Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, how many meetings officials from their Department have attended on the national conversation on defence and security; which directorate in their Department is responsible for the departmental contribution to that national conversation; and what the job title is of the official responsible.

The conversation on National Defence was a recommendation in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which the Government accepted. The MOD is the lead department for delivering the SDR, with support from the Cabinet Office, and particularly from the National Security Secretariat.

This will be a multi-year, cross-departmental effort designed to deliver on the whole-of-society approach to national security and defence allowing Government, the private sector and public to play their part in strengthening the UK’s resilience to any potential future shocks. This work addresses the risks and threats the UK faces, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

The Scotland Office is actively supporting this by working closely with the MOD, as well as on the development of a Defence Growth Deal in Scotland and wider engagement with industry, local authorities and academia to support jobs, investment, and skills development in Scotland’s defence sector.