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Question follow-through · 124579

Defence: Small Businesses

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, the average time taken for an SME to obtain security clearance to (a) bid for and (b) deliver a defence contract.

answeredMinistry of Defence

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Ministry of Defence
Tabled
10 Apr 2026
Target answer date
14 Apr 2026
Answer
20 Apr 2026 · 10 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

More questions by this MP on Defence and foreign affairs

Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.

Votes on this topic

These Commons divisions share a topic label. The question did not necessarily lead to a vote.

Recorded timeline

  1. 10 Apr 2026

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, the average time taken for an SME to obtain security clearance to (a) bid for and (b) deliver a defence contract.

  2. 14 Apr 2026

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 20 Apr 2026

    Answer published

    In most instances, it is not necessary for a company or individual to hold security clearance prior to commencing the bidding process for a government contract. Should access to sensitive information or assets be required either during the bidding phase o...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Ministry of Defence: Written Questions

14 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to answer question 115383, tabled on 24 February 2026.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Ministry of Defence: Small Businesses

15 Apr 2026 · 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

Strong linkSame MP, department and exact heading

Defence: Small Businesses

21 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 124580 on Defence: Small Businesses, by what date he expects to have in place the wider range of indicators to measure his Department’s success in attracting ne

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Reserve Forces: Finance

8 Jul 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planned breakdown is of the £4.2 billion allocated to Reserves in the Defence Investment Plan by (a) service and (b) financial year, for each year between 2026/27 and 2029/30.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Reserve Forces

8 Jul 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate has been made of the number of paid reserve service days budgeted for in 2026/27.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Reserve Forces: Recruitment

8 Jul 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate has been made of the number of additional members of the UK Active Reserve across each service that will be recruited as a result of the Defence Investment Plan.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Reserve Forces: Defence Equipment

8 Jul 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what additional equipment will be available to members of the UK Active Reserve as a result of the Defence Investment Plan.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Reserve Forces: Training

8 Jul 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if they will provide additional detail on the commitment to ‘protecting time, funding, and equipment for Reserves in training’ in the Defence Investment Plan, including timescales, benchmarks and KPIs.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Army Reserve: Training

8 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide additional detail on the commitment to protecting time, funding and equipment for Reserves in training in the Defence Investment Plan, including timescales, benchmarks and KPIs.