The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that shipbuilding has been designated a priority sector for reform under the Procurement Act 2023, in a move that signals a significant shift in how defence contracts will be awarded to British yards, boatyards and maritime businesses. Defence Minister Luke Pollard made the announcement in a written answer to Parliament on 2 June 2026, confirming that the Cabinet Office had listed shipbuilding as a sector critical to national security, the threshold that triggers priority procurement reform under the Act. The designation is intended to increase the volume of MoD-related contract awards flowing to…
