Oral Answers to Questions

Luke Pollard Excerpts

Monday 3rd November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)]

3. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of direct procurement from defence SMEs in the west midlands.

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

The role of west midlands SMEs in support of our armed forces is vital for our national security. The Ministry of Defence has just published our regional breakdown of defence spending in the west midlands, where we spend £1.7 billion. That is the highest on record, supporting 7,900 jobs, but it is not enough. We will spend an additional £2.5 billion extra with SMEs by 2028, helping to reinforce that defence can be an engine for growth.

[Sonia Kumar]

In Dudley, we have the Pensnett estate, one of the largest industrial estates in Europe. It is home to nearly 200 businesses, including a variety of SMEs, ranging from plumbing to steelworks. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that SMEs in Dudley have the time and the space to bid for contracts? Will the Minister agree to hold a roundtable on defence on the Pensnett estate?

[Luke Pollard]

I am grateful for the time that my hon. Friend spent talking to me about SME potential in Dudley and across the west midlands last week. There is a huge opportunity to direct more of the increasing defence budget at British firms, and in particular SMEs. There is huge potential with the skills base in the west midlands. I would be happy to take my hon. Friend up on her offer of visiting Dudley and getting those businesses more involved in the defence supply chain.

[Sir Gavin Williamson (Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge) (Con)]

The Minister has heard what an amazing set of mid-sized and large businesses we have in the west midlands supporting defence, but we also have some amazing research universities. What more is the MOD looking at doing to work more closely with our universities, getting them geared towards supporting our move to rearming this country?

[Luke Pollard]

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising the important role that universities play. In the defence industrial strategy, published a few months ago, we set out our ambition to create a defence universities alliance, bringing together the very best cutting-edge research that is being done in our universities. We are working with Universities UK to put that together, and there will be further announcements in short order, but I hope that the universities on the right hon. Gentleman’s patch will participate so that we can grow our economy and keep our nation safe.

[Sadik Al-Hassan (North Somerset) (Lab)]

4. What steps he is taking to increase innovation in the defence sector.

[Noah Law (St Austell and Newquay) (Lab)]

16. What steps he is taking to increase innovation in the defence sector.

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

As we move towards warfighting readiness, the Government are investing more of our rising defence budget in new technologies and innovation, and the need for more innovative solutions to address emerging challenges is paramount in these darker and more dangerous times. On 1 July we launched UK Defence Innovation, a £400 million fund, and we will spend 10% of the equipment budget on innovative technologies that will deliver for defence.

[Sadik Al-Hassan]

What pathways and training programmes are Ministers establishing to ensure that young people, such as those in my constituency, can develop the specialist skills that they need in order to become the defence innovators of the future? Is the Minister working with local colleges, universities and defence industry employers to create hubs of apprenticeships and career opportunities?

[Luke Pollard]

As a fellow south-west MP, I know just how important it is for us to invest in defence skills in the south-west and across the United Kingdom. The defence industrial strategy includes the £182 million package that we will deliver via defence technical excellence colleges with our colleagues in the Department for Education, but we need to go further, encouraging all our defence businesses—big and small—to invest in skills so that we have the workforce of the future, able to deliver those cutting-edge technologies. I shall be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss what more we can do in Somerset.

[Noah Law]

While I greatly welcome the focus on innovation, cyber-warfare remains one of the areas in which the lines of responsibility may at least appear to be less clear. Given the threats that are proliferating—both abroad, for instance from Russia and the Sahel, and closer to home, even in many of our own in-trays—will the Minister specify where that responsibility for cyber-warfare really lies?

[Luke Pollard]

Keeping our nation safe in the air, on land and at sea requires cyber and space capabilities. Defence was attacked 90,000 times in the cyber domain, which amounts to roughly 250 attacks a day. That is why we are investing not just in the National Cyber Force but in the defence cyber and electromagnetic force that we are setting up, working with our colleagues in the private sector, to enhance the ability of defence not only to repel attacks on the defence infrastructure but to harden UK resilience in the private and public sectors. There is more work between the MOD and the Cabinet Office in that regard, but we need everyone to step up to defend our country in the cyber space, and we can all do something by simply updating our operating systems, which will make everyone who does so safer and more resilient.

[Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)]

May I first associate myself with the Secretary of State’s remarks about the attack on the train at the weekend?

Last week the Ministry of Defence announced the launch of Project Fairfax, which will see a defence technology cluster established alongside RAF Wyton in my constituency. I thank the Minister for his support in bringing the project forward; it has been warmly received not only by industry but, crucially, by my constituents, who are excited about the opportunity presented by specialist defence careers and increasing regional growth that will be delivered best via option E of local government reform. What steps could he take in giving Huntingdonshire the opportunity to create a wider defence ecosystem to meet the eligibility criteria for consideration for funding from the Defence and Security Accelerator?

