Oral Answers to Questions

Luke Hall Excerpts

Monday 5th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

4. What steps he is taking to encourage innovation by defence suppliers.

[Luke Hall (Thornbury and Yate) (Con)]

11. What steps he is taking to encourage innovation by defence suppliers.

[Vicky Ford (Chelmsford) (Con)]

20. What steps he is taking to encourage innovation by defence suppliers.

--- Later in debate ---

[Guto Bebb]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. Indeed, I would like to take her up on her kind offer of a visit to Baltex, which is an important provider of services to the Ministry of Defence. It is a classic example of a company that is generating key supplies for the Ministry of Defence and for our armed services, and it is being innovative in the way that it does that. Indeed, we see that innovation across the board with Ministry of Defence contractors—they are innovative for the UK economy in addition to supplying our armed forces.

[Luke Hall]

Does the Minister agree that the launch of the RAF’s first satellite, Carbonite-2, using British technology, is to be welcomed, and can he update the House on whether space technology will be part of the combat air strategy?

[Guto Bebb]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. I am very disappointed not to have been able to visit Surrey Satellite Technology, which developed that facility. Unfortunately, my visit did not take place last Thursday owing to the weather.

This is a significant development. From my perspective, it is an example of innovative thinking being developed by the MOD and the Air Force. Even more importantly, it was a concept only 10 months ago and it has now been procured. Obviously, as part of our combat air strategy, the way in which we interlink with satellite technology will be a key consideration for the Ministry of Defence.