Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has allocated public funds in this calendar year to the National Flagship programme.

The Ministry of Defence has allocated c. £2.5 million to the National Flagship programme. None of this funding has been allocated in the present calendar year. As of 4 October 2022, the Ministry of Defence has spent £2.476 million during Financial Years 21-22 and 22-23 on the National Flagship programme. This sum includes internal and external staff costs, consultancy spend and private sector support.

The Ministry of Defence has not assumed liability for costs incurred by bidders for the purposes of bidding into the current design competition, and no design or manufacturing contracts have been placed to date.