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Monday Volume 616 7 November 2016 No. 58 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 7 November 2016 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2016 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1235 7 NOVEMBER 2016 1236 including the need to apply to remain on a list of House of Commons approved suppliers. Can the Minister take any steps to simplify the process and encourage even more small Monday 7 November 2016 businesses to come forward? Harriett Baldwin: We recognise that processes are The House met at half-past Two o’clock overly bureaucratic. We have got rid of the idea of an approved suppliers list, and we are working hard to reduce red tape. We are introducing a shorter contract PRAYERS and a network of supply chain advocates. May I suggest that any businesses in my hon. Friend’s constituency or [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] any other contact the relevant supply chain advocate? I look forward to sending my hon. Friend those details later today. BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS Mr John Spellar (Warley) (Lab): Will the Minister NEW WRIT outline what steps are being taken to help British businesses? Ordered, In that context, will she tell us why the Department That the Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the decided to procure combat garments for the Army from Crown to make out a new Writ for the electing of a Member to a Spanish company rather than a Scottish one? serve in this present Parliament for the County Constituency of Sleaford and North Hykeham in the room of Stephen James Harriett Baldwin: We welcome competition in Phillips, who since his election for the said County Constituency, procurement for all our contracts. We also recognise has been appointed to the Office of Steward and Bailiff of Her that our £178 billion equipment budget is being spent Majesty’s Manor of Northstead in the County of York.—(Gavin with more than 5,000 businesses here in the UK. Williamson.) Mr Speaker: Before we get under way with proceedings, Marcus Fysh (Yeovil) (Con): SMEs make up a large I am sure that the whole House will wish to join me in part of the helicopter manufacturing industry in my offering our warmest congratulations to Andy Murray constituency and they are worried that the potential on becoming the men’s singles world No. 1—the first local closure of GKN foreshadows an erosion of that. British man to do so since the inception of the ATP What support can my hon. Friend provide to keep a full rankings in 1973. It is a tribute to his talent, to his helicopter manufacturing capability in the Yeovil area? big-match temperament and to his tireless endeavour Harriett Baldwin: I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s over many years. fantastic work representing his constituents in Yeovil and the magnificent work that they do. We took delivery of the most recent Wildcat helicopter just in the last Oral Answers to Questions month. We look forward to working with Leonardo in Yeovil as part of a major strategic partnership agreement. It is important that my hon. Friend puts such issues about helicopter manufacturing forward as part of the DEFENCE industrial Green Paper that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will produce later this The Secretary of State was asked— year. Procurement Programmes: Supply Chain Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab): Last week’s announcement on the Type 26 frigate was good news 1. Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con): What steps he is for Scotland. What steps have been put in place to taking to ensure that SMEs are included in the supply ensure that UK SMEs and larger companies, for example chain for defence procurement programmes. [907088] those based in the north-east of England, will gain work from this contract? The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Harriett Baldwin): May I add my congratulations to Harriett Baldwin: The hon. Gentleman is right to Andy Murray? Having said those remarks, I am sure highlight this fantastic news for companies up and that Mr Speaker will be able to watch many more down the country, including our shipbuilders on the matches played by the world’s No. 1 tennis player. It is Clyde. We have already announced contracts worth absolutely fantastic news. some £1.9 billion which are related to this programme Small businesses are vital for growth and innovation, right across the UK. Importantly, we will be publishing, whether they work directly with the Ministry of Defence alongside our prime contractor, the opportunities for or through our prime contractors. We have committed the British steel industry to bid into this manufacturing to increase our direct and indirect procurement spending opportunity. with small and medium-sized enterprises from 19% to 25% by 2020. Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): One reason we have bureaucracy, which was mentioned by my hon. Mark Pawsey: It is good to hear from the Minister Friend the Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey), is to that our armed forces can benefit from the innovation ensure that SMEs stay in business during the whole and entrepreneurship of small businesses. However, one course of a contract. The biggest enemy of any SME is such business in my constituency tells me that dealing a poor cash flow. What is the Department doing to with the Department can sometimes be overly bureaucratic, ensure that SMEs are paid promptly? 1237 Oral Answers 7 NOVEMBER 2016 Oral Answers 1238 Harriett Baldwin: My hon. Friend is right to highlight Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab): Reports that this is an important issue, which is why the Ministry at the weekend suggest that the deployment and moves of Defence is so committed to being able to pay our into Raqqa are imminent. Can the Secretary of State invoices promptly. We give that guidance to our prime give us any update on what is going to happen and what contractors, and I would certainly like to hear of any support we will be providing to the efforts against examples from Members of where prime contractors Daesh in Raqqa? are not passing on that prompt payment from the MOD to their suppliers. Sir Michael Fallon: Yes, I can tell the House that we expect operations to first isolate, then encircle and then Douglas Chapman (Dunfermline and West Fife) (SNP): liberate Raqqa to begin shortly.Our forces—the RAF—will The Minister will be aware of the fabulous job being be involved in a similar role there, providing intelligence done by SMEs and large companies to deliver the Royal and reconnaissance from the air, but they will also be Navy carriers at Rosyth, both of which are on time and providing close air support to troops on the ground. on budget. How does she plan to reward Rosyth and its highly skilled workforce after the carriers are gone? Bob Stewart (Beckenham) (Con): The Royal Air Force What good news has she got for Rosyth today? is world renowned for the accuracy of its missile strikes. Will my right hon. Friend confirm what I think is still Harriett Baldwin: I would have thought the hon. happening, which is that innocent casualties are at an Gentleman might have started by welcoming Friday’s absolute minimum when the RAF strikes in Iraq and announcement about the shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde, Syria? but he is absolutely right that it is a wonderful national Sir Michael Fallon: I hope that I can reassure my hon. moment as we complete these two fantastic carriers at Friend on that, because we take great care to plan our Rosyth. I am sure he and I are both looking forward to missions in a way that will minimise the risk of civilian seeing the Queen Elizabeth sail down the Forth some casualties in accordance with the rules of engagement time next year. Given the ambitious shipbuilding strategy that I laid down at the beginning of the campaign. In that we have and the national shipbuilding strategy that more than 1,000 airstrikes now conducted by the RAF will be announced nearer to the autumn statement, I as part of the campaign, we have found no evidence yet am sure that there will be great news for shipbuilding of civilian casualties, and we do carry out an assessment across Scotland and the whole of the UK. after each of the British strikes. Iraq and Syria: RAF Campaign Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab): In the run-up to 2. Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab): What Remembrance Day, we think of all those who have assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the served our country as well as those who are currently serving it around the world, and we remember the RAF’s campaign in Iraq and Syria. [907089] immense sacrifices that have been made to defend our The Secretary of State for Defence (Sir Michael Fallon): freedoms. The RAF’s significant contribution to the fight against We support the RAF’s involvement in the campaign Daesh is second only to that of the Americans. To date, to liberate Raqqa. Daesh has used the city as its we have conducted 1,048 airstrikes in Iraq and 67 in headquarters to plot attacks against British citizens, Syria. In Iraq, the RAF has helped Iraqi security forces and it is vital that that evil organisation is routed for to halt and push back Daesh, with about three quarters good. Before launching the operation to free Mosul, the of the current strikes now supporting operations to Iraqi Government made careful plans about exactly retake Mosul.