Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that economic instability in parts of the Eurozone does not have a detrimental effect on the defence-industrial relationship between the UK and (a) Italy and (b) other EU member states.

The UK has a long tradition of collaborative working with European partners on joint defence programmes and maintains regular dialogue with European Union member states, including Italy, to discuss existing and future cooperative programmes. All EU nations are subject to EU procurement directives, which ensures a culture of open, transparent and fair competition is maintained on public procurement projects. Open competitive markets and more efficient cross-border cooperation are key methods of sustaining our defence industrial capabilities against a backdrop of wider economic instability.

We regularly review the financial and business robustness of our supply chain, covering both UK-based and foreign-owned suppliers. Any risks or concerns are addressed as part of normal commercial activity and through regular meetings with our suppliers.