Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Acknowledged
Committee took evidence on Department's oversight and management of UK's F-35 programme.
Conclusion
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Ministry of Defence (the Department) on its oversight and management of the UK’s F-35 fighter programme.1
Government Response Summary
The government agreed with the committee's implicit recommendation on oversight, stating it will continue to strengthen its approach to defining and approving capability entry-into-service criteria and declaring service entry for new capabilities as part of Defence Reform.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Capability, are defined and approved at the point of the main (full business case) investment decision. These criteria, which focus on the capability necessary to perform core missions, should focus on the closure of key capability gaps as well as the arrangements that need to be in place to sustain the capability from the point of service entry. The criteria should reflect the likelihood that a period of capability re-constitution will be needed, and planned for, following a significant deployment or operation. Recognising the changing nature of warfare and capability priorities, the entry-into-service criteria may evolve during a capability’s delivery phase and adjustments can therefore be agreed through appropriate governance arrangements, including return to the approval authority as appropriate. Declaration of service entry (for example, Initial Operating Capability and Full Operating Capability) usually involves a combination of quantitative and qualitative assessment, including user feedback. The Ministry of Defence will continue to strengthen its approach to declaring service entry of new capabilities as part of the work that is being taken forward under Defence Reform.