Select committee: Defence Committee
Recommendation 7
Second Report - The Integrated Review, Defence in a Competitive Age and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy
Published 28 Jul 2022
Paragraph 44
Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Defence Committee Defending Global Britain in a Competitive Age All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Defence in a Competitive Age and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy are ambitious papers, aimed at modernising UK defence and ensuring it has equipment suitable for the Information Age. Whilst the conclusions of Defence in a Competitive Age ought to be revisited in light of the conflict in Ukraine, the commitments made in the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy ought to be implemented fully. We recognise that this will take time—we urge the MOD to ensure that the changes are seen through.
From: Defence Committee, Second Report - The Integrated Review, Defence in a Competitive Age and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (HC 180), paragraph 44, 28 July 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 10 November 2022 (deadline 28 September 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government welcomes the report and says it "supports the sentiment" of the calls to update its strategy, while confirming an update to the Integrated Review and disputing some of the Committee's criticisms.
- On the Integrated Review, it says it "believes the IR and Defence Command Paper hold true" but is "not complacent", and that "Defence is supporting the update to the IR".
- On Army numbers, it says there are "currently no plans to reverse the Army's reduction in regular personnel", while adding that "as the threat changes, we need to change with it".
- On procurement, it states it does "not accept" that its record on large and complex programmes is "abysmal", citing the P-8A Poseidon and Type 31 frigate programmes. On publishing annual MACA figures, it says the MOD "will consider" a more detailed breakdown.
- On the Reserves Forces 2030 Review, the Government "will provide a response" following consideration of the UK's commitment to the NATO new force model. No date is given.