Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the role of software firms in advancing defence research and development, compared to traditional prime defence contractors.

The Department recognises that software firms are increasingly vital to defence research and development, providing specialised expertise and innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data analytics. While traditional prime contractors continue to play a key role in large-scale system integration and delivery, software companies complement this by accelerating technological advancement and agility.