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Defence Industrial Strategy

The Secretary of State said that the UK operates the most open defence market in the world and mentioned efforts to encourage other nations in Europe and further afield to follow suit. No doubt he is often disappointed at their failure in that respect, so to what extent can he frame our policy to ensure reciprocation from others? Will my right hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to the defence industry, companies, the work force and, indeed, the communities that have given such good service to our forces over so many years? May we have a debate on the effect of the strategy on many of those communities and its impact on our manufacturing base and the Government’s wider industrial and regional policy? May we have such a debate early in the new year, so that Members from the affected constituencies can detail the effect on their constituents and attempt to ensure that we have a defence footprint throughout the country, not just in a few southern and eastern counties?