Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of banks and other financial institutions declining to provide financial services to UK-based small and medium-sized enterprises which operate in the defence industry.

The government recognises that access to banking services is vital for people and businesses across the UK. It is this government's firm position that no firm should be denied access to banking services solely on the grounds they work in defence. The upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy will have small and medium-sized enterprises at its heart and will lay out the steps the Government is taking to support them.

We continue to monitor wider access to bank account provision but recognise this is largely a commercial matter. Firms have strict obligations to ensure the legitimacy of a business and protect against financial crime.