Select committee: Defence Committee
Conclusion 8
Second Report - The Integrated Review, Defence in a Competitive Age and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy
Published 28 Jul 2022
Paragraph 53
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 ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The reason that lack of publicly available information of the Government’s defence and security priorities presents a problem is that for integration—highlighted by the MoD as absolutely vital for the UK’s security—to be effective, the NSC must set clear priorities, backed with sufficient resources. If we (and the general public) are not aware of the priorities or the progress made on them, we cannot say with certainty whether we are being adequately protected by our Government.
From: Defence Committee, Second Report - The Integrated Review, Defence in a Competitive Age and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (HC 180), paragraph 53, 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.