Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the most recent Defence Equipment Plan, whether he is taking steps to reduce UK spending on US defence industry products.

We will always prioritise our response to the threats that the UK faces and we remain committed to delivering the right capabilities for our Armed Forces while delivering value for money for the taxpayer. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to spending over £180 billion on equipment and equipment support in the next decade. In 2018-19 the MOD spent £19.2 billion with UK industry and commerce, directly supporting 119,000 jobs across the country and indirectly supporting many thousands more.

No decisions have been taken as to changes to the Defence Equipment Plan as part of the Integrated Review; in light of the decision to change the time period of the Spending Review, the Government is considering the implications for the completion of the Review and will provide an update to Parliament once these have been decided.

In addition to the Integrated Review, the MOD is leading a cross-Government review into the defence and security industrial sectors, looking at how we can ensure that the UK continues to have competitive, innovative and world-class defence and security industries, that drive investment and prosperity and that underpin national security now and in the future. We are also pursuing a range of initiatives to strengthen our relationship with the Defence industry, drive innovation and competitiveness, and support responsible exports.