Strategic Priorities Statement: Defence

Baroness Smith of Newnham Excerpts

Tuesday 25th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I very much agree with the noble and gallant Lord. I hope those issues will be addressed through the Prime Minister’s work with the European Union on defence and security co-operation, and in the defence industrial strategy and the wider EU reset.

[Baroness Smith of Newnham (LD)]

My Lords, it is clearly welcome that the strategy includes defence. What support are His Majesty’s Government planning to give to small and medium-sized enterprises working in dual-use technology? Are His Majesty’s Government thinking about letting contracts in the short to medium term, so that, as we build up our defence expenditure towards 2.5%, the companies have the certainty of knowing that there will be contracts?

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her question. The issues she raises will be addressed exactly by the defence industrial strategy. One of its key objectives, for example, is procurement—increasing its pace and opening it up to small and medium-sized enterprises, as she said. I hope that there will be more for her to hear in tomorrow’s Spring Statement.