The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) is the MoD-led framework defining how the UK builds, sustains and exports from its defence industrial base. The current iteration — DIS 2025 'Making Defence an Engine for Growth' — replaced the 2021 Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS) and sits as the defence sector plan of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, supported by the Strategic Defence Review 2025.
DIS 2025 governs over £85bn of equipment and support spending, underpins more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, regional Defence Growth Deals worth £250m, an £182m Defence Industry Skills Package, and a redesigned approach to procurement, SME access, exports and onshore resilience. Industry investment decisions, regional industrial policy, and Ukraine-driven rapid innovation cycles all depend on its delivery.
DIS 2025 was published on 8 September 2025 and is in operational delivery: Defence Growth Deals have launched in Scotland (March 2026) and Northern Ireland (April 2026); the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) replacing the Equipment Plan is awaited but materially delayed past its expected June 2026 horizon, drawing Defence Committee scrutiny.
The current regime-defining document. Sets DIS as the defence sector plan of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy and frames defence spending as a driver of growth, jobs and onshore capability.
Root-and-branch Defence review that frames DIS, the Defence Investment Plan and reforms to DE&S/UKDI. Establishes the strategic context (threat, ambition, fiscal trajectory) within which DIS operates.
Amends Export Control Order 2008 schedules — adds and refines controls on military goods, dual-use items, semiconductors, quantum computers, additive manufacturing, and lifts UK arms embargoes on Armenia and Azerbaijan. The live statutory expression of the export-controls limb of DIS.
Companion document mapping regional and national defence industrial capacity. Provides the basis for Defence Growth Deals and regional industrial-policy alignment.
Cross-government shipbuilding strategy with £4bn investment commitment and pipeline of 150+ naval and civil vessels over 30 years. The naval-industrial limb of DIS.
Sectoral strategy establishing long-term collaboration between MoD and land-systems industry, co-investment in capability delivery and innovation.
Strategy on increasing additive manufacturing in Defence; a building block of the productivity and resilience limb of DIS.
Outlines how Defence plans to build supply-chain resilience — directly relevant to DIS critical-supply-chain commitments.
Classified strategy fulfilling an SDR 2025 commitment — links defence exports and international partnerships to industrial strategy.
MoD's SME engagement framework — predecessor of the SME Action Plan refresh promised under DIS 2025.
DE&S's own strategy detailing how the delivery arm equips the Armed Forces — direct implementation arm of DIS commitments.
Multilateral treaty reducing export-licence friction between the four signatories — key export-promotion deliverable of DIS.
Establishes UKDI consolidating DASA, DIU and DE&S Future Capability Innovation under a single operating model — a structural reform delivering DIS innovation ambitions.
Restructures MoD ALBs as part of Defence Reform and the Productive and Agile State Programme — strengthens ministerial oversight of delivery bodies.
Government's response to Defence Committee scrutiny of the IR/DSIS package — primary parliamentary scrutiny record on the predecessor regime.
NAO finding that the Equipment Plan was unaffordable with the largest deficit since 2012 — the audit baseline against which DIS/DIP affordability will be measured.
Committee scrutiny of the shipbuilding pipeline in Scotland — relevant to DIS regional/Growth Deal architecture.
Underlying Defence Committee report on the DSIS 2021 regime.
Library background on the SDSR framework that historically underpinned UK defence-industrial planning.
Government's signalling document setting up the DIS 2025 consultation, defining scope, focus and the new shift away from 'global competition by default'.
The Conservative-era predecessor regime — Lords statement repeating the Commons announcement of 23 March 2021. Established many concepts continued in DIS 2025: shift from 'global by default', social value in DSPCR procurement, industry as strategic capability, SME prioritisation.
Directly delivers a DIS 2025 commitment to explore measures to support UK-based businesses through offset policy.
Predecessor consultation establishing the policy-refresh cycle that ran through DSIS 2021 into DIS 2025.
Making Defence an Engine for Growth
Why linked: Defining ministerial commitment of DIS 2025 — links defence spending to industrial-policy growth targets.
The MOD committed £1.5 billion of additional defence investment for energetics and munitions including the 'always on munitions' pipeline
Why linked: Material spending commitment under DIS/SDR to onshore munitions production.
The Defence Industrial Strategy committed £250 million to fund all five Defence Growth Deals across the UK, and announced an £182 million Defence Industry Skills Package
Why linked: Headline regional and skills commitments under DIS 2025, being delivered region-by-region (£50m Scotland March 2026, £50m Northern Ireland April 2026).
The Ministry of Defence has set an ambitious target to increase direct and indirect spending by 50% compared to FY 23/24 baseline. This increase in total spend would equate to £2.5 billion total spend increase with Small and Medium Sized Enterprises
Why linked: Headline SME-engagement target under DIS 2025 — the successor framing to the DSIS 2021 25% SME target.
It signals a shift away from global competition by default towards a more flexible, nuanced approach
Why linked: Foundational DSIS 2021 commitment that DIS 2025 continues — explicitly broke with the 2012 'national security through technology' presumption of global competition.
we are investing more than £6.6 billion in R&D over the next four years … reconfirmed this Government's commitment to spend more than £85 billion over the next four years on equipment and support for our Armed Forces
Why linked: DSIS 2021 spending envelope establishing the baseline that DIS 2025 builds on.
Why linked: Cited by workspace synthesis
Ministry of Defence (MOD) guidance for raising a concern and whistleblowing in Defence.
A commitment to improving gender balance in Defence.
In response to: Women in Defence Charter
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the defence investment plan.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to utilise industrial capacity in Northern Ireland to support the defence investment plan.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to issue an update to the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is providing to UK companies exporting defence technologies to Ukraine to help them leverage battlefield-tested innovations for wider international markets.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures has his Department put in place to support UK firms supplying defence equipment to Ukraine to adopt rapid innovation cycles based on operational experience.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the difference between Ajax 2 and Capability Drop 4 of the Armoured Cavalry Programme.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the development of Ajax 2.
Why linked: April 2026 Commons debate on the effectiveness of the defence industrial strategy with Treasury engagement — Treasury-MoD interface scrutiny.
John Milne (Horsham) (LD): 4. What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the effectiveness of the defence industrial strategy. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (James Murray): The Chancellor and the Defence Secretary meet …
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has discussed the Global Combat Air Programme with his (a) Swedish, (b) Polish, (c) Canadian, (d) Australian, (e) Saudi Arabian and (f) Singaporean counterpart.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many major contracts which have been signed by his department since July 2024 were a) sustainment or refresh contracts or b) new procurement contracts.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the Type 83 design process; and whether it will be completed by 2038.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has an agreed target spend with SMEs.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's capability to manufacture defence equipment such as ballistic protection, battlefield electronics and military aviation in the light of disruption to the acrylonitrile and high per
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to UK defence capability arising from (1) limited UK production of key chemical precursors and intermediate substances such as sulphuric acid, acrylonitrile, siloxane and methacry
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on allocating a share of the £182 million Defence Industrial Strategy skills package to Scotland.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of Scotland’s Defence Growth Deal funding derives from the Defence Industrial Strategy skills package.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Ministry of Defence small and medium-sized enterprise engagement published on 24 March 2026, whether his Department plans to publish the (a) the SME actio
UIN: HCWS1538 I wish to update the House on changes to Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) within the Ministry of Defence, delivered as part of Defence Reform and the Productive and Agile State Programme. These changes strengthen ministerial oversight, reduce duplication, …
UIN: HLWS1547 My hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I wish to update the House on changes to Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) within the Ministry of Defence, delivered …
Why linked: Filled the "Regional industrial capacity utilisation strategies (e.g. Northern Ireland defence manufacturing)" gap via web research
Defence tech start-ups and small businesses in Northern Ireland will benefit from a £50 million investment boost launched by the UK government today, creating highly-skilled jobs and strengthening UK national security.
Why linked: MoD news release (March 2026) on SME engagement ahead of the SME Action Plan — directly grounds the SME-engagement limb of DIS.
How the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in advance of the SME Action Plan.
Why linked: Defence Committee oral evidence session (March 2026) on the impact of DIP delay on industry — primary scrutiny event.
Event type: Formal meeting (oral evidence session) | Committee: Defence Committee | Inquiry: One-off session on the impact of the delay to the Defence Investment Plan on industry | Starts: 2026-03-24T10:00:00+00:00 | Ends: 2026-03-24T12:30:00+00:00 | Location: The Thatcher Room, Portcullis …
UIN: HCWS1440 My Rt hon.Friend the Minister of State for Defence (The Lord Coaker) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. In the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) published in June 2025, the Government committed to bring forward a Defence Diplomacy …
UIN: HLWS1439 In the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) published in June 2025, the Government committed to bring forward a Defence Diplomacy Strategy. Today, we fulfil that commitment. The full Strategy is necessarily classified, due to its assessments of the UK’s …
How UK Defence can deepen its international relationships with allies and partners to support defence and wider foreign policy.
Why linked: One-off Defence Committee session on the impact of DIP publication delay on industry — directly relevant to the live affordability question.
Non-inquiry sessions are brief packages of work that will not necessarily result in a report. They may be used to revisit previous inquiry topics or take evidence on a topical matter. Committee: Defence Committee | Type: Non-inquiry session | Status: …
Why linked: Filled the "Defence Investment Plan (multi-year spending and capability roadmap)" gap via web research
In June 2025, the government's Strategic Defence Review (SDR) announced that a new Defence Investment Plan, replacing the Equipment Plan, would lay out how the SDR's vision would be delivered.
