Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made on the impact of delays to the Defence Investment Plan, including funding for the Global Air Combat Programme, on UK defence-industrial co-operation with Italy and Japan.

This Government remains committed to strengthening sovereign industrial capability and modernising frontier industries.

Ministers and senior officials engage regularly with industry stakeholders and Defence has continued to work with suppliers on the Global Combat Air Programme whilst developing the Defence Investment Plan.

The UK remains committed to the Global Combat Air Programme, working closely with our international partners to deliver a next generation combat air capability. On 14 June the Prime Minister confirmed that the UK Government would proceed with the next international contract for the Global Combat Air Programme by the end of June.