Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of metal 3D printing in the shipbuilding industry.

The Ministry of Defence recognises the importance of 3D printing in the UK manufacturing sector and is taking into account related research when developing manufacturing policy. We will support the commercialisation of new technologies such as 3D printing and work with defence suppliers to review requirements and develop manufacturing technologies that can benefit shipbuilding.

We judge that 3D printing could have future benefit to the shipbuilding and wider defence sector.