VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Defence: Manufacturing Industries

Asked by James CartlidgeConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 19 August 2026UIN 18658

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his department is taking to ensure UK defence manufacturers benefit from the new NATO commitment to expand collective manufacturing capacity.

Answered by Luke Pollard

The Department is working to ensure UK defence manufacturers benefit from NATO’s focus on expanding collective manufacturing capacity by leveraging NATO mechanisms, including the Defence Production Action Plan, the NATO Defence Industrial Production Board, and the Innovation Scale-Up Package, to boost an aggregated demand, improve interoperability, strengthen supply chain resilience, and provide clearer long-term demand signals to industry. The Defence Industrial Strategy and Defence Investment Plan reinforce this approach by supporting collaborative programmes with NATO Allies, including deep precision strike, air defence, autonomous systems, munitions production, future combat air and anti-submarine warfare, while helping UK firms access new export and multinational procurement opportunities and take advantage of the shift to “always on production".

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim