Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK is expected to become a net defence importer in any of the next five years.

We are committed to creating the right conditions for a thriving UK defence industry and our refreshed Defence Industrial Policy outlines steps to help UK industry grow and compete, while affirming the UK's commitment to open competition and free, fair, and responsible trade. This includes by helping industry in its plans to be internationally competitive, innovative and secure. We are currently considering the right hon. Member for Ludlow's independent report into growing defence's contribution to UK economic growth. On a rolling 10-year basis, the UK remains the second largest global defence exporter, and in 2017 the UK won defence orders worth £9 billion. Alongside this in 2017-18 the Ministry of Defence's expenditure with UK industry and commerce was just under £19 billion, which represents an important benefit in terms of domestic partnership to UK industry.