Recommendation 22

The Department has made a number of assumptions about how much it will spend on its workforce (and other operating costs) and on its estate and infrastructure over the next 10 years. If it spends more than it currently expects to on these areas, it may have to reduce spending on equipment procurement and support.48 The Department acknowledged that there is an aspect of workforce costs that is directly relevant to the affordability of the equipment programme, but that any reduction in the Plan’s budget or contingency would need to be a decision taken in a spending review planning round.49