Why linked: March 2026 Lords debate on DIS 2025 economic growth and job creation — substantive Lords scrutiny session.
Question 14:47:00 Asked by Lord Forbes of Newcastle: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 on promoting economic growth and job creation in English regions and devolved …
Why linked: February 2026 Commons oral questions on DIS 2025 and Northern Ireland — parliamentary scrutiny of the Northern Ireland Growth Deal that launched April 2026.
Alice Macdonald (Norwich North) (Lab/Co-op): 3. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the defence industrial strategy 2025 on Northern Ireland. Kevin Bonavia (Stevenage) (Lab): 9. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the …
This consultation seeks input on three questions on key aspects of offset policies. The policies support the Defence Industrial Strategy commitment to explore measures to support UK-based businesses.
The UK has joined a defence exports treaty with France, Germany and Spain which will make it easier for UK defence businesses to export.
UIN: HLWS1139 My hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am pleased to set out that the UK has acceded to the Agreement on Defence Export Controls, to …
Why linked: Defence Committee finding (November 2025) welcoming cross-government work on industrial resilience strengthening the defence industrial base — substantive committee position on DIS.
We welcome cross-Government work on industrial resilience which we view as area of increasing importance. The measures proposed have the potential to strengthen the defence (and wider UK) industrial base if 60 implemented. However, we are disappointed that the Defence …
Why linked: Defence Committee finding (November 2025) that the National Armaments Director post is key to DIS implementation — substantive committee scrutiny output on DIS delivery.
The National Armaments Director is a key post for implementation of policy changes in both the SDR and the Defence Industrial Strategy. As such, we believe that the Department ought to prioritise his giving evidence to Parliament. We recommend that …
UIN: HCWS1072 In the Strategic Defence Review published in June, The MOD committed £1.5 billion of additional defence investment for energetics and munitions including the ‘always on munitions’ pipeline. The Government is committed to building at least 6 new munitions …
UIN: HLWS1070 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. In the Strategic Defence Review published in June, The MOD committed £1.5 billion of additional defence investment for energetics …
Why linked: Live statutory instrument amending the Export Control Order 2008 — the statutory regime governing defence-goods export licensing, materially engaged by the DIS export-promotion limb.
These Regulations amend the Export Control Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/3231) (“the 2008 Order”), assimilated Council Regulation (EC) No 428/2009 of 5 May 2009 setting up a Community regime for the control of exports, transfer, brokering and transit of dual-use items …
This consultation seeks input on three questions on key aspects of offset policies. The policies support the Defence Industrial Strategy commitment to explore measures to support UK-based businesses.
In response to: Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) Offset Written Consultation
An overview of how the MOD supports employment, skills, investment, and economic growth across all parts of the United Kingdom.
Why linked: October 2025 Commons oral questions on DIS impact on Northern Ireland — substantive parliamentary engagement on the regional Growth Deal limb.
Kevin Bonavia (Stevenage) (Lab): 3. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the defence industrial strategy on Northern Ireland. Alex Ballinger (Halesowen) (Lab): 4. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the defence industrial …
Why linked: Filled the "Regional industrial capacity utilisation strategies (e.g. Northern Ireland defence manufacturing)" gap via web research
A companion document to the Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 that maps the UK's regional and national defence industrial footprint, detailing defence capacity, employment, and key industrial sites by region and nation including Northern Ireland. It provides the evidential basis for …
The defence sector plan of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.
Why linked: Lords repetition of the DIS 2025 launch statement on 10 September 2025 — the Lords companion to the framework launch.
Statement 20:29:00 The following Statement was made in the House of Commons on Monday 8 September. “With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a Statement on the defence industrial strategy. Today we fulfil another manifesto commitment by publishing …
Why linked: Government publication of the Minister Luke Pollard DIS launch statement transcript on gov.uk — confirms the Sept 2025 framework launch.
Minister of State, Luke Pollard delivers at statement to the House of Commons on Monday 8 September 2025 to launch the Defence Industrial Strategy
Why linked: Joint letter from Secretaries of State for BT and Defence to the Defence Committee on DIS (September 2025) — substantive government correspondence on DIS at launch.
Direction: to_committee
Why linked: Commons launch statement for DIS 2025 by Minister Luke Pollard on 8 September 2025 — the primary regime-defining event.
17:06:00 The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Luke Pollard): With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a statement on the defence industrial strategy. Today we fulfil another manifesto commitment by publishing our plan to strengthen our security …
Why linked: Government news release on the £182m skills package at the heart of DIS 2025 — directly grounds the skills-package commitment.
UK jobs and skills will be the driving force behind making the country a defence industrial leader under a transformative new strategy to be launched next week.
Why linked: HTML version of the National Security Strategy 2025 — companion to the policy paper.
