Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of his timetable for reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on defence on his Department's expenditure plans for the Global Combat Air programme's (a) un-crewed and autonomous collaborative platform elements and (b) related system-of-systems software and digital development.

The Government is fully committed to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence as soon as possible. The Government will set out a clear path to 2.5% at a future fiscal event.

The Government will deliver a programme for defence which is affordable and provides the capabilities we need to counter the growing, and diversifying, threats Britain is facing in the 21^st century.