Oral Answers to Questions

Dan Carden Excerpts

Monday 15th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Green (Bolton West) (Con)]

2. What steps his Department is taking to increase defence exports and protect defence industry jobs.

[Dan Carden (Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)]

13. What steps he is taking to support the defence industry.

[Stephen Morgan (Portsmouth South) (Lab)]

16. What steps he is taking to support the defence industry.

--- Later in debate ---

[Gavin Williamson]

My hon. Friend makes a valuable point. He is right that, if everyone lived up their commitments on NATO spending and capital equipment, Britain could be a major beneficiary. I have made that point repeatedly to NATO Defence Ministers. It is about making sure that we have the right product on offer, so that we can sell it around the globe. That is something we in this country can be proud of as we continue to make significant and important deals across the globe.

[Dan Carden]

Will the Secretary of State confirm that, by 2020, 20% of our defence budget is set to be spent in the United States, not supporting UK jobs in design, engineering and manufacturing? Will he look again at defence procurement policy, which currently excludes social, economic and employment policies?

[Gavin Williamson]

We are proud that we continue to sell more and more to the United States that is British designed, manufactured and built, and we will continue to do that. We have some world-leading companies that continue to lead the way in this field.