Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral Answer of 10 July 2017, Official Report, column 24, to the hon. Member for Aberavon on the sourcing of steel for Type 26 Frigates, what account was taken of local value on deciding to procure steel from outside the UK.

Ensuring that the full value offered by UK steel suppliers can be considered in major projects is a requirement of the guidance issued to central Government departments when conducting their procurement activities. I can confirm that the procurement of steel for the Type 26 programme complied fully with the guidelines.

Although UK companies were invited to tender for all Type 26 steel through open competition, the combination of thickness, size and flatness specifications of plate steel needed for the Type 26 Frigates means that this cannot be sourced in its entirety from the UK.

Almost 50 per cent by value of the steel for the first batch of Type 26 ships is being sourced from the UK, primarily from Scotland and Scunthorpe.