House of Commons · Westminster Hall
13 May 2025 · 6 other contributors · 4,529 words
Opened by Luke Myer Lab Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Responding minister: Maria Eagle
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Luke Myer raised concerns about defence industries: north-east in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The lead MP asks for increased national spending on defence to be rolled out with some of that imbalance addressed and the north-east restored to its historical role as one of the flagship regions for defence manufacturing in the UK.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The north-east has a strong history of supporting national defence, but it currently has fewer defence jobs directly supported by Ministry of Defence spending compared to other regions. There are only 1,600 direct MOD jobs in the region, amounting to £380 million in spending. The imbalance represents a missed opportunity given the region’s defence heritage and passionate workforce.
He commended my hon. Friend's debate and noted that more work going to SMEs would benefit national security by fostering innovation and readiness for future warfare.
My hon. Friend highlighted the challenges SMEs face in securing procurement contracts. He thanked the Minister for visiting Teesside to meet small businesses and suggested engaging more with those further down the supply chain.
The hon. Gentleman agrees on the need for apprenticeships in defence contracts across the United Kingdom to build future skills and ensure that we have the necessary abilities.
We have fantastic SMEs in Darlington that often lack the resources to compete for large contracts. My hon. Friend agreed on the need for clarity from the Minister regarding work with the Cabinet Office to strengthen public procurement.
Emphasised the imbalance of MOD spending with only £380 million allocated to the north-east, compared to £7 billion in regions like the north-west. He believes this represents a missed opportunity for regional uplift and inequality reduction.
Agreed that the increased cash injection into defence could transform areas such as his, highlighting the need to support SMEs in accessing funds and creating a proper skills pipeline through collaboration with education providers.
Government Response
Maria EagleThe Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry
Acknowledges the contributions of MPs from the north-east in promoting defence industry growth. Emphasises the Government's commitment to national security, increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, and reforming procurement practices to accelerate contract times and support small firms. Highlights initiatives like the SME hub and UK Defence Innovation with a £400 million budget for innovative technologies.