HTML version of the National Security Strategy 2025 — companion to the policy paper.
In response to: National Security Strategy 2025: Security for the British People in a Dangerous World
Why linked: National Security Strategy 2025 — strategic context within which DIS 2025 and SDR 2025 operate.
National Security Strategy 2025 identifies the main challenges the UK faces in an era of radical uncertainty and sets out a new Strategic Framework covering all aspects of national security and international policy
UIN: HLWS812 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.We are in a new era of threat which demands a new era for Defence. Yesterday I, together with my …
A root-and-branch review of UK Defence.
Why linked: Government guidance on UKDI establishment consolidating DASA, DIU and DE&S FCI — operationalising the innovation limb of DIS.
The UK Defence Innovation organisation, (UKDI), represents a transformative step in consolidating our defence innovation ecosystem under a single, coherent operating model.
UIN: HCWS762 Today this Government is outlining two major developments in our commitment to reform Defence and the delivery of our Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The establishment of the new UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) organisation and the renaming of the …
UIN: HLWS762 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Today this Government is outlining two major developments in our commitment to reform Defence and the delivery of our …
Why linked: Defence Committee letter to Secretaries of State on the Defence Industrial Strategy (June 2025) — committee scrutiny correspondence in the run-up to DIS publication.
Direction: from_committee
UIN: HLWS655 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Right Hon John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.I am today placing in the Library of the House the Defence Nuclear Enterprise 2025 Annual Update …
UIN: HCWS573 Today this Government is bringing in the deepest reforms in UK Defence for 50 years, which will fundamentally change the way defence operates.Defence must change to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. The Government’s recent announcement …
UIN: HLWS571 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Today this Government is bringing in the deepest reforms in UK Defence for 50 years, which will fundamentally change …
In response to: Defence Advanced Manufacturing Strategy
This document describes how defence will increase the use of additive manufacturing to realise its potential benefits.
UIN: HLWS434 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The Ministry of Defence Votes A Estimate 2025-26, has been laid before the House of Commons on 11 February …
Why linked: January 2025 oral questions on DIS support for defence sector SMEs — substantive engagement on the SME limb under the new Labour government.
Alan Strickland (Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor) (Lab): 10. What steps he plans to take through the defence industrial strategy to increase support for defence sector SMEs. The Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry (Maria Eagle): We are delivering for defence, …
Why linked: Letter from Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry to Defence Committee Chair on the DIS Statement of Intent (December 2024) — committee correspondence on the DIS lineage.
Direction: to_committee
How the Ministry of Defence's science and technology plans will be delivered including funding and collaboration opportunities for industry and academia.
In response to: Defence Industrial Strategy - Statement of Intent
UIN: HCWS273 Today I am announcing plans to develop a new Defence Industrial Strategy that will be published in late spring 2025. I have published a Statement of Intent setting out the focus of the strategy and invitation to consultation …
UIN: HLWS271 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The right hon. John Healey MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Today I am announcing plans to develop a new Defence Industrial Strategy that will be …
A statement of intent by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) regarding the Defence Industrial Strategy.
UIN: HLWS235 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.I have today made an Oral Statement setting out how our new Government is addressing the challenges facing UK Defence. …
UIN: HCWS193 The UK is exploring options to re-establish a nuclear fuel cycle for reactor fuel for defence purposes. The Government is committed to modernising defence nuclear fuel production under the Defence Nuclear Enterprise. We are commencing engagement with indu...
UIN: HLWS190 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The UK is exploring options to re-establish a nuclear fuel cycle for reactor fuel for defence purposes. The Government …
Why linked: Matched expansion phrase: Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it remains their position that foreign and defence policy are aligned, as stated in the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, published in March 2021, and the Integrated Review Refr
UIN: HCWS377 I am today laying before the House the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper – “Delivering the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent: A National Endeavour”. The Command Paper establishes the UK’s nuclear programme as a critical ‘National Endeavour’ which is vital …
UIN: HLWS374 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am today laying before the House the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper – “Delivering …
The Ministry of Defence’s Equipment Plan for the next decade is unaffordable and it is facing the largest budget deficit since the Plan was first published in 2012, according to a new report by the National Audit Office. Report type: …
UIN: HCWS87 I wish to inform Parliament that the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence has written to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee with our 2023 update on the affordability of the 2023 Defence Equipment Plan as …
UIN: HLWS82 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.I wish to inform Parliament that the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence has written …
In response to: Defence Equipment & Support Strategy
UIN: HCWS1014 I wish to make a joint statement with HM Treasury, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government. The Government is clear the UK’s defence sector has an integral role in supporting the first duty of government: to promote and …
UIN: HCWS1015 The last update to the House on delivery of the Combat Air Strategy was given during Farnborough International Airshow in July of last year. DSEI London has brought the eyes of the world once again to the UK’s …
UIN: HLWS997 My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence (Grant Shapps) has today released the following written ministerial statement. I wish to make a joint statement with HM Treasury, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government. The Government …
UIN: HLWS998 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The last update to the House on delivery of the Combat Air Strategy was given …
The strategy details Defence Equipment & Support’s approach to equip our armed forces with the edge to protect our nation.
A strategy outlining how the Defence Aviation sector will contribute to the UK’s Net Zero ambition, while ensuring its continued operational effectiveness.
The SONAC (Secretary of State’s Office of Net Assessment and Challenge) is calling for voluntary submissions to help shape the next Defence Command Paper and the future direction of UK Defence.
The SONAC (Secretary of State’s Office of Net Assessment and Challenge) is calling for voluntary submissions to help shape the next Defence Command Paper and the future direction of UK Defence.
In response to: Call for submissions to shape the next Defence Command Paper
In written evidence, the UK Defence Journal set out their understanding of the shipbuilding pipeline for BAE Systems and Babcock as of April 2022 (Table 1). 64 BAE Systems (DIS0030) 65 UK Defence Journal (DIS0022) 66 Q2 67 Q3 68 …
UIN: HLWS493 My hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Alex Chalk KC MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Today I am providing an update on our plans for the next stage of the Fleet Solid Support ship …
UIN: HCWS428 In the summer I updated the House on progress under the UK Combat Air Strategy, setting out the crucial importance of combat air to the nation’s security, sovereign industrial base and to our role in international affairs. I …
UIN: HLWS419 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.In the summer I updated the House on progress under the UK Combat Air Strategy, setting …
UIN: HCWS396 I am pleased to place in the Library of the House a copy of the 2022 Defence Equipment Plan report, which details the Department’s spending plans in equipment procurement and support projects over a period of 10 years.This …
UIN: HLWS383 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am pleased to place in the Library of the House a copy of the …
UIN: HLWS361 My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence (Ben Wallace) has made the following written ministerial statement.Today I am providing an update on our plans for the next stage of the Fleet Solid Support ship programme.I …
In response to: Defence Supply Chain Strategy
The Defence Supply Chain Strategy (DSCS) outlines how Defence plans to build resilience within our Supply Chains.
UIN: HCWS351 I am today confirming the Department’s intention to merge two of Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s arm’s-length bodies (ALBs), which will see the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA) merge into Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S). This follows the …
UIN: HLWS344 My Hon Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Alex Chalk) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am today confirming the Department’s intention to merge two of Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s arm’s-length bodies (ALBs), which will see …
Why linked: Defence Committee Second Report on the Integrated Review, Defence in a Competitive Age and DSIS (July 2022) — the underlying committee scrutiny report on the predecessor regime.
Defence Committee Second Report on the Integrated Review, Defence in a Competitive Age and DSIS (July 2022) — the underlying committee scrutiny report on the predecessor regime.
UIN: HCWS228 The 2018 Combat Air Strategy set out how the UK will deliver the military capability we need to operate in highly contested environments, boost our industrial capability, and maximise our international influence. My Department actively maintains our Typho...
UIN: HLWS230 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.The 2018 Combat Air Strategy set out how the UK will deliver the military capability we …
UIN: HCWS36 I wish to update Parliament on the progress made since the publication of the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS) on 23 March 2021. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has highlighted even more the importance of a sustainable and …
UIN: HLWS35 My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I wish to update Parliament on the progress made since the publication of the Defence and Security Industrial …
Sets the conditions for long-term collaboration between the MOD and industry, supporting co-investment in capability delivery and innovation.
UIN: HCWS670 Today the Prime Minister will announce the publication of the Refresh to the National Shipbuilding Strategy, unveiling a comprehensive package of Government support to further a shipbuilding renaissance for the whole of the UK and bringing together over …
UIN: HLWS653 My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence (Ben Wallace) has made the following written statement.Today the Prime Minister will announce the publication of the Refresh to the National Shipbuilding Strategy, unveiling a comprehensive package of …
A refreshed strategy for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable shipbuilding enterprise.
UIN: HCWS611 I am pleased to place in the Library of the House a copy of the 2021 Defence Equipment Plan Report, which sets out our plans to deliver the equipment needed by our Armed Forces to defend the country …
UIN: HLWS596 My hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am pleased to place in the Library of the House a copy of the 2021 Defence Equipment Plan Report, …
Improving MOD's relationship with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), focusing on procurement models and how best to support innovation and exports for UK suppliers.
UIN: HCWS261 The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has acquired Sheffield Forgemasters International Limited (SFIL), allowing HM Government to refinance the company and secure the supply of components for critical current and future UK defence programmes. The MOD also intends...
