Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions officials of his Department have had with BAE Systems on that company's ongoing redundancy programme.

BEIS officials are in regular contact with BAE Systems who are keeping us informed of developments and progress with their redundancy programme. This recent redundancy announcement is a commercial decision by the company. I appreciate that this is a worrying time for BAE Systems’ employees and their families and the Department is working with the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Work and Pensions in discussing potential options to support those affected workers. BAE Systems are also working with Government via the Defence Growth Partnership to consider plans for future growth opportunities across the sector.