Defence: Lincolnshire
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to (a) maintain and (b) expand the Greater Lincolnshire Defence and Security Cluster.
Answered by Maria Eagle
This Government recognises the invaluable role Regional Defence and Security Clusters (RDSC) have played in the sector since the first such Cluster was instituted in 2020. Their success in bolstering collaboration between regional industry, academia, local Government and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and in connecting non-traditional SMEs to the Defence Supply Chain, has been reflected in the sustained expansion of the RDSC network. We welcome today’s launch of its latest member- East RDSC.
A key priority for the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy is to use Defence procurement and investment to actively generate wealth, boost export potential and create high quality jobs across all the nations and regions of the UK. RDSCs are vital partners in this endeavour and the MOD will be providing further support to them in due course, including via the recently-announced UK Defence Innovation and SME Support Centre.
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