UIN: HCWS101 On 25th March 2015, the then Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Hon. Sir Michael Fallon, made a statement about the findings of the Royal Navy Nuclear Reactor Prototype Review. At the time it was anticipated that …
UIN: HLWS93 My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. On 25th March 2015, the then Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Hon.Sir Michael Fallon made a …
Why linked: Lords statement repeating the Commons DSIS 2021 announcement — the predecessor regime to DIS 2025, with substantive scrutiny exchanges (Tunnicliffe, Smith of Newnham, West of Spithead, Houghton, Empey, Bilimoria) that ground multiple stakeholder positions.
Statement The following Statement was made in the House of Commons on Tuesday 23 March. “With permission, I should like to make a Statement on the future defence and security industrial strategy. Last November, the Prime Minister announced he was …
Why linked: Commons DSIS 2021 launch statement by Jeremy Quin — directly precedes the Lords repetition already cited.
12:39:00 The Minister for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin): With permission, I should like to make a statement on the future defence and security industrial strategy. Last November, the Prime Minister announced he was increasing spending on defence by £24 billion …
UIN: HCWS700 I wish to inform Parliament that the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence has written to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee with our 2020 update on the affordability of the Defence Equipment Plan, covering the …
UIN: HLWS695 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I wish to inform Parliament that the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence has …
Why linked: Original July 2020 oral question by Philip Dunne MP that prompted Ben Wallace to begin developing what became DSIS 2021 — regime-genesis event.
Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con): What steps he is taking to develop a defence industrial strategy to support the armed forces. The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ben Wallace): The Government are currently conducting work on the UK’s defence and …
UIN: HCWS145 I wanted to inform the House of our work to review the UK’s defence and security industrial sectors, which will inform the broader Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.The UK has built up a world-leading …
UIN: HLWS138 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.I wanted to inform the House of our work to review the UK’s defence and security …
UIN: HCWS130 I am pleased to place in the Library of the House the 2019 financial summary of the Defence Equipment Plan, which sets out our plans to deliver the equipment needed by our Armed Forces to defend the country …
UIN: HLWS124 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am pleased to place in the Library of the House the 2019 financial summary …
This document initiates a strategic approach to the UK’s combat air sector.
We are now seeking external users’ views on proposed changes to the trade industry and contracts statistical bulletin.
We are now seeking external users’ views on proposed changes to the trade industry and contracts statistical bulletin.
We are now seeking external users’ views on proposed changes to the trade industry and contracts statistical bulletin.
Seeks views on refreshing defence industrial policy, in the context of SDSR 2015 and National security through technology 2012.
This strategy details how we will work with our external partners and what contribution we will make to support innovation efforts.
Seeks views on refreshing defence industrial policy, in the context of SDSR 2015 and National security through technology 2012.
Seeks views on refreshing defence industrial policy, in the context of SDSR 2015 and National security through technology 2012.
An interactive online consultation to support the development of the new defence and security accelerator.
An interactive online consultation to support the development of the new defence and security accelerator.
An interactive online consultation to support the development of the new defence and security accelerator.
Ministry of Defence revised policy for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) following the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.
An update on how government and the UK defence industry are working together to meet the needs of customers around the globe.
Why linked: Commons Library briefing on the SDSR framework that historically underpinned UK defence-industrial planning — scrutiny baseline for the regime lineage.
Type: Standard Note (SN05592) That Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) was announced shortly after the new Coalition Government took office in May 2010. As the SDSR is ongoing, it is difficult to conclude with any certainty what its final …
The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) is the Ministry of Defence's framework for building, sustaining and exporting from the UK defence industrial base. Its current iteration — DIS 2025, 'Making Defence an Engine for Growth' 1 — was published on 8 September 2025 as the defence sector plan of the Modern Industrial Strategy, sitting within the Strategic Defence Review 2025 2. It replaced the 2021 Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS) statement and the December 2024 Statement of Intent 3. The regime now turns on delivery: regional Defence Growth Deals (£250m total, £182m skills package 4); a 50% SME-spend uplift on the FY23/24 baseline 5; £1.5bn additional munitions and energetics investment 6; consolidated innovation through UK Defence Innovation 7; and a forthcoming Defence Investment Plan replacing the historic Equipment Plan. The Defence Investment Plan's slipping publication date is the regime's live affordability question, drawing a Defence Committee inquiry.
