Written questions by Wilkinson.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support defence companies.

The Defence Industrial Strategy is the defence sector plan for the Modern Industrial Strategy and underlines this Government’s commitment to making defence an engine for growthThe DIS outlines how the Government will back UK-based businesses by launching the offsets consultation, increase spending on SMEs, create a Defence Office for SME Growth, and provide additional support to companies to export. It announced an ambitious skills package of £182million to enable industry to recruit and build the well-paid jobs that will keep the UK secure in the future. The DIS also outlines how the MOD will conduct early market engagement with industry to inform procurement decisions.

Whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of awarding the General Service Medal to military veterans who served in Aden during the early 1960s.

The award of the General Service Medal (GSM) for those who served in Aden during the early 1960s would be a matter for the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC) to consider, rather than the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The AMSC is a sub-committee of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) at the Cabinet Office which provides advice to The Sovereign on honours and medals. The qualification period for the GSM for service in Aden has previously been considered by the Committee. It was decided that there would be no retrospective issue of the GSM for service between July 1960 and April 1964 as there was insufficient evidence to justify overturning the decisions made at the time. Whilst the MOD has no plans to review this case, this does nothing to lessen our appreciation of the professionalism, courage and contribution of all those who served in Aden.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of accessing the European Defence Security Fund on tech companies in Cheltenham.

We welcome European efforts to increase defence spending and provide the critical capability uplift needed by Europe, including the EU’s European Defence Readiness / ReArm initiatives and the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, the EU’s recently adopted €150 billion loan instrument. On 19 May 2025, the UK and the EU agreed an ambitious new Security and Defence Partnership as part of a wider package of the UK-EU reset. Crucially, the Security and Defence Partnership means the UK now meets the criteria for discussing participation in common procurement under SAFE, which could provide new opportunities for UK companies. Recognising the important role that the UK’s defence industry plays for European security, the UK and the EU have set out our joint ambition to swiftly explore the potential for cooperation under the SAFE mechanism.

What discussions he has had with SMEs on the development of the Defence Industrial Strategy.

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. The Defence Industrial Strategy will set the conditions to unlock the full potential of SMEs. To expediate this, in March the Government unveiled substantial additional support for defence SMEs, including a support hub offering guidance on accessing the defence supply chain and the upcoming publication of a new SME spending target for defence. These measures are being developed in collaboration with industry including SMEs.

What assessment his Department made of the potential impact of the use of Chinese-made drones to survey critical national infrastructure sites on cybersecurity.

The Ministry of Defence takes the security of all its assets very seriously, but we do not comment on details as these could be useful to potential adversaries.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential role of the cyber security industry in Cheltenham in growing the UK defence industry.

This Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy which ensures the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned. Defence is not just a cornerstone of national security, it’s also a powerful engine to drive economic growth - this Government’s number one mission. The new Defence Industrial Strategy will unlock the potential of every region and nation across the UK. We are working collaboratively with colleagues across Government to maximise the linkages between the Ministry of Defence and other Departments. We will set out our plans for strengthening the UK defence sector in the Defence Industrial Strategy later this year.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that cyber tech businesses in Cheltenham are able to access funding through new defence innovation organisation.

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) will equip Britain’s Armed Forces with cutting-edge tech faster. It will support the growth of high-tech businesses across the UK – including in Cheltenham, capitalising on new ideas, supporting them rapidly through development and exploitation. To achieve these aims UKDI will be given a ringfenced budget of £400 million this year. The Spring Statement also confirmed that the Ministry of Defence will spend at least 10% of its equipment procurement budget on novel tech including dual-use technologies such as uncrewed and autonomous systems and AI-enabled capabilities. This will benefit the UKs cyber tech industry. UKDI will be closely linked to the DE&S and DASA teams which have recently been involved in rapid procurement activities and currently give businesses across the UK access to funding. UKDI will be operational by July 2025 and work is ongoing to confirm the detailed design of the organisation.

With reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 25 February 2025, Official Report, column 633, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of investing in Cheltenham’s intelligence and cyber security sectors as part of the defence reform and efficiency plan.

We should rightly be proud of our intelligence agencies, and the work they do every day to keep the UK and its interests safe. The defence reform and efficiency plan will be focused on driving maximum value for money from this Government's additional investment in my Department – the hon. Member will understand that I obviously cannot comment on the merits and efficiency of spend in the intelligence agencies (with the exception of Defence Intelligence) who sit under other Government Departments.

With reference to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, column 631, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in defence spending on growth in the cyber security sector in Cheltenham.

The strategic defence review will determine the priority areas for Defence spending, including Defence’s contribution to cyber security. No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of increases in defence spending on growth in the cyber security sector in Cheltenham. The strategic defence review will present opportunities for industry across the UK, and we expect the Cyber Security Sector in Cheltenham to make the most of those opportunities.