Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will prioritise UK suppliers during contracting negotiations on complex support arrangements for Carrier-Enabled Power Projection capability.

Our default approach to meeting defence requirements remains open competition and this approach has been successful in driving efficiency into the UK defence industry. This is also the case for the Carrier Strike capability, for which UK suppliers are making an important contribution. For example the F-35 global programme benefits the UK by around 15% by value per aircraft.

We are committed to creating the right conditions for the UK defence industry to thrive and encouraging British suppliers to bid for contracts. We will therefore work with our prime contractors to ensure that any procurement opportunities are well advertised.