Defence Secretary speech at the ADS Annual Dinner: 28 January 2025
Defence Secretary John Healey addressed the ADS Annual Dinner on 28 January 2025.
Good evening. Let me begin by thanking Kevin and his team at ADS for hosting this splendid event and for their work in promoting an industry that is the foundation for our way of life.
ADS is going from strength to strength, with a double digit increase in your membership last year.
You represent a commitment to innovation and excellence that are hallmarks of the British business spirit.
Yours is an industry which proves that we are still 바카라 사이트� at heart 바카라 사이트� a nation of makers and inventors. I know recent times haven바카라 사이트檛 been easy. And as Defence Secretary, I am grateful to you all.
This event brings us together from across the UK, across the industry and across the political divide.
I welcome this because defence policy and procurement commitments reach beyond political cycles.
I believe I바카라 사이트檓 the first Defence Secretary who바카라 사이트檚 spoken at this dinner, and tonight, you have two for the price of one with me as the warmup act for Penny Mourdant바카라 사이트檚 after dinner speech.
Penny is someone with a lifelong connection and commitment to our armed forces, who rose to become the first woman ever to hold the role of Defence Secretary.
I바카라 사이트檝e had the privilege of six months in the role, part of a government taking on profound challenges in our economy, our public finances and our national security.
Yet, as a new government, we바카라 사이트檝e already:
- Stepped up and speeded up support for Ukraine바카라 사이트�
- Increased defence spending by nearly 拢3 billion바카라 사이트�
- Launched a first of its kind Strategic Defence Review바카라 사이트�
- Given service personnel the largest pay rise in over 20 years바카라 사이트� and still dealt with a multi-billion in-year deficit바카라 사이트�
- Signed the landmark Trinity House Agreement with Germany바카라 사이트�
- Secured a huge deal to buy back over 36,000 military homes to improve forces housing and save taxpayers billions바카라 사이트�
- Set new targets to tackle the recruitment crisis바카라 사이트�
- Begun a transformational MOD reform programme바카라 사이트�
- And got the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill through the House of Commons to improve service life.
The point I want to make is that this is a new government that is delivering for defence.
Something which I was able to underline last Friday at Rolls Royce, announcing a major new contract over 8 years, which will boost British jobs, business and national security.
There바카라 사이트檚 incredible work being done there in Derby, by an incredible team, some of whom are here this evening.
It바카라 사이트檚 a big investment, but behind the numbers are 200 apprentices a year who now feel they have a future.聽聽
And suppliers 바카라 사이트� 92 per cent of which are British based 바카라 사이트� who now feel like have certainty.聽
What really struck me 바카라 사이트� and it happens every time I visit a defence site 바카라 사이트� is the deep sense of pride and purpose.
Defence workers are right to feel that way. Their efforts keep us all safe.
And as an industry, you also invest huge sums in research and development. One of the great strengths of the defence industry is that you force us to reach for the future.
Down the years, you바카라 사이트檝e been responsible for some of the most significant innovations in history. Designed for times of war but which often produce lasting benefits for wider society well beyond the battlefield.
As a nation, we바카라 사이트檙e good 바카라 사이트� and rightly so 바카라 사이트� at taking pride in the professionalism of our soldiers, sailors and aviators.
But we know that that they are only as effective as the industry which equips them.
We must be better at celebrating the role of the coders, programmers, scientists and engineers who provide our forces with the tools they need to protect us.
It바카라 사이트檚 why I want us to not only change the way we work with the defence industry, but also change the way we see the defence industry.
On the way we work with industry, I hope the last few months serve as a glimpse of type of partnership we want to forge.
From industry involvement 바카라 사이트� for the first time ever 바카라 사이트� in our war gaming, to the creation of the new Defence Industrial Joint Council.聽
And on the way we see industry, we know we have much to do.
Right now, there바카라 사이트檚 growing security concerns for defence firms at university careers, you attend to offer young people a route to a better life.
You바카라 사이트檙e facing harassment and intimidation, forced to cancel events on campus. This is wrong.
This attitude takes for granted the privileged position we enjoy in Britain 바카라 사이트� to live in freedom and security바카라 사이트� security our defence industry guarantees.聽
So, today 바카라 사이트� alongside the Business and Education Secretaries 바카라 사이트� I바카라 사이트檝e written to Universities UK for assurances about your safety on campuses.聽
We바카라 사이트檙e also seeing defence firms ranked alongside tobacco and gambling in Environmental, Social and Governance audits. And pension funds divest from you.
I have no doubt the intentions are聽well-meaning.聽But they바카라 사이트檙e聽fundamentally flawed.
We don바카라 사이트檛 stop wars by boycotting our defence industry.
We stop wars by backing it.
Let바카라 사이트檚 not forget that national security is a pre-condition for economic security, investor confidence and social stability.聽
I will always be a fierce advocate for you in the Department, to wider government, to the City, to the British public and to whoever needs to hear it.
