Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment she makes of the potential merits of retaining sovereign capabilities when undertaking procurement contracts with SME suppliers; and where retaining sovereign capabilities ranks on the MOD Procurement scorecard.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a responsibility to procure the right capability for our Armed Forces and to ensure value for money for the taxpayer in the goods and services that we buy, regardless of the company's size.
We are clear that international competition is at the heart of our approach. This allows our Armed Forces to secure the best equipment from an open, global marketplace to meet evolving threats. We also recognise, however, that defence procurement needs to protect UK freedom of action and operational advantage. These strategic considerations shape our procurement strategies. Our refreshed Industrial Policy sets out the basis on which we will develop specific sector approaches to protect national security.
There is no single MOD procurement scorecard. Once we have launched a commercial competition, the MOD considers a wide range of factors when awarding our contracts to obtain the best value for money outcome for defence and the taxpayer.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the policy priorities are for Defence Equipment and Support with respect to procuring with domestic SME's in emergent markets.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD), including Defence Equipment and Support, has a responsibility to get the right capability for our Armed Forces and to ensure value for money for the taxpayer in the goods and services that we buy.
The MOD is committed to making it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to do business with defence. In March 2019, we published our SME Action Plan which explains how we will increase our spend with SMEs, and addresses behavioural, policy and process change.
I also chair SME Forums around the UK to understand the issues facing SMEs, the most recent of which was held on 9 May 2019 in Broughton.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress she has made with the procurement process for new body armour; and which companies have been shortlisted.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
A project is under way to procure and support a range of ballistic and training plates to fit the VIRTUS body armour and load carriage system. It is currently in the assessment phase with tender returns due over the next three months. I am withholding the company names as their disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he last assessed that Waterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton was compliant with the terms of its £5.1million grant from the Regional Growth Fund.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
As the project remains in monitoring until 2022, the Regional Growth Fund team continue to monitor and discuss project developments with WWRD UK Ltd, as they do with all Regional Growth Fund awards.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has reclaimed grant funds from a successful applicant to the Regional Growth Fund that has been found not to comply with the terms of the grant.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Regional Growth Fund awards are monitored to ensure the agreed outcomes of the project are delivered.
Any project being undertaken using investment from the Regional Growth Fund must be delivered in full. If a project fails to deliver on what was first proposed, we would recover the appropriate level of grant payment.
I can confirm that this has happened on some successful Regional Growth Fund awards.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the provisions in the Regional Growth Fund grant to Waterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton (WWRD) to maintain manufacturing jobs on site and the recent announcement of 103 job losses at WWRD, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of that grant award to WWRD.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Regional Growth Fund award to WWRD UK Ltd is monitored for a ten year period until 31 March 2022, as such the Regional Growth Fund team continue to discuss project developments with the Company, as they do with all Regional Growth Fund awards.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Wedgwood Waterford Royal Doulton on (a) their restructure and (b) the effect of that restructure on (i) the UK ceramics manufacturing sector and (ii) their Regional Growth Fund grant award.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Regional Growth Fund team have been in discussions with WWRD UK Ltd regarding the restructure and the effect of the restructure in relation to the Regional Growth Fund grant award.
Whilst the Global restructuring of WWRD UK Ltd and the associated job losses at the Barlaston facility is disappointing, with a consequential impact on individual employees and the local economy, I understand high end products, design, product development and global marketing of products will continue to be based in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations he has made to the US to oppose retaliatory duties of up to 100 per cent against British ceramic products.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The UK is working closely with the EU and European partners to support a negotiated settlement to the Airbus and Boeing disputes. Through the EU, we are challenging in the WTO the US’s claim that it is entitled to impose retaliatory tariffs on the UK. However, it would not be appropriate for the UK to make representations to the US on specific products whilst we are contesting the right of the US to impose any tariffs at all.
We are clear that a tariff war would not be in the interests of UK, EU or US industry. We agree with EU and others that we do not want to see the disputes escalate further. The UK will continue to work closely with the EU on next steps.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the British ceramic industry of US trade action against EU products.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The UK is working closely with the EU and European partners to support a negotiated settlement to the Airbus and Boeing disputes. Through the EU, we are challenging in the WTO the US’s claim that it is entitled to impose retaliatory tariffs on the UK. However, it would not be appropriate for the UK to make representations to the US on specific products whilst we are contesting the right of the US to impose any tariffs at all.
We are clear that a tariff war would not be in the interests of UK, EU or US industry. We agree with EU and others that we do not want to see the disputes escalate further. The UK will continue to work closely with the EU on next steps.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
What assessment he has made of the potential economic effect of US retaliatory trade actions on the UK ceramics sector.
Answered by George Hollingbery
We are clear that a tariff war would not be in the interests of UK, EU or US industry. The UK continues to work closely with the EU and European partners to support a negotiated settlement to the Airbus and Boeing disputes.