Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Defence Investment Plan

Monday 8 September 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ben Obese-Jecty visited Paragraf, a local business in his constituency that develops next generation electronic devices using graphene.
  • Peter Prinsley highlighted the east of England's record in defence innovation, mentioning the conception of the battle tank in Lincoln.
  • The Minister emphasized the need for investment in the workforce of the future to meet opportunities in defence industries.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ben Obese-Jecty Con Huntingdon
Defence
Context

Obese-Jecty visited Paragraf, a local business in his constituency that develops next-generation electronic devices using graphene. The company has potential military applications and has been approached by NATO allies.

Question

On Friday, I visited Paragraf, a local business in my constituency. Founded by Simon Thomas, it is a hugely successful spin-out from Cambridge University, developing and manufacturing next generation electronic devices using graphene. These products provide solutions in a range of industries, from quantum computing to diagnostics. As one can imagine with a world-leading technology, there is a huge array of potential military applications. Indeed, the company has already been contacted by our NATO allies. May I invite the Secretary of State and the new procurement Minister to visit Paragraf, meet CEO Simon Thomas and look at how we can seize the initiative in defence with an innovative and world-leading technology, and a real British and Huntingdon success story?

Answer from Luke Pollard (Minister of State, Ministry of Defence)

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his continuing championing of not just defence businesses in his constituency, but defence in total. The amount of parliamentary questions I have answered from him certainly shows his strong interest in this area. I want more of our defence budget focused on novel and innovative technologies. That is what we announced in the strategic defence review, with 10% going to those advanced technologies. There is a real opportunity to create more jobs that provide the world-leading innovation that will give us the edge on the battlefield, because the nation that innovates the most will be the nation that wins in any conflict. I would be very happy to discuss that further with him.

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Q2 Peter Prinsley Lab Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
Defence
Context

Prinsley highlighted the east of England's record in defence innovation, mentioning the White Hart hotel in Lincoln where the battle tank was first conceived during World War I. He also referred to technical colleges as key to defence innovation.

Question

The east of England has a proud record of defence innovation. Indeed, on my holiday to Lincoln, I stayed at the White Hart hotel, where the battle tank was first conceived during the first world war. Does the Minister agree that investment in technical colleges of excellence, such as that at Bury St Edmonds, are absolutely key to defence innovation?

Answer from Luke Pollard (Minister of State, Ministry of Defence)

I have some recommendations for other defence holiday tourism, if my hon. Friend would like some. He is absolutely right to raise the importance of skills. There are huge opportunities across the nation in defence industries, but we need the workforce of the future to deliver them. That is why, in the defence industrial strategy being announced this afternoon, he will see more investment in skills, not just in defence technical colleges of excellence but in schools and university clusters, to maximise the opportunity to enhance our skills offer and make defence an engine for growth everywhere in the country.

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