Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Oral Statement of 25 January 2018, on his Department's Modernising Defence Programme, if he will provide further information on the work to be undertaken under the strands outlined in that programme.

The Programme will consist of four strands of work:

• Looking at the Department's Operating Model - delivering a stronger Head Office which has the right leadership.

• Making sure Defence is an efficient Department - so we can assure everyone that every penny goes to the right things, reducing duplication and adopting new approaches to deliver a more modern organisation.

• Recognising the contribution defence industry makes to our nation's economic prosperity - We need to get the most out of our defence industry and promote our commercial interests at home and abroad as we create a global Britain. We will assess how the Ministry of Defence can improve on strategic supplier management and improve its commercial capability.

• And, most importantly, the final strand - making sure our Armed Forces have the right capabilities to tackle the increasing threats we face on the global stage. This will look at the threat picture, and that our Armed Forces have the right equipment, training and workforce and force generation on a sustainable footing.