Oral Answers to Questions

Sonia Kumar Excerpts

Monday 19th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Louise Sandher-Jones]

Absolutely, we will certainly meet the hon. Member at the earliest opportunity. Otherwise, I invite her to write to me in the meantime with the specifics of the case. There is a mechanism, so I will be happy to help her with it.

[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.