Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Jacob Young Excerpts
Monday 18th July 2022

(2 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Henry Smith Portrait Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
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1. What steps his Department is taking to support defence jobs.

Jacob Young Portrait Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con)
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15. What steps his Department is taking to support defence jobs in the UK.

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Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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My hon. Friend asks an important question. Last week, I met the Defence Suppliers Forum, which includes Thales. We work closely together not only to indicate potential investments by defence in what we would need, but to make sure that we both meet our future requirements. Thales UK is one of Britain’s biggest and most advanced defence companies. Its NLAW—next generation light anti-tank weapon—systems are being used in Ukraine. I congratulate him on posing a question on Thales.

Jacob Young Portrait Jacob Young
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Does my right hon. Friend agree that procurement rules in the UK should recognise the socioeconomic benefit of investment as well as value for money in defence spending? To that end, will his Department ensure that more defence contracts are given to businesses based in Britain, such as our fantastic manufacturers in Teesside?

Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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Yes, the defence industrial strategy embraces the social value model from the Treasury in competitive procurement and ensures that tackling economic inequality and equal opportunity are factors that are taken into consideration in procurement. Under my direction and that of the Minister for Defence Procurement, the Ministry of Defence always has regard for onshore sovereign capability and industrial skills.