Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need (1) to raise awareness of, and (2) to encourage requests by Field Army units for, the rapid trial of small batches of SME-delivered, battlefield-tested equipment through MoD Commercial X, particularly in relation to innovations from Ukraine; and what steps they are taking to clarify the existence of dedicated MoD funding so that such units (1) are confident in their ability to make such requests, and (2) are informed about how those trials are delivered and paid for.

It is vital we utilise defence as an engine for innovation and growth including investing in novel technologies. With further investment from this Government, innovation will thrive in every region and nation of the United Kingdom.

Drones, including unmanned aerial systems, are integral to the modern way of warfighting, exemplified in the lessons learnt from the war in Ukraine. The Strategic Defence Review announced a doubling in autonomy investment in this Parliament, taking total Defence investment in autonomy to circa £4 billion.

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the Integrated Force.