The Ministry of Defence encourages competition in procurement to deliver value for money and strengthen resilience. We prioritise open and transparent competitions, publishing opportunities widely to attract a diverse supplier base. Early market engagement, including industry events and Prior Information Notices, helps shape requirements and maximise participation. The Department may also break down larger programmes into smaller lots where appropriate, enabling SMEs and non-traditional suppliers to compete.

Where competition is not feasible, robust single-source regulations ensure fair pricing and protect the taxpayer.

The former Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) held discussions with the Irish Defence Minister, Helen McEntee, where they discussed the UK-Ireland Defence Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as well as ongoing support for Ukraine in March 2026.

The Secretary of State has yet to meet his Irish counterpart.

Responsibility for Defence’s sovereign satellite capability rests with the Secretary of State for Defence. The department works closely with colleagues across Government and industry partners to shape and inform the UK's position within Ofcom and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) on regulatory and spectrum matters. This coordination supports the protection of satellite assets and capabilities critical to national security.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has assessed international competition and regulatory developments relating to satellite spectrum, orbital access and governance as presenting a strategic risk to UK Defence capabilities. These risks are recognised within Defence programmes and are actively managed through risk governance frameworks. MOD safeguards capability through a combination of sovereign assets, commercial arrangements, international partnerships and through active engagement in international regulatory processes, alongside Ofcom and other Government departments.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with Navantia UK to discuss a range of topics including Harland and Wolff shipyard.

After the underinvestment and hollowing out of our Armed Forces by the previous administration the Government recognises the importance of developing new infrastructure and continued investment to our sovereign shipbuilding sector, supporting the delivery of vessels for our Royal Navy.

Productivity improvements and large infrastructure upgrades are frequently made possible because of shipyards’ successful tenders awarded by the Ministry of Defence, underpinning the government's commitment to deliver growth for the sector, including through reinvestment to create social value.

Upgrades have taken place at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard, with its Janet Harvey Hall built as part of £300 million worth of investment made possible by the Type 26 programme and the UK’s successful £10 billion export deal with Norway, as well as at Babcock’s Rosyth shipyard where £200 million of upgrades were made possible by the Type 31 programme.

The Royal Navy’s ambitions for a hybrid force offers potential opportunities for our small and medium shipyards and supply chain which will drive further investment in infrastructure and capability.

RAF Gibraltar continues to operate as a sovereign UK military airfield, and the current overflight restrictions by Spain does not impede our operational freedom with respect to aircraft movements and does not impact NATO interoperability in the region.

RAF Gibraltar continues to operate as a sovereign UK military airfield, and the current overflight restrictions by Spain does not impede our operational freedom with respect to aircraft movements and does not impact NATO interoperability in the region.

I refer the hon. gentleman to the response given to Question 118648 on 16 March 2026.

For operational and personnel security reasons we do not disclose the precise force levels deployed in the South Atlantic.

I refer the hon. gentleman to the response given to Question 118648 on 16 March 2026.

For operational and personnel security reasons we do not disclose the precise force levels deployed in the South Atlantic.

Alongside the FCDO and other Government Departments, we continue to monitor the security situation in the Caribbean and undertake regular assessments of the requirements for Defence support to those Overseas Territories.

The Defence Industrial Strategy and Strategic Defence Review set out plans to overhaul procurement. Our new segmented approach to procurement, supported by accelerated commercial pathways, is designed to enable programmes to get to contract faster and be more cost efficient. We are making progress towards the target date of 1 April 2026 for establishment of the segmented approach in line with the Strategic Defence Review.

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.

The Ministry of Defence already supports over 460,000 jobs and 24,000 apprenticeships across the UK, providing sustainable, high-quality, well-paying jobs. As part of the Defence Industrial Strategy, the Ministry of Defence has announced a £182 million skills package which includes a range of initiatives that will support apprentices and graduates. These include Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, the Defence Universities Alliance and the Graduate and Apprentice Clearing System.

The UK Government is committed to safeguarding the security of all our Overseas Territories, including those in the Caribbean. The Ministry of Defence undertakes regular assessments of the requirements for Defence support to those Overseas Territories.

The UK's commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific is unwavering. In addition to our permanent bases and persistent maritime presence, we are building the capacity of regional partners, conducting joint exercises, and deepening defence industrial collaboration. Two of the UK's major defence programmes - AUKUS and GCAP - include Indo-Pacific partners.

Japan is our closest security partner in Asia, and we will continue to cooperate closely to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the region. We support all actions to de-escalate tensions and return to calm. I spoke with Defence Minister Koizumi on 17 December 2025, during which I reiterated this message.

On 8 September 2025 we published the Defence Industrial Strategy, which includes a range of initiatives that cut red tape, speed up development to delivery, and ensure our defence investment benefits local communities. This includes a Northern Ireland Defence Growth Deal, which will harness Northern Ireland’s defence sub-sector strengths while also ensuring that the foundations are in place to support that defence spending.

We are committed to working with partners across Northern Ireland to ensure that we have a thriving defence sector that supports jobs, skills and growth.

As the Strategic Defence Review recognised, international partnerships are crucial for the UK’s security and prosperity. The UK remains firmly committed to the AUKUS partnership and is working closely with the US and Australia at all levels to maximise the benefits and opportunities which AUKUS presents for our three nations. The new Security and Defence Partnership with the EU is complementary to our existing work and the full range of our defence partnerships.

At the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU agreed a unique and bespoke Security and Defence Partnership. The Partnership has been designed to complement our core bilateral security partnerships and support this Government’s commitment to NATO, which remains the cornerstone of Euro-Atlantic security.

The partnership documents frames cooperation through dialogues, information exchange and identification of collaborative opportunities including case-by-case involvement in EU initiatives.

The UK is responsible for the defence and security of all British Overseas Territories and takes these responsibilities incredibly seriously. The Ministry Of Defence routinely monitors for hostile activity and will take appropriate action in response to any legitimate threat, including providing high readiness maritime, land and air assets to deter and respond to threats as required. This includes defending our people, our territory, and our infrastructure, as necessary.