Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the adequacy of the defence procurement process in (a) the UK and (b) other countries.

The Ministry of Defence is reforming its acquisition system to deliver defence capabilities at greater pace, secure the best possible value for money and support growth in the UK.

We continue to learn from other Governments on how they best manage their procurement systems. This includes engagement with allies as part of the Strategic Defence Review which provided useful feedback on procurement processes. Whilst differing national priorities and procurement systems make direct comparisons across the international landscape challenging, this government is committed to an acquisition system that supports British based businesses and UK growth and want to learn from international examples to achieve that.

Where comparisons are possible, the performance of Defence Equipment and Support in delivering capability programmes has been found to be broadly in line with that of partner nations.