Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of UK-Australia co-operation on advanced radar technology on sovereign defence industrial capability.

UK-Australia cooperation on advanced radar technology is being considered as part of wider work to understand future radar options and their implications for UK sovereign defence industrial capability. No final procurement decision has been taken. Any future approach would be subject to normal approvals and would need to meet the UK’s requirements for operational independence, security and industrial resilience. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are central to this delivery, particularly in innovation, digital, and supply chains. We want to make the UK the best place to start and grow a defence business, and we are boosting spend with SMEs by £2.5 billion by 2028.