DIS 2025 is in operational delivery, but with a structural gap: the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) that should give the strategy its budget envelope has not been published, and PQs on its timetable from across the political spectrum went unanswered before Prorogation 12. Two of the five planned regional Defence Growth Deals have launched — Scotland's £50m deal on 12 March 2026 3 and Northern Ireland's £50m deal on 22 April 2026 4 — alongside an £182m Defence Industry Skills Package 5. Structural reform continues in parallel: UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) was established on 1 July 2025 consolidating DASA, the Defence Innovation Unit, and DE&S Future Capability Innovation under a single operating model 6; MoD Arm's Length Bodies were reformed via the April 2026 WMS HCWS1538 7. The Defence Diplomacy Strategy (March 2026) 8 and the UK's accession to the multilateral Agreement on Defence Export Controls with France, Germany and Spain (December 2025) 9 operationalise the export-promotion limb. On the regulatory side, the Export Control (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 updated the Export Control Order 2008 schedules — adding controls on quantum computers, advanced semiconductors and additive manufacturing, and lifting UK arms embargoes on Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The April 2026 cluster is dense and revealing. The £50m Northern Ireland Defence Growth Deal launched on 22 April 2026 1 alongside the Scotland deal six weeks earlier 2, operationalising the regional limb of DIS 2025. The same day as the NI announcement, the WMS HCWS1538 announced sweeping MoD Arm's Length Bodies reforms under the Productive and Agile State Programme 34. Within a week, PQs tabled by multiple members on the Defence Investment Plan, Northern Ireland industrial capacity, the National Shipbuilding Strategy update and Ukraine-driven rapid innovation cycles 56789 went unanswered before Prorogation — exposing the gap between strategy and delivery. The Defence Committee inquiry into DIP affordability is the primary parliamentary scrutiny vector for that gap. Earlier in the cycle, the Defence Diplomacy Strategy (March 2026) 1011 fulfilled an SDR 2025 commitment, the Factories of the Future WMS (November 2025) 12 committed £1.5bn for energetics and munitions, and the December 2025 Defence Export Controls Agreement 1314 reduced licensing friction with France, Germany and Spain.
The single most important upcoming milestone is the publication of the Defence Investment Plan. Without it, the affordability of every DIS commitment — the £85bn equipment-and-support envelope inherited from DSIS framing, the £250m Growth Deals, the £1.5bn munitions investment, the 50% SME-spend uplift — cannot be verified. The Defence Committee's live inquiry is the principal scrutiny vector and its government response will be the next inflection point. The refreshed MoD SME Action Plan, promised since DSIS 2021 and re-promised under DIS 2025, is still in development as of April 2026 1; its publication will clarify whether the 50% uplift is direct, indirect or aggregated 2. Three further regional Defence Growth Deals are expected after Scotland and Northern Ireland, with implications for industrial-policy alignment in Wales, North West England and elsewhere. The DIS Offset Written Consultation, which closed on 23 December 2025 3, requires a government response that will shape industrial-collaboration terms with foreign primes. Finally, watch the update to the National Shipbuilding Strategy, on which the April 2026 PQ 129666 4 sought a timetable and received none; given the Type 26, Type 31 and prospective Type 32 / Type 83 programmes are central to the naval-industrial limb of DIS, the absence of an updated Strategy creates an industry-planning gap. The NAO Equipment Plan 2023-33 affordability finding 5 remains the independent baseline.
Three risks dominate. First, fiscal-credibility risk: the NAO's most recent independent finding 1 was that the Equipment Plan was unaffordable with the largest deficit since 2012; DIS 2025 commitments stack on top of that baseline and the DIP is overdue. Second, delivery-machinery turbulence: simultaneous standing-up of UKDI 2, reform of MoD Arm's Length Bodies 3 and DE&S evolution 4 create transition risk during the same window that Growth Deals are launching. Third, SME-target opacity: the 50% uplift target 5 is aggregated direct-plus-indirect and its baseline year (FY23/24) is recent, meaning headline progress is harder to dispute but also less informative. Inferred from corpus gap: there is no published subsidy-control assessment for the regional Defence Growth Deals, which are selective public funding to undertakings; cross-cutting subsidy-control law (Subsidy Control Act 2022) is materially engaged but the corpus is silent on whether assessments have been done. Inferred from corpus gap: the 2025 government response to the Defence Committee's DIP-affordability inquiry has not yet been published, and the Defence Committee's substantive scrutiny output is not yet in the corpus.
The Defence Industrial Strategy is a regime built around a strategy document rather than a single statutory hook. The architecture has four layers, and a practitioner needs to keep them distinct.
First, the strategic-framework layer: DIS 2025 sits as the defence sector plan of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, framed within the Strategic Defence Review 2025 12. This layer is policy, not law — it commits the government to spending envelopes, regional Defence Growth Deals (£250m total, £182m skills package 3), an SME-spend uplift of 50% versus FY23/24 4, and a Defence Investment Plan replacing the historic Equipment Plan. It binds Ministers and the MoD but not third parties directly.
Second, the procurement-statutory layer: the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 (DSPCR) provide the legal channel through which DIS commitments on social value, SME access, and innovation are operationalised [pk=531079]. DSIS 2021 made social value mandatory under DSPCR from 1 June 2021 — DIS 2025 builds on this. Single-source contracts continue to be governed by the Single Source Contract Regulations.
