2nd Report - Shifting the Goalposts? Defence expenditure and the 2% pledge
- HC No.
- HC 494
- Published
- 21 Apr 2016
- Items
- 0
- Government response
- Government response published 30 June 2016. Read the government's response ↗
Select committee: Defence Committee
Shifting the Goalposts? Defence Expenditure and the 2% pledge
Closed
Opened 8 Sep 2015
Closed 21 Apr 2016
Defence Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
Government response published Special Report: Shifting the goalposts? Defence expenditure and the 2% pledge: Government Response to the Committee's Second Report of Session 2015–16 Special Report: Shifting the goalposts? Defence expenditure and the 2% pledge: Government Response to the Committee's Second Report of Session 2015–16 (PDF 232KB) Defence has been heralded as the 'first duty of government'. The question of whether defence expenditure is commensurate with such a claim is therefore an important one.
Where it stands
The inquiry is closed, opened 8 September 2015.
The committee has published 1 report, most recently 2nd Report - Shifting the Goalposts? Defence expenditure and the 2% pledge on 21 April 2016.
The government's response
Published 30 June 2016.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government states that it is "fully committed" to spending 2% of GDP on defence over this Parliament, and says there is "no foundation" to the suggestion that its accounting amounts to 'creative accounting'.
- On accounting, it says it "does not accept the Committee's claim that creative accounting has been employed", and that it is NATO, not the UK, that determines the definitions for categorising defence spending.
- It declines to provide a calculation under the 2010 accounting approach, saying figures "based on out-dated reporting procedures" would be "a misrepresentation of current defence spending".
- On training costs, it says they "cannot be broken out without incurring disproportionate cost", but "recognise[s]" that better understanding would be beneficial and says the Army and RAF are working on this.
- On efficiency savings and equipment projects, it says the department "would welcome the opportunity to update the Committee on delivery progress as appropriate" and "will keep the Committee informed of progress" on the frigate and Ajax projects.
Reports
All reportsEvidence
- 3 oral evidence sessionsLatest 1 December 2015
Recent activity
- 1st Special Report - Shifting the goalposts? Defence expenditure and the 2% pledge: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session30 June 2016, Report published
- 2nd Report - Shifting the Goalposts? Defence expenditure and the 2% pledge21 April 2016, Report published
- Oral evidence session1 December 2015, Oral evidence
Reports
Oral evidence sessions
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