Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

With reference to page 52 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what progress he has made on implementing a bespoke commercial pathway for SMEs.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) hold a crucial place in UK defence. They are the backbone of the UK economy and are vital to delivering the innovation, expertise and agility that we need now and in the future. This is recognised in the Defence Industrial Strategy, as well as the Department’s Social Value policy. We work with our largest suppliers through a network of their SME Champions, trade associations and SME representatives to ensure that smaller companies have access to opportunities in our supply chain and that our prime contractors are adopting policies, such as fair payment practices, that support small businesses working in defence. We are also introducing a new SME Commercial Pathway as part of our broader acquisition transformation. Through this pathway, Defence will increase the number of opportunities for SMEs, and make our contracting processes simpler, less onerous and faster. This Government has already announced an ambitious but achievable target to spend £7.5 billion with SMEs by 2028 which will see direct spend increase by approximately £700 million during the next three years, and we will launch a new Office For Small Business Growth to provide SMEs with better access to the defence supply chain, ensuring that thousands of small businesses in the UK, continue to lead the way in developing the world-beating technologies and services that we will need.

With reference to page 23 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, how the members of the Defence Industrial Joint Council are selected.

Membership of the Ministerially chaired council comprises a diverse group of defence sector partners, including SMEs, primes, tech, investors, trade associations, academia and Trade Unions. This signals a significant step in establishing the MOD’s new approach to partnerships; one focused on collaboration across the breadth of the UK’s defence ecosystem. All members of the DIJC have been appointed, via HMG’s Public Appointments Process, based on the expertise and insight they bring. Spaces allocated to different sector groups have, through necessity, been limited to ensure a Council with a diverse membership from across the defence landscape and of a suitable size to drive pace and support delivery of the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS). All appointments to the DIJC top Council are made for an initial period of 12 months after which they will be reviewed, ensuring a principle of rotation is built into the membership and to provide opportunities for new organisations to participate.

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 his Department is taking to help support British tech companies to scale up.

One of the top priority outcomes in the Defence Industrial Strategy, published on 8 September 2025, is to put the UK at the leading edge of defence innovation. To support tech companies to scale up we have launched the new UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), supported by a ringfenced annual budget of at least £400 million. UKDI will support and grow the UK technology sector, including improving companies’ access to innovation funding and advice, and drive pace and agility of defence innovation (Section 5.2). In addition, we are also streamlining the regulatory environment to make it fit for the current era of threat, removing barriers limiting faster delivery, scale up and innovation at wartime pace (Section 5.2.4).

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 44144 on Armed Forces: Training, what recent steps his Department has taken to help improve the Defence School of Policing and Guarding’s OFSTED rating to Outstanding.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring the highest standards of training and welfare across all its establishments including the Defence School of Police and Security (DSPS), formerly the Defence School of Police and Guarding, and its efforts to achieve an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The DSPS was inspected by Ofsted in March 2024, which resulted in a GOOD rating, with four key recommendations for improvement. The Combined Individual Training Assurance Team (CITAT) has since worked with the DSPS to address these areas, and significant progress has been made. Actions have included improving infrastructure and trainee facilities, enhancing IT access, reducing staff workload through reorganisation and additional personnel, and revising the trainee leave policy.

What innovation programmes managed by his Department are in progress.

Defence is focussed on exploiting new and innovative ideas and technologies to secure a competitive edge for our Armed Forces. Within the scope of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), there are currently 49 programmes funded through investment vehicles such as the Defence Innovation Fund (DIF) and the Exploitation Fund (ExF). The number of SMEs and non-traditional suppliers involved in these programmes is not currently defined. Furthermore, the UKDI Defence and security accelerator (UKDI-DASA) has launched 12 themed competitions and ran five cycles of the Open Call for Innovation. UKDI-DASA has funded 123 projects, of which 73% were with SMEs.

How many UK defence scale-ups are being tracked by his Department.

