Minister reveals Government plan for defence growth deal for Northern Ireland in response to UUP peer
Ulster Unionist peer Lord Rogan has welcomed a Government commitment to publish a “growth deal” for Northern Ireland as part of its Defence Industrial Strategy, published last September as a means of “making defence an engine for growth” across the UK.
Speaking in the House of Lords, the former UUP President said: “Northern Ireland is rightly designated as one of the five key UK regions that are pivotal to the success of this strategy, thanks to the Province’s expertise in cyber security, shipbuilding and missile manufacturing.”
He asked Defence Minister Lord Coaker: “Can you update the House on precisely what progress His Majesty’s Government has made in delivering this strategy in the six months since it was published and what benefits it has brought to the people of Northern Ireland?”
Responding, Lord Coaker said that “there have been meetings in Northern Ireland to drive the strategy forward.”
He continued: “We are hoping to make an announcement about the growth deal for Northern Ireland to build on the consultations that have taken place.
“Northern Ireland is home to Thales and a diverse range of defence and dual-use industries. The country is recognised as a leading cyber security hub, boosted by the Queen’s University Belfast Centre for Secure Information Technologies and Momentum One Zero. It is also a critical home to Thales and Harland & Wolff, companies that are critical to our support for Ukraine and our maritime strength.”
The Minister added: “That is a good news story for Northern Ireland and for the whole of the UK.”
Speaking afterwards, Lord Rogan described Lord Coaker’s pledge to produce a defence growth deal for the Province as “a positive development” and pledged to continue asking questions in Parliament around the “timing and nature of the planned announcement.”