Select committee: Scottish Affairs Committee
Conclusion 8
3rd Report – Securing Scotland's future: Defence skills and jobs
Published 15 Sep 2026
Addressed to Scotland Office
Scottish Affairs Committee Securing Scotland’s Future: Defence Skills and Jobs All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Scottish SMEs seeking to enter defence supply chains are also disserved by several barriers. Meeting the standards required by prime contractors is often costly and complex, with requirements varying across firms and contracts. We welcome the establishment of the Defence Office for Small Business Growth to help address these challenges. However, it is too early to assess whether the Defence Office for Small Business Growth will deliver meaningful improvements for Scotland’s defence sector. Similar initiatives have been established in the past, yet challenges facing SMEs persist. (Conclusion, Paragraph 46)
From: Scottish Affairs Committee, 3rd Report – Securing Scotland's future: Defence skills and jobs (HC 165), 15 September 2026
Government response
Government response awaited: deadline 14 November 2026.