Home / Sources / Select Committees / Public Accounts Committee / The Equipment Plan 2023–2033
Index live · Last sync 23 May 2026
Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

The Equipment Plan 2023–2033

Status: Closed Opened: 4 Jan 2024 Closed: 28 May 2024 5 recommendations 22 conclusions 1 report

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) publishes an annual Equipment Plan, where it sets out its spending plans on equipment procurement and support projects over the next decade to keep the nation secure. The Committee’s report on the MoD’s 2022-32 Plan found that equipment is arriving into service many years late and significantly over-budget with depressing …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Nineteenth Report - MoD Equipment Plan 2023–2033 HC 451 8 Mar 2024 27 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
2 Conclusion Nineteenth Report - MoD Equipment Plan … Acknowledged

Ensure all MoD budget holders consistently adopt the same approach to forecast costs.

The Plan is inconsistent because some parts of the Armed Forces include the costs of all capabilities that the government expects them to deliver, while others only include those they can afford. The MoD’s aim is that the Plan provides a reliable assessment of the affordability of its equipment programme …

Government response. The government agrees with the recommendation and states that, for transparency and ease of comparison, the department will seek to standardise the data produced and presented for the Equipment Plan starting from the Annual Budgeting Cycle planning round process.
HM Treasury
25 Conclusion Nineteenth Report - MoD Equipment Plan … Acknowledged

International developments highlight importance of strategic partnerships for interoperable defence equipment.

Recent international developments, including the war in Ukraine, have underlined the importance of strategic international partnerships for the UK.79 The UK has been working with its allies, including Ukraine, to develop interoperable equipment, pool essential munitions and encourage industry to build its capacity to supply the equipment they need.80

Government response. The government agrees with the importance of strategic international partnerships and describes its ongoing efforts to capitalize on the UK's convening power, review allied support, and engage industry, with a target implementation date of Spring 2025.
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
22 Jan 2024 Andy Start · Ministry of Defence, David Williams CB · Ministry of Defence, Lieutenant General Sir Robert Magowan KCB CBE · Ministry of Defence, Tom Wipperman · Ministry of Defence View ↗

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
11 Mar 2024 — Correspondence from David Williams CB, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence…
7 Mar 2024 — Correspondence from David Williams CB, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence…
22 Jan 2024 — Correspondence from David Williams CB, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence…
22 Jan 2024 — Revised correspondence from David Williams CB, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of…
11 Dec 2023 — Correspondence from David Williams CB, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence…