Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Future estate optimisation phases lack secured funding and a firm completion timeline.
Recommendation
The Department has planned two further phases of the estate optimisation programme. It envisages these will consolidate some sites, establishing multidisciplinary super reserve centres with additional facilities such as car parking, accommodation and feeding facilities.34 However, the Department has not yet secured funding for these phases of the programme, and it was unable to give us a firm timeline for the completion of the programme. The Department explained that funding for the volunteer estate would compete with other priorities for investment choices when it developed its 30 Qq 23 to 25; C&AG’s Report, para 2.8 31 Qq 17, 38, 40, 43 and 58; C&AG’s Report, para 1.7 32 Qq 26 and 40 33 Qq 26 to 28, 36, 38 and 40; C&AG’s Report, para 2.21 34 Q 38 15 defence investment plan, which it was due to complete in autumn 2025, and said it was confident that the estate’s requirements would feature in the debate.35
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 19 January 2026. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