Written question asked by Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative) on Friday, 17 October 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 October 2025. It was answered by Luke Pollard (Labour) on Monday, 27 October 2025 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Defence: Training

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 21 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what steps he is taking to increase funding in (a) priority sub-sectors, (b) places and (c) resolving skills challenges.

Answer: The Defence Industrial Strategy sets out how the Ministry of Defence will direct funding to support national security sub-sectors such as AI, cyber, energetics and shipbuilding. Five Defence Growth Deals are being established across the UK, backed by a £250 million investment and will support those priority sub-sectors. The Defence Industrial Strategy is supporting skills with an investment of £182 million to resolve skills challenges across the UK, working with devolved and local Government to do this. The Defence Investment Plan, which will be published this autumn, will work to ensure that defence is investing in these sub-sectors to deliver growth for the whole of the UK.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 83080
Session: 2024-26
Related items: Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth
Monday, 8 September 2025
Command papers
House of Commons
House of Lords
Subjects: Defence Finance Training
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk