Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2022, published on 17 November 2022, what recent progress his Department has made on (a) establishing and (b) allocating funding to the Advanced Technology Research Centre in Wales.

As detailed in the Autumn Statement, the UK Government will provide up to £10 million of support, subject to business case, to work collaboratively with the Welsh government to deliver a defence-focussed Advanced Technology Research Centre at Sealand in North Wales. The full business case for its funding allocation is nearing completion and working level engagement continues between the Ministry of Defence and the Welsh Government to implement the joint project.