Written question asked by Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK) on Friday, 30 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 February 2026. It was answered by Luke Pollard (Labour) on Thursday, 5 February 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Defence: Small Businesses

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken to support SMEs based in the UK to bid for defence contracts.

Answer: This Government has already committed to spending £2.5 billion more with defence SMEs. Central to driving this pledge is the recent establishment of the new Office for Small Business Growth which will help simplify and speed up cumbersome processes, provide advice to SMEs and encourage private sector investment. We have also recently announced a £20 million fund to offer accelerated contracts to small, innovative British startups, as well as establishing a protected budget of £400 million for UK Defence Innovation. We're breaking down barriers and opening new avenues for innovation, ensuring that our SMEs can play a vital role in strengthening our defence capabilities.

Secondary information