Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many aerospace jobs in North Wales are sustained by contracts with his Department.

North Wales remains a cornerstone in the UK's aerospace industry. RAF Valley is a significant employer in the region, providing advanced fast jet training for the RAF. Components for hundreds of European-based F-35 aircraft will also be serviced and maintained at the Defence Electronics and Components Agency in North Wales; work which will sustain hundreds of highly-skilled jobs in the region.

The Ministry of Defence routinely publishes information about regional expenditure with UK industry and supported employment. The latest available statistics can be found on gov.uk at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-regional-expenditure-with-uk-industry-and-supported-employment-201516.

The data shows that around 5,250 jobs in Wales are supported by defence expenditure.