Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is taking steps to enable small and medium UK based engineering businesses to bid for work to provide waste management systems, including shredders, compactors and vacuum storage systems, for new naval vessels.

We recognise that SMEs make a significant contribution to the defence supply chain and wider UK prosperity. That is why the department has published its SME Action Plan to make it easier for SMEs to access opportunities and to bid for requirements. We are also encouraging our major suppliers to publish their own sub-contract opportunities through the Defence Sourcing Portal, making it easier for SMEs to find and bid in for defence work.