Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Written Ministerial Statement of 1 April 2025 on Defence Reform, whether he plans to publish the Defence Industrial Strategy (a) before or (b) after the creation of the National Armaments Director Group.

The National Armaments Director Group, set up on 1 April 2025, will fix the broken procurement system within the Ministry of Defence and make defence an engine for economic growth in every corner of the UK. It will bring together teams delivering the national 'arsenal', the Government's Defence Industrial Strategy and end to end acquisition under one leader, the National Armaments Director.

Recruitment for a permanent National Armaments Director is ongoing. They will take up the role after appointment once the appropriate notice period from any previous employment has been served.

On current plans, the Defence Industrial Strategy will be published in late-Spring 2025.