Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the social value requirement for his Department's procurement contracts is being fulfilled for the purchase of 14 Extended Range Chinooks.

The purchase of 14 new Extended-Range Chinook helicopters is being made through a Foreign Military Sales arrangement with the US Government and is exempt from the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR 2015) and Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations (DSPCR 2011).

The Cabinet Office Social Value Model is not applicable to this specific procurement activity. However, in accordance with the wider Defence and Security Industrial Strategy and HM Treasury's Green Book framework, we will continue to seek to drive investment in the UK economy.

The contract for the 14 new Extended Range Chinook helicopters is expected to support jobs in and the wider UK supply chain for both manufacture and long-term support.