Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (1) future UK arms sales, and (2) existing arms contracts.

It is not yet clear what the full impact will be of the Covid-19 outbreak on existing Ministry of Defence contracts, although it is inevitable that there will be some repercussions. We remain closely engaged with our strategic suppliers to monitor and understand the impact of Covid-19 on defence during this critical time.

The Department for International Trade's Defence and Security Organisation (DIT DSO) has not made a formal assessment on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on future UK arms sales or existing arms contracts. DIT DSO remains in close contact with industry and is actively monitoring the situation through its Industry Engagement Plan. DIT DSO will continue to support UK defence and security industries to export, post COVID-19.