Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken to support the aerospace industry.

The strategic aim of this Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy is to make sure the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned. This Government is committed to supporting UK defence manufacturing, including in the aerospace industry, ensuring a robust industrial base and creating skilled job opportunities, particularly through projects which uphold our sovereign capability in producing defence equipment.

This Government recognises the vital contribution of the aerospace industry. There are already over 3,500 roles supporting the Global Combat Air Programme in the UK alone, compared to 1,800 in 2021.

All Ministry of Defence procurement decisions are carefully considered, taking into account not only the capabilities of the equipment but also the wider economic impact and the need to maintain operational sovereignty.