Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.16 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, what progress has been made on his Department's plans to invest in the ground-based ballistic missile defence radar.

The ground-based ballistic missile defence radar will be a first in class capability for UK Defence. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working with the Missile Defence Centre, a joint MOD/Industry organisation, to ensure a robust capability is procured.

The Department has issued a request for information to industry to inform the procurement strategy for a ground-based ballistic missile defence radar system and to inform future options in accordance with standard UK Defence procurement practices.