Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve sovereign capabilities in drone manufacturing.

Our industry partners are at the heart of producing cutting edge uncrewed systems for defence. That is why this Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy aligning our security and economic priorities. We will ensure that this will link into the government's wider 'Invest 2025' Modern Industrial Strategy, which includes a clear focus on promoting UK industry. This is directly informing our discussions through the SDR as we continue to foster close relationships with industry. The Ministry of Defence is also expanding the governance and assurance around uncrewed systems to ensure that Industry get a clear understanding of what Defence requires.