and providing more testing, more launch capability and more resilience for our space assets.

[Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)]

Veterans injured serving our country can see their pension credit cut because their military compensation is counted as income. How is that consistent with the armed forces covenant? Will the Minister commit to working with the Department for Work and Pensions to end this deduction?