[Luke Pollard]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for the tone in which he spoke to the nation about the attack that took place in his constituency. He should feel very proud of the first responders from his area who responded to that attack. As for the opportunities that exist in his constituency, I was very pleased to meet him and my hon. Friend the Member for North West Cambridgeshire (Sam Carling) to look into how, on a cross-party basis, we can seize a real opportunity at RAF Wyton, supporting activities with local government in order to do so. The defence industrial strategy sets out the framework for delivering that opportunity through local and national Government working together with our armed forces and the private sector, as well as academia. We will continue those discussions, but the opportunity at RAF Wyton is real, and I am happy to be helping the hon. Gentleman to deliver it.

[Sir Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) (Con)]

Can the Minister describe what he is doing within his own Department so that his own officials actually reward, recognise and engage with innovation? The acquisitions system in the MOD is notoriously bureaucratic, incredibly risk-averse and makes it impossible for small companies, in particular, to engage with innovative projects in the Department. What is he doing to get a wholesale transformation of the culture within his Department? Otherwise, all this money will just be wasted.

[Luke Pollard]

I agree with the hon. Gentleman’s critique of the system that we inherited from the previous Government, which frankly was not good enough. We do need to see procurement contracting times reduced, which is why in the defence industrial strategy we set out our ambition to reduce six-year procurements to two years, two-year procurements to one year, and one-year procurements to six months. We are using innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to help speed up that transition, and we are opening our office of small business growth at the start of next year, which will enable more SMEs to access defence contracts directly.

[Andrew Cooper (Mid Cheshire) (Lab)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with allies on military support for Ukraine.

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[Sally Jameson (Doncaster Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

10. What steps he is taking to help ensure that the defence sector supports economic growth.

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

Defence is an engine for growth. The defence industrial strategy, which we published in September, sets out how we will reform procurement, cut contracting times, spend more of our rising defence budget with British companies, invest in frontier technologies and skills, crowd in private capital and support regional development.

[Laurence Turner]

I draw attention to my declaration in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests in respect of the GMB, a defence manufacturing trade union.

Defence is an engine for growth, but skill shortages remain. What steps are being taken to increase the number of high-quality apprentices? If I may, Mr Speaker, can I also ask the Minister to join me in congratulating my constituent Andy De Comyn, whose design has just been chosen for the proposed national memorial to all members of the parliamentary community who have fallen in conflict?

[Luke Pollard]

I join my hon. Friend in thanking his constituent for his creativity and work.

Defence is one of the largest apprenticeship employers in the country, with over 24,000 apprentices. The Navy is No. 2 and the RAF is No. 4, and I am proud that the Army has been named the No. 1 apprenticeship employer. We are doing even more than that with £182 million going into skills, and we are working with our trade union colleagues—from both the GMB, of which I am proud to be a member, and Unite—alongside industries big and small, as part of the Defence Industrial Joint Council, so we can motor our economic development and create more jobs in defence.

[Sally Jameson]

How can the defence sector make better use of underutilised MOD land and assets to contribute to innovative models of business such as the community energy projects that, alongside initiatives such as the South Yorkshire growth deal, can contribute to local SMEs and energy security?

[Luke Pollard]

As a very proud Labour and Co-operative MP, I know just how important it is to use community energy to create good renewable energy and cut energy bills. I would be very happy to speak to my hon. Friend about that. We are looking at the 1% of Britain that we own as a Department to see how we can not only deliver defence outputs and build more houses—with 100,000 houses identified in the defence housing strategy—but support environmental output and greater industrial opportunities for the private sector. I am very happy to meet her to discuss that further.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

The Minister rightly promotes our world-class maritime sector in the south-west, where considerable private investment is being made, including a new resilience factory opening in my constituency next week. Such innovative young companies live or die on the pace of Government contracting, but we continue to wait for the latest defence investment plan. How will the Minister reassure the new tech companies in my constituency that the pace of their private investments is matched by the urgency of MOD contracting to ensure that economic growth through defence becomes a reality?

[Luke Pollard]

I thank my constituency neighbour for raising issues involving the south-west. I am actually opening that factory in the hon. Member’s constituency next week, and I look forward to seeing her there to make the case further for it. The defence investment plan, which will be published later this year, will set out what we are spending our money on. Let us be very clear: we are delivering the strategic defence review, and we are piling more energy and more of the money that we have been allocated from the Treasury into British businesses. I want to see more SMEs benefit from that, and in that respect we are delivering the defence industrial strategy at pace, but I am very happy to discuss that further with her.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

The south-west, as the Minister has already confirmed, is home to major military assets. The defence sector supports over 60,000 jobs in the region, including many in Glastonbury and Somerton. The area is uniquely positioned to drive forward the Government’s industrial strategy ambitions. What action is the Minister taking to ensure that the defence industry is an engine of economic growth in Somerset?

[Luke Pollard]

I thank the hon. Lady for raising the opportunities in the south-west. There is a huge skilled workforce in the south-west region and a huge amount of economic activity already present, but we want there to be even more. That is why we are working with local government, and with regional government where it exists, across the south-west, as well as our colleagues in the private sector, to look at how we can boost skills and direct more of the rising defence budget at British companies in the south-west and in every other region and nation of the country, so we can deliver for defence and create more jobs.