UK Defence Innovation track relevant UK defence scale-ups. The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Business Growth and Finance team tracks approximately 300 high-growth SMEs in real time using the Beauhurst platform. Around 70% of these companies are demonstrating scale-up potential, evidenced through annualised growth rates, revenue, equity investment and other signals.The Business Growth and Finance team focuses on supporting SMEs with scale-up potential.

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 has taken to reform his Department's (a) procurement and (b) acquisition systems.

Implementation of the procurement and acquisition reforms set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy is underway, under the new National Armaments Director who took up post on 14 October 2025.We are introducing service-agnostic capability portfolios, aligned with wider departmental reforms. The portfolio-driven approach will increase pace and adaptability, enabling us to maximise the output from our investment, reduce waste and be more market aligned.Five commercial pathways have been launched for Spiral, Urgent, Design to Cost, Digital & Technology and Low Complexity Procurement. These pathways underpin the new segmented approach to procurement. A new Small and Medium Sized Enterprise (SME) commercial pathway is being introduced to increase the number of opportunities for SMEs and make our contracting processes simpler, less onerous and faster.The Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme will create greater resilience, speed and adaptability in the supply chain to underpin our warfighting edge and help to drive economic growth in the context of increasing global instability.

With reference to page 23 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, what the scope is of the Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme.

The Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme (DSCCP) is a multi-year transformation programme aimed at building resilient, agile, and collaborative supply chains underpinning both national security and economic growth. It is a central delivery vehicle for the Defence Industrial Strategy and the Strategic Defence Review, aligning priorities to safeguard operational and UK sovereignty, industry and warfighting readiness; embedding resilience, and a more transparent, innovative partnership with industry. The programme is shifting from reactive to proactive supply chain risk management, underpinned by digital innovation. Capabilities including scenario modelling and supply architecture will help anticipate disruptions and assess operational impact. Early industry involvement in capability development—through the Defence Joint Industrial Council—will strengthen collaboration, by providing industry with much more visibility of Ministry of Defence future plans.

With reference to page 21 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what recent steps he has taken to increase the competitiveness of the defence sector.

The Defence Industrial Strategy, published on 8 September 2025, sets out our vision to make the UK defence sector more competitive, integrated, innovative and resilient. To do this, we are backing UK based businesses (Section 4), fixing defence procurement (Section 7) and putting the UK at the leading edge of defence innovation (Section 5), to make defence an engine for growth. Recent steps include the launch of UK Defence Innovation, the launch of an offset regime consultation, and progress towards the establishment of the Defence Office for Small Business Growth in Spring 2026. The Defence Investment Plan will include economic growth considerations and offer long-term procurement signals to encourage investment.

With reference to page 69 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what recent progress the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory has made with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency to help support generation-after-next innovation.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a longstanding relationship and regular conversation with for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Staff engagement is regular and pre-dates the Strategic Defence Review. Building on this, officials from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) have begun initial conversations with their counterparts in the Advanced Research and Innovation Agency in relation to specific areas of technology with potential defence interest.

What the full scope is of Project Atilla.

Project Atilla will look to deliver an Uncrewed Ground Vehicle Minefield Breaching capability. The Project is currently in its concept phase.

With reference to page 69 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, where he plans to establish the Defence Energy and Capability Resilience Centre of Excellence.

The Defence Energy and Capability Resilience Centre of Excellence (DECX) is being established initially as a virtual entity, with Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) acting as the custodian. The final decision regarding location will be confirmed once DECX reaches full operating capability.

With reference to page 23 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what criteria would need to be met to define a bank as part of the defence industrial base.

Work on this matter is ongoing and as a result it would be inappropriate for me to comment at this time.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question 44144 on Armed Forces: Training, what steps his Department has taken to improve the Royal Air Force Apprenticeship programme’s Ofsted rating.

The RAF is committed to continuous improvement and has identified several measures to build on the Good Ofsted rating awarded to the Royal Air Force Apprenticeship programme last year. Ten Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) positions have been established to assist Apprenticeship Centres with ensuring the apprentice’s journey continues to meet Ofsted’s requirement.A further 30 FTRS positions are to be established at operational units to provide support, advice and guidance in the completion of apprenticeships.Apprenticeship Management Groups have been introduced to engage all stakeholders, alongside the development of an apprenticeship webpage including unit-based apprenticeship points of contact.An Apprentice Handbook will be introduced to cover the latest guidance, practical tips and signposting to internal and external support organisations.

