Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 21
Fiftieth Report - Defence Equipment Plan 2020–2030
Published 16 Mar 2021
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Defence Equipment Plan 2020-2030 All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The Department assured us that it has been closely involved in the Integrated Review and it had a clear view on the priorities and roles that Defence would need to play in the future. It highlighted the increasing threat from space and cyberspace, and the need to deter and defend against these threats.60 The Department plans to prioritise investment in strengthening its capabilities in these domains, as well as continuing to renew the nuclear enterprise and develop the future combat air system. It also plans to develop its capabilities in autonomous systems, expand its global networks, and exploit new technologies by investing in science and technology, and research and development.61 Furthermore, the Department recognised the need to continue to invest in the support and spares that enable deployments around the world.62
From: Public Accounts Committee, Fiftieth Report - Defence Equipment Plan 2020–2030 (HC 693), 16 March 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 31 August 2021 (deadline 16 May 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government states that it agrees with the Committee's recommendations that are set out in the response, each with a stated target implementation date, and sets out related work already under way.
- On affordability, it agrees that the next Equipment Plan report must demonstrate affordability, and says that report (Autumn 2021) will set out the implications of the 2020 Spending Review settlement and the Integrated Review.
- On transparency over the additional funding, it agrees and says it "will write to the Committee before summer recess" with a summary of investment and savings decisions, with a target date of June 2021.
- On defence cost inflation, it agrees and says it will write to the Committee alongside the Autumn 2021 Equipment Plan report, and states it "is committed to changing attitudes and behaviours within the Defence acquisition system".
- On finance capability, it agrees with a target date of March 2023, noting that "It takes time to both train and recruit professionally qualified staff, but numbers will increase over time."