Third, the export-control statutory layer: the Export Control Act 2002 and the Export Control Order 2008 — as most recently amended by SI 2025/1197 [candpk=44139] — provide the live regulatory regime governing defence-goods exports, dual-use items and trade controls. The export-promotion limb of DIS depends on this regime being workable for industry; the December 2025 Agreement on Defence Export Controls with France, Germany and Spain 5 sits on top of this regime to reduce friction for multilateral exports.
Fourth, the delivery-architecture layer: Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) executes procurement 6; UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), created July 2025, consolidates innovation funding 7; the National Shipbuilding Office runs the shipbuilding pipeline 8; sectoral strategies (Land Industrial, Defence Advanced Manufacturing, Defence Supply Chain, Defence Aviation Net Zero) operationalise the regime in specific domains 9101112. The April 2026 MoD Arm's Length Bodies reform 13 restructures this layer further.
What the regime cannot do: it cannot, by itself, bind another government's procurement decisions; it cannot override subsidy-control law on regional Growth Deals; and it cannot operate independently of HM Treasury Spending Review allocations — which is why the absence of the Defence Investment Plan is the live affordability question that the Defence Committee is investigating [candpk=56811].
Concept introduced in DSIS 2021 and continued in DIS 2025: 'industry as a strategic capability in its own right' — meaning the defence industrial base is treated as a national security asset, not merely a supplier market.
The pre-2021 procurement presumption that the MoD would be 'just as happy buying abroad as building in Britain' — now replaced by a 'more flexible, nuanced approach'.
Regional packages of funding co-designed between MoD and Devolved Administrations / regional bodies to grow defence industrial capacity. £250m total under DIS 2025, with five deals planned.
Industries identified by DIS as essential to UK operational independence — including nuclear, complex weapons, cryptography, armoured vehicles, shipbuilding and (under DIS 2025) munitions.
Procurement model emerging from UK defence support to Ukraine — short-cycle iteration of equipment based on battlefield feedback rather than traditional decade-long acquisition.
Defence Investment Plan publication — repeatedly slipped; PQs on the timetable went unanswered before Prorogation. Industry investment decisions and Defence Committee affordability inquiry both depend on this.
Government response to the DIS Offset Written Consultation (closed 23 December 2025).
Publication of the refreshed MoD SME Action Plan — PQ 127437 (April 2026) indicates plans are in development with no fixed publication date.
Defence Committee report on the Affordability of the Defence Investment Plan inquiry — central parliamentary scrutiny output.
Remaining three of the five Defence Growth Deals (after Scotland and Northern Ireland) — typically expected in Wales, North West England and one further region.
Update to the National Shipbuilding Strategy — PQ 129666 sought a timetable in April 2026; no answer before Prorogation.
Owns DIS 2025 as 'the defence sector plan of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy'; positions defence spending as an engine for growth, jobs and onshore resilience, with structured Defence Growth Deals as the delivery mechanism.Sep 2025Oct 2025Apr 2026
Tension with National Audit Office
As Defence Secretary, has personally signed the Defence Reform WMSs (April and July 2025), Factories of the Future update (Nov 2025), and Defence Diplomacy Strategy (March 2026) — consistent line that DIS plus the SDR is the deepest reform of UK Defence in 50 years.Apr 2025Jul 2025Nov 2025Mar 2026
As Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, launched DIS 2025 on 8 September 2025 framing it as the delivery of a manifesto commitment, with skills as the central driver and SMEs as the lifeblood — the Government's primary spokesperson on operational delivery of DIS.Apr 2026
Lords MoD minister with the broadest WMS portfolio on this thread (twelve statements); has presented the Defence Export Controls Agreement, MoD ALB Reforms, Factories of the Future and the Defence Diplomacy Strategy to the Lords — the line minister for cross-cutting DIS operationalisation in the Upper House.Apr 2026Dec 2025Mar 2026Nov 2025
Has historically scrutinised the integrated IR/DSIS package and is currently running a substantive inquiry into the Affordability of the Defence Investment Plan — the most material parliamentary scrutiny vector on whether DIS 2025 commitments are fundable.Nov 2022
Independent audit position: the Equipment Plan 2023-33 was unaffordable with the largest budget deficit since the Plan began in 2012 — the baseline finding against which the Defence Investment Plan and DIS 2025 will be assessed.Dec 2023
Tension with Ministry of Defence
Pressed for consistent shipbuilding work for Harland and Wolff and other Northern Ireland yards — the regional-industrial-capacity scrutiny line which DIS 2025 has now answered in part via the £50m NI Defence Growth Deal.Apr 2026
Framed the operational-need-to-industry connection as broken by 'cautious procurement and monopolistic primes' — a structural critique calling for a 'speed-dating agency' between technology providers and operational requirements which DIS 2025/UKDI partially addresses.Jul 2025