Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Single Source Regulation Office plays its role in ensuring Ministry of Defence procurement treats UK small and medium-sized enterprises fairly and provides value for money.

The Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO) has a range of functions, including arbitrating between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and industry on matters relating to qualifying single source defence contracts. In reaching a conclusion on these matters, the SSRO must ensure that good value for money is obtained in Government expenditure and that parties to those contracts are paid a fair and reasonable price. This applies equally to all parties that contract with the MOD, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The Department has worked closely with SMEs on the implementation of the reforms and will continue to engage on specific issues. The Secretary of State for Defence is required under part two of the Defence Reform Act 2014 to review the legislation by the end of 2017. The MOD will ensure that the impact of any changes on SMEs is properly taken into account.