Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Defence Industrial Strategy

Wednesday 15 October 2025 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Kevin Bonavia highlighted the aerospace industry in Stevenage and its connection to Belfast's defence sector expertise.
  • Alex Ballinger praised Labour's defence spending increase and noted the naval engineering history in the Black Country.
  • Mr Gregory Campbell welcomed the Minister and emphasized the need for the defence supply chain to benefit all of Northern Ireland beyond the greater Belfast area.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kevin Bonavia Lab Stevenage
Defence Northern Ireland
Context

The MP highlights the integration of civil aircraft wing business at Shorts site in Belfast, close to Thales's satellite testing and missile production facilities. He mentions the importance of these facilities for Ukraine.

Question

Airbus, which manufactures satellites in my Stevenage constituency, will soon integrate the civil aircraft wing business at the historical Shorts site in Belfast, close to where Thales tests its satellites and produces vital missiles for Ukraine. Will the Minister work with colleagues across Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the defence industrial strategy is complemented by the industrial strategy’s advanced manufacturing sector plan so as to maximise skills, innovation and growth?

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

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the rich expertise in Northern Ireland’s defence sector, which brings benefits right across the UK, including to Stevenage. I assure him that the Secretary of State and I will work across Government and with the Executive to ensure a joined-up approach that benefits Northern Ireland.

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Q2 Alex Ballinger Lab Halesowen
Defence Northern Ireland
Context

The MP is proud of the naval engineering history in his constituency and highlights companies such as Somers Forge and Brooks Forgings. He mentions that this Labour Government are increasing defence spending to 2.5%.

Question

I am incredibly proud of our naval engineering history in the Black Country, including at companies such as Somers Forge in Halesowen and Brooks Forgings in Cradley Heath. I am delighted that this Labour Government are increasing defence spending to levels never seen under the previous Government. Does the Minister agree that that investment in Northern Ireland, at places such as Harland & Wolff, will not just benefit the local economy there but the supply chain all across the country?

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

My hon. Friend is right. I warmly welcome this investment and I know he is rightly proud of the defence expertise in his constituency. Backed by this Labour Government increasing defence spending to 2.5%, Harland & Wolff is building the next generation of support ships for our Royal Navy. We are safeguarding jobs, skills and our future security.

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Q3 Gregory Campbell DUP East Londonderry
Defence Northern Ireland
Context

The MP welcomes the Minister to his place and highlights the defence growth deal. He suggests that the Minister needs to ensure supply chain extension beyond Harland & Wolff and greater Belfast area.

Question

I welcome both the Minister to his place and the defence growth deal. Does he agree that he now needs to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the supply chain in Northern Ireland extends beyond Harland & Wolff and the greater Belfast area, so that everyone in Northern Ireland can benefit from what is potentially a life-changing development for industry there?

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

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his warm words. He is right that we need to work across Northern Ireland to ensure that the life-changing investment he mentions is felt throughout, and I will make sure that happens.

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Q4 Robin Swann Ulster Unionist Party South Antrim
Defence Northern Ireland
Context

The MP welcomes the Minister to his place and highlights the importance of merging investment strategy with defence industrial strategy.

Question

May I welcome the Minister to his place as well? Will he ensure that there is that co-working across the Northern Ireland Executive and the Ministry of Defence with regard to the Executive’s investment strategy, which is also integral to the defence industrial strategy, and that the NIE will work to remove any blockages that would prevent the two being merged?

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

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his warm words. I will meet Executive Ministers in Northern Ireland next week to discuss this and other matters. I will ensure that we remove any blockages that we can, and that we do so by working together.

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