Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Mark Pawsey

Monday 25th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

In our spend on defence, it is important that our armed forces get the best, and in respect of naval propulsion systems that means the low-vibration motors produced by GE Energy in Rugby. Does the Minister agree that it is important to maintain that capability in the UK?

[Gavin Williamson]

My hon. Friend has raised this issue a number of times. I, along with the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew), who has responsibility for defence procurement, have also met him on this. We are working closely with GE to do everything we can to support the business going forward and this includes the enormous work that has been put into securing export orders as well.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Mark Pawsey

Monday 18th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

The Minister for the Armed Forces has already referred to the expertise of GE Energy, located in my Rugby constituency, in the manufacture of propulsion systems. Does he agree it is important to retain that capability as an important part of our manufacturing base?

[Gavin Williamson]

My hon. Friend and I have met to discuss this on a number of occasions, and my Department, along with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, is doing everything it can to help. We are working with GE to see if there are different ways to pull work forward. It is an important capability, and I would very much like to see the technology, which was developed in the UK, continue to be manufactured in the UK. We have been very successful in selling the Type 26 around the world, including to Australia and Canada, and it would be great for Rugby to get that benefit.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Mark Pawsey

Monday 22nd October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

The hon. Lady makes a very important point. The actual mental health outcomes of service personnel are exceptionally good, but there are service personnel and former service personnel who do need a bit of extra support. The investment of £2 million in the veterans gateway is aimed at helping and supporting veterans and service leavers to access the type of support that they best need once they have left the armed forces.

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

2. What assessment he has made of the potential merits of using new and developing technologies to support the UK’s defence capability.

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Gavin Williamson)]

I thank my hon. Friend for his time and for the opportunity to see the excellent Manufacturing Technology Centre in his constituency just the other week, which demonstrated to me that emerging technologies present greater opportunities but also more complex threats than ever before.

[Mark Pawsey]

In addition to the great work at the MTC, does the Secretary of State agree with me that an excellent example of new technology supporting military capability is the electric drive systems using anti-vibration technology being installed on our marine vessels, which were both developed in Rugby and built in Rugby, and does he agree with me that they represent a great future for British manufacturing?

[Gavin Williamson]

Such technologies do represent a fantastic future for British manufacturing. If we look at the success that the Type 26 has had not just with the eight Type 26 frigates that are going to be built in Britain, but in securing orders in Australia and Canada, we can see that it demonstrates this kind of technology is not only designed in Britain, but should always be built in Britain.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Mark Pawsey

Monday 27th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

We are working with our industrial partners on that, including Babcock, and looking closely at what the costs will be. I am unable to reveal those costs to the House at this moment, but that body of work is continuing.

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

11. What steps he is taking to encourage innovation by defence suppliers.