Oral QuestionNorthern Ireland Office

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 on Northern Ireland.

Tabled: 21 May 2026Answered: 3 June 2026

Asked by

David Smith

LabourNorth Northumberland

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Answer from Hansard

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Matthew Patrick)

The first duty of any Government is to protect their people, and this Government are ensuring that we all feel the benefit of the investment in defence. Take, for example, the £1.6 billion deal to supply missiles to Ukraine—manufactured in Belfast and built by Thales—which is supporting hundreds of jobs and tripling production capacity. This is important work that I am sure the whole House welcomes.