Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Accepted
Crew shortages and allied challenges threaten Royal Navy capacity and UK's international role.
Conclusion
In the meantime, the MoD is considering mothballing Royal Navy ships because of crew shortages, and the only Royal Navy ship able to fully replenish the UK’s aircraft carriers is unavailable this year because of a refit.86 With the support of its allies, the UK’s Armed Forces continue to fulfil a crucial international role.87 However, many of its allies are facing similar challenges to the UK, which might affect their ability and willingness to continue providing extensive support.88 77 Qq 39, 40 78 Q 41; C&AG’s Report, para 2.5 79 Q 41 80 Qq 76, 116, 118, 120 81 Q 61 82 Qq 8, 11, 49 83 Qq 8, 54 84 Qq 10, 11 85 Qq 6, 125 86 Qq 41, 43, 48–50 87 Q 54 88 Qq 108, 117 16 MoD Equipment Plan 2023–2033
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the implied recommendation to address capability challenges, committing to ensuring balanced capabilities, driving cooperative burden-sharing with allies, and rigorously reviewing allied support and identified risks as part of ongoing capability planning and force testing, with a target implementation date of Spring 2025.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2025 6.2 To address the threats to the UK in a more contested and volatile world, and to leave adversaries in no doubt the ability and willingness to fight and win, Defence must possess balanced and credible capabilities across all domains. 6.3 The department capitalises on the UK’s reputation as a convening power and the strength of the Defence Network to drive a cooperative and mutually supportive burden-sharing approach to effectively counter malign threats and support global stability. 6.4 Support provided by NATO allies, but also through allies in other groupings and beyond the Euro-Atlantic Theatre, is well understood. Such support will continue to be reviewed as part of capability planning processes and is rigorously scrutinised during planned force testing. The risks and dependencies identified by such force testing events are captured and regularly reviewed to ensure they can be mitigated, and that they inform future UK policy and investment decisions. 6.5 Where the UK must maintain a wholly sovereign capability, as has been announced in the case of munitions, complex weapons, and uncrewed systems, Defence will continue to work with UK industry to ensure that they have the capacity to continue to sustain the capabilities required to protect the UK and its interests.