Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Stephen Morgan

Monday 18th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Morgan (Portsmouth South) (Lab)]

T2. The introduction of a dry dock in Portsmouth for the nation’s new carriers could create and protect hundreds of jobs in my constituency and be worth £1 billion to the local economy. I am keen to see the facility based in Portsmouth, which is home to the Royal Navy, so will the Secretary of State give a timeframe for the decision?

[Gavin Williamson]

I am not in a position at present to give that timeframe, but I will ask the Minister for Defence Procurement, my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew), to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the plan. Portsmouth plays a vital role in all that we do with the Royal Navy, and we are incredibly grateful to the city for the support that it offers our servicemen and women.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Stephen Morgan

Monday 15th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Morgan (Portsmouth South) (Lab)]

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

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

The strategic defence and security review created a national security objective to promote our prosperity, supporting a thriving and competitive defence sector. We have now published our national shipbuilding strategy and refreshed defence industrial policy; industry has welcomed both. Exports are now also a defence core task, and I was delighted last month to sign the biggest Typhoon order in a decade, worth £6 billion.

--- Later in debate ---

[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.

[Stephen Morgan]

The defence industrial policy refresh was extremely disappointing, particularly in its failure to include a change to how the Ministry of Defence calculates value for money to include employment and economic impacts in cities such as Portsmouth, despite many defence companies urging the Ministry to make that change. Can the Secretary of State explain why?