Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that defence contracts offered to overseas manufacturers benefit the UK economy.

The Ministry of Defence will always seek to procure the best capability for our Armed Forces while delivering value for money for the taxpayer. In line with Government policy, this is primarily through the use of open competition.

When wider economic factors, such as skills growth, are relevant to the contract, they are taken into account in our contract award decisions. This applies equally to UK and overseas suppliers.