Select committee: Defence Committee

Recommendation 11

Second Report - The Integrated Review, Defence in a Competitive Age and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy Published 28 Jul 2022 Paragraph 56 Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We recommend that the MOD publish annual figures for the assistance provided to other Government Departments and to public authorities. This list should include the number of personnel deployed, the length of deployment, the task they were deployed for, the cost of the task and the renumeration received by the Department. Furthermore we recommend that the MOD commit to publishing its response to the Reserves Review in the Autumn.

From: Defence Committee, Second Report - The Integrated Review, Defence in a Competitive Age and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (HC 180), paragraph 56, 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.

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