[Steff Aquarone (North Norfolk) (LD)]

9. What steps he is taking to reduce the potential impact of low-flying military aircraft on people living in North Norfolk constituency.

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[Cat Eccles (Stourbridge) (Lab)]

T2. Welin Lambie in Brierley Hill in my constituency designs, builds and manufactures davits for marine applications. It employs about 45 local people, uses local supply chains for its products and is really keen to win a Government contract, but sadly under the previous Government it lost out to a Spanish cruise ship company. What is the Minister doing to support British defence businesses? Will he visit Welin Lambie with me to help it work further with the Government?

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

We want to direct more of our increasing defence budget at British companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to see how we can encourage her business to win more defence contracts and to feed back on how we can be better in allowing SMEs to access the defence funding that we provide.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

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[Joani Reid (East Kilbride and Strathaven) (Lab)]

Recent reports show that Babcock is having to recruit hundreds of overseas welders because of a skills shortage in Scotland. This is the direct result of decades of under-investment in further education and skills in Scotland. Can the Minister outline what the UK Government can do to ensure that my constituents can access the apprenticeships and skills that defence jobs depend on?

[Luke Pollard]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. If only we had a Scottish Government who were investing in defence skills rather than one who dither on defence. The Scottish Government did not invest in the welding centre in Glasgow; it required a Labour Government in the UK to step in and invest. We are delivering for defence. The Scottish Government are dithering on defence, and they are letting jobs slip out of their hands as a result.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

T6. I have been campaigning on service family accommodation since shortly after my election, so I welcome the Government’s commitment to improving it over the past few weeks. However, single living accommodation continues to be a considerable concern. There have recently been reports of rat infestations at RAF Shawbury in my constituency. What will the Government do to improve single living accommodation, which is equally as important as service family accommodation?

[Henry Tufnell (Mid and South Pembrokeshire) (Lab)]

My constituency has a proud military history, and the defence sector continues to thrive at sites like Castlemartin and Cawdor barracks. Does the Minister agree that the defence growth fund should be used to bring direct benefits to communities like mine, as well as to strengthen our national security?

[Luke Pollard]

There is a real opportunity in Pembrokeshire and across Wales as we implement the defence growth deal for Wales to create more good, well-paid and unionised jobs that provide great opportunities. My hon. Friend is a real champion for the opportunities in his constituency, and I am happy to meet him to work out how we can advance opportunities to create more decent jobs across Wales, particularly in Pembrokeshire.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

T7. Last month, the SNP Government in Edinburgh released their latest independence propaganda paper. Unbelievably, it said that nuclear weapons would have no place in an independent Scotland. Does the Minister agree that Scottish independence would be a gift to Britain’s enemies and would put at risk the hard work of our armed forces in keeping us safe at home?

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[Emma Lewell (South Shields) (Lab)]

North-east industry has always supported our nation’s defence, yet we now have the lowest MOD spend out of every single region, leaving our potential untapped. Will my hon. Friend meet me and the North East Regional Defence and Security Cluster to redress that?

[Luke Pollard]

Yes, I am very happy to do so. I am meeting north-east colleagues about how we can drive more jobs and opportunity. As we look at establishing not just growth zones but defence technical excellence colleges and the six new munitions and energetics factories, there is a strong case for the north-east to receive some of that defence investment.

[Lincoln Jopp (Spelthorne) (Con)]

Now that the Secretary of State has warmed up a bit by calling the SNP a threat to our national security, will he have another go and say whether China is a threat to our national security?

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[Sarah Bool (South Northamptonshire) (Con)]

EKA Ltd in my constituency is a supplier to Ministry of Defence service recovery vehicles that have to be deployed with our tanks, but an issue that it and other service personnel have highlighted is the absence of the provision of robust spare parts in the event of a breakdown or damage. The Government are spending millions on these assets but leaving them completely unprotected. Is the MOD reviewing the provision of spares as part of its procurement, and would the Minister meet me and EKA Ltd to discuss the matter further?

[Luke Pollard]

I am happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss this further. The last Government, I am afraid, left not only our weapons stockpiles almost empty, but far too many of our parts stockpiles as well. We are looking at investing in that as part of our defence investment plan, but I am happy to meet her to discuss the matter further.

[Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth) (Ind)]

Two giants of the Labour and anti-nuclear arms movement would have been 100 this year: Tony Benn and Mick McGahey. I never had the pleasure of meeting either, but I think they would have recognised that an industrial strategy based on militarism is flawed. The defence sector is less than 1% of the UK workforce, so militarism is not a UK-wide industry and it serves war, not peace. What happened to choosing welfare over warfare, and to choosing jobs in sectors that will promote real economic growth and actual social benefit?

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[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

The F-35 Lightning II aircraft is a cutting-edge system, the helmets for which come from my constituency, but the Public Accounts Committee has the MOD in missile lock over the cost of introducing the new nuclear freefall bombs with the F-35A. Can the Minister give the House some reassurance that the decision to bring in tactical nuclear weapons is not going to cost us a bomb?

[Luke Pollard]

Yes.