Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to encourage UK defence manufacturers to participate in programmes established through the Multilateral Defence Mechanism.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with HM Treasury and like-minded NATO allies on the establishment of a Multilateral Defence Mechanism.

This independent international financial institution will help member countries improve capability, interoperability and value for money, while giving industry greater demand certainty.

The Government also expects the UK defence sector, including SMEs, to be well placed to benefit, including through support for supply chains, capacity expansion, and firms with less access to finance, strengthening UK and allied industrial capability while supporting growth, resilience, and readiness across the defence sector.