Oral QuestionMinistry of Defence

“If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”

Tabled: 19 December 2024Answered: 6 January 2025

Asked by

Richard Tice

Reform UK — Boston and Skegness

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Defence

Answer from Hansard

John Healey

The hon. Gentleman has put his finger on a long-standing, deep-running weakness, namely a procurement policy under the last Government that did not recognise the UK steel industry as a strategic industry and was content for the amount of UK steel sourced for some new ships to be in the single figures. [Interruption.] Under previous procurement Ministers, the proportion was 4%. We will change that: the SDR will set out a plan to not just boost UK security, but strengthen the UK economy.