Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Cunningham Excerpts

Monday 11th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Bambos Charalambous (Enfield, Southgate) (Lab)]

9. What assessment he has made of the effect on the defence and military aerospace industry of the UK leaving the EU.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

14. What assessment he has made of the effect on the defence and military aerospace industry of the UK leaving the EU.

[Gill Furniss (Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough) (Lab)]

19. What assessment he has made of the effect on the defence and military aerospace industry of the UK leaving the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

[Guto Bebb]

What we need moving forward is a strong relationship with the European Union to ensure that we have as frictionless trade as possible with the European Union. I do not think that remaining within the customs union is a prerequisite for a successful defence industry.

[Alex Cunningham]

American-owned Darchem in Stillingham is just one of the manufacturing firms in my constituency providing aerospace and other engineering products to the military. It really needs certainty about future tariff-free trading with the EU. Will it get that tariff-free trading?

[Guto Bebb]

The Government’s aim and aspiration is to ensure that there will be tariff-free trade with the EU. I think that the company referred to by the hon. Gentleman will be very pleased to see a Government who are proactively pushing forward the combat air agenda. We are world leaders in combat air—as I highlighted, 15% of every F-35 is manufactured here in the United Kingdom. We are leading on this issue, and the Government are supporting industry in that leadership.