Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Bob Seely Excerpts
Monday 3rd February 2020

(4 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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A number of those recommendations have already been implemented. I will meet, and regularly do meet, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Philip Dunne) to discuss the matter. It is incredibly important that we make sure not only that we link prosperity to our defence industry through the products that we commission for our services, but that, overseas, we secure prosperity for our jobs.

Bob Seely Portrait Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) (Con)
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The Secretary of State and his team are doing valuable work looking at defence manufacturing for the UK and externally. Will he reassure me that radar is part of that? As I am sure that he remembers, radar was built in the Isle of Wight for the Royal Navy ships.

Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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It will not surprise you to know, Mr Speaker, that Britain builds pretty much the best of everything in the world when it comes to aerospace. As a former aerospace worker, and a Member of Parliament who represents a good few thousand aerospace workers, I know at first hand how much the international community needs and wants our products. The trick is to make sure that we sell them, and the best way to sell them is for us to buy British and show that the best armed forces in the world use British kit.