With reference to page 65 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what seed grants he plans to use to fund the UK Defence Innovation Rapid Innovation Unit.

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) will continue invest in structures to support business growth and to increase investment into SMEs, start-ups, and non-traditional defence and security suppliers to support a diverse and agile supply chain and ensure delivery of pioneering capability to national security and defence. The UKDI - Defence and Security Accelerator (UKDI_DASA) is a Special Partner in the delivery of The Defence and Security (D&S) Seed Fund portfolio, which is funded by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and sits within UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S). UKI2S is a Pre seed and Seed fund for defence and Security SMEs with investment from MOD for SME innovation looking for private equity funding. The UKDI - Defence and Security Accelerator (UKDI_DASA) supported by Innovate UK Loans Ltd (Innovate UK) delivers a Defence funding competition: the Defence Innovation Loan. This service provides an opportunity for single Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with solutions to defence themed problems to apply for a Defence Innovation Loan of between £100,000 and £1 million with a below market interest rate of 7.4% per annum

How many (a) SMEs and (b) non-traditional suppliers are involved in his Department's innovation programmes.

Defence is focussed on exploiting new and innovative ideas and technologies to secure a competitive edge for our Armed Forces. Within the scope of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), there are currently 49 programmes funded through investment vehicles such as the Defence Innovation Fund (DIF) and the Exploitation Fund (ExF). The number of SMEs and non-traditional suppliers involved in these programmes is not currently defined. Furthermore, the UKDI Defence and security accelerator (UKDI-DASA) has launched 12 themed competitions and ran five cycles of the Open Call for Innovation. UKDI-DASA has funded 123 projects, of which 73% were with SMEs.

What the full scope is of the Land Mobility Programme.

The Land Mobility Programme (LMP) is a 20-year pan-Defence programme that seeks to deliver a fleet of over 13,000 digitally enabled, adaptable utility and protected mobility vehicles to the Joint Force. The programme comprises of three sub-programmes: Heavy Protected Mobility, Light Protected Mobility and Light Mobility Vehicle.

With reference to page 52 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what support he plans to provide to (a) small businesses and (b) start-ups.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises that SMEs seeking to work in defence face unique challenges. The department is committed to simplifying access to UK defence for SMEs removing unnecessary barriers and making it easier for small businesses to find the right support and guidance. Work on delivering the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth is well underway, and MOD has consulted widely with small businesses and across UK industry to ensure that the new service meets defence SMEs needs. The exact detail of how the Office for Small Business Growth will operate, including the scope of services is being developed in close consultation with industry but will include more coherent access to existing supplier development programmes and a range of direct services to SMEs enabling them to better navigate the UK defence environment. Initial operating capability will be achieved in the spring of 2026

With reference to page 52 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, when he plans to publish the SME Action Plan.

We are focused on ensuring that more SMEs can access opportunities throughout the defence supply-chain. We are committed to publishing our SME Action Plan which will focus on delivering a step-change in SME engagement both directly and indirectly. The action plan will be published as soon as practicable after the conclusion of the Defence Investment Plan process.

With reference to page 23 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, which trade unions will be designated as being part of the defence industrial base.

Through the Defence Industrial Strategy we are taking a ‘whole of society’ approach, where both traditional defence and dual use manufacturers are included in a broader UK defence industry.Therefore, individual Trade Unions are not being classified as either inside or outside this new definition. This approach encompasses all elements of the UK defence enterprise including major defence contractors, SMEs, academia and defence workforce. At the Defence Industrial Joint Council (DIJC) the interests of the workforce are represented by a number of Trade Unions. In line with other members of the DIJC, the Trade Unions representatives are appointed through HMG’s Public Appointments Process, based on the expertise and insight they bring.