Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that defence companies in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor are able to (a) recruit staff, (b) receive investment and (c) expand.

As part of the Defence Industrial Strategy, we announced a £182 million skills package that will attract, develop and retain the high-skilled workforce required to meet the objectives of the Strategic Defence Review. This investment in skills, in addition to the creation of the Defence Office for Small Business Growth, will help defence companies across the UK, including those in the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor. Further details will be announced with the publication of the Defence Finance and Investment Strategy in 2026.