Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether AEI Cables had been contracted by his Department to supply the Type 45 Destroyer Power Improvement Programme; and whether an alternative such supplier has now been sourced.

The Ministry of Defence has no direct contracts with AEI Cables, however, the company is a subcontractor on some defence programmes, including the Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers and Type 45 destroyers. Our prime contractors are responsible for managing their supply chains and, as such, following the closure of any company, we would expect them to take any appropriate action to ensure continuity of supply and to make decisions about future suppliers.