Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the potential impact of the delayed publication of the Defence Investment Plan on small and medium defence manufacturers.

We will publish the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) as soon as we can. We will continue to award contracts to SMEs, but must allow sufficient time to ensure that decisions in the DIP are robust and drive the necessary transformation of our Armed Forces described in the Strategic Defence Review. The DIP is underpinned by the Government’s largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, with £270 billion being invested in defence in this Parliament alone.

The Defence Office for Small Business Growth, established earlier this year, provides SMEs with a single point of access for advice, support and opportunities in defence, bringing together services from MOD, trade associations and investors. It supports our target to increase MOD spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028. The work of the office is already making a difference, helping SMEs engage more effectively and laying strong foundations for future growth.