My challenge to you 바카라 사이트� as an industry 바카라 사이트� is to be louder and confident about your role.
As my friend 바카라 사이트� Jonny Reynolds바카라 사이트� said to the President바카라 사이트檚 Reception earlier:
바카라 사이트淵ou are exceptional in your importance바카라 사이트� in helping to safeguard our national security and our way of life.
바카라 사이트淏ut you are also exceptional in your contribution to our economy. Nearly half a million well paid jobs are directly owed to aerospace, defence, security and space sectors.바카라 사이트�
To meet the challenges of this new era of threats, you바카라 사이트檝e seen the direction we want to take with our Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent.
And let me thank everyone who바카라 사이트檚 shared their insights so far in submissions to both our industrial strategy, and SDR consultations.聽
I know 바카라 사이트� for some 바카라 사이트� our Statement of Intent may have been met with a degree of scepticism. You바카라 사이트檝e been here before바카라 사이트� I get that바카라 사이트�
New government, new ideas.
But old habits die hard and entrenched interests dig in.
Previous industrial strategies have produced policies 바카라 사이트� many of them good 바카라 사이트� but there wasn바카라 사이트檛 the plan, the structures and the relentless attention to reform needed to make change happen.
So, why will this be different?
First, it has to be different.聽
The war in Ukraine confronts us with the deep truth that when a country faces conflict or is forced to fight, its armed forces are only as strong as the industry which stands behind them바카라 사이트�
That innovation and production capacity is a major part of our nation바카라 사이트檚 바카라 사이트� and our alliance바카라 사이트檚 바카라 사이트� deterrence.
And that industry바카라 사이트檚 constant purpose is to give the nation바카라 사이트檚 war fighters the advantage over our adversaries.
The last Defence Industrial Strategy was published in 2021, a year before Putin shattered the peace in Europe.
Ours will hardwire in these lessons and so too will the Strategic Defence Review.
Second, I바카라 사이트檓 driving deep reform to defence.
It doesn바카라 사이트檛 make news headlines, but it바카라 사이트檚 an essential foundation for implementing both the SDR and Defence Industrial Strategy.
For industry, it means you바카라 사이트檒l be brought in earlier to the conversation on how we should fight바카라 사이트�
We바카라 사이트檒l ask you how you can help solve our problems rather than giving you a requirement to deliver.
You바카라 사이트檒l also see the creation of a new role, the National Armaments Director, soon-to-be one of the most senior roles in UK Defence, sitting alongside the Chief of the Defence Staff and Permanent Secretary.
Their responsibilities will include:
- Repairing a broken procurement system바카라 사이트�
- Ensuring our armed forces have what they need to fulfil their duty of protecting our nation바카라 사이트�
- And championing your industry at home and abroad.
Third, defence is part of our bigger British drive for growth 바카라 사이트� the government바카라 사이트檚 number one mission.
The Chancellor is speaking tomorrow about how we are going to meet this challenge.
But the message I want to reinforce is that defence is an engine for driving economic growth.
Fourth, we바카라 사이트檝e proved we can do it by supporting Ukraine through Taskforce KINDRED and HIRST.
From the onset, when it took 287 days after Putin invaded to sign contracts for new NLAWs바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트� to today, when we바카라 사이트檝e created industrial bases for new capabilities 바카라 사이트� virtually from scratch바카라 사이트�
Supplying 바카라 사이트� at scale 바카라 사이트� one of the most effective drone systems in Ukraine.
Restarted artillery barrel manufacturing in the UK to deliver hundreds to the front line.
Enhancing our own capabilities through Stormer and Starstreak바카라 사이트hile Gravehawk, Snapper and Wasp have all been developed with breathtaking speed.
I don바카라 사이트檛 just want this to be the government바카라 사이트檚 new Defence Industrial Strategy, it needs to be a national endeavour바카라 사이트� private and public바카라 사이트� SMEs and primes바카라 사이트� innovators and educators바카라 사이트� trade associations and trade unions바카라 사이트�
All creating a defence industry which is better and more integrated바카라 사이트�
One that can keep our armed forces equipped바카라 사이트� and innovating at wartime pace, ahead of our adversaries.
The Shadow Defence Secretary is familiar with the challenges.聽
I know he will play his part in holding us to account.
And I trust he 바카라 사이트� and his Party 바카라 사이트� will play their part in backing reforms that strengthen our country바카라 사이트檚 defence and its defence industry.
This is new era of threats, demands a new era for defence.
Change is essential, not optional.
Our success rests on a new partnership with innovators, investors and industry.
Our government is determined to meet the challenge, determined to deliver for defence.
Together, we will make Britain secure at home and strong abroad.
Thank you 바카라 사이트� enjoy your evening and I look forward to working with you over the coming years.