Select committee: Defence Committee
Recommendation 4
Sixth Report: Manpower or mindset: Defence’s contribution to the UK’s pandemic response
Published 25 Mar 2021
Paragraph 36
Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Defence Committee Defence contribution to the UK’s pandemic response All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We believe earlier use could have been made of Defence’s unique capabilities and skills, notably in the areas of strategic planning and crisis management. We are surprised that lessons from earlier crises were not learnt and that as a result the Armed Forces’ unique capabilities were not properly used. It appears that there is more work to be done to fulfil the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review’s intent of better educating wider government, the Devolved Administrations and local government about what Defence can do. The Government must ensure that Defence is consulted as early as possible in future such scenarios and that other government departments and agencies are fully aware of the range of capabilities Defence can offer.
From: Defence Committee, Sixth Report: Manpower or mindset: Defence’s contribution to the UK’s pandemic response (HC 357), paragraph 36, 25 March 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 9 July 2021 (deadline 25 May 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government notes the Committee's recommendations on the pandemic review and on early use of Defence capabilities, describes Defence's role as supporting, and commits to a formal lessons identification process.
- On the Committee's conclusion about pandemic preparedness and COBRA, the government says only that it "notes the Committee's recommendation".
- On civilian agencies, it says Defence support is channelled through the MACA process, where "viable non-Defence solutions" to a request will be identified.
- On recognition and pay, it says base pay recommendations come from the pay review bodies and HM Treasury guidance, and that Defence is "bound by the Government's public sector pay pause". Medallic recognition is being led by the Cabinet Office, with "no further details" available.
- The Ministry of Defence has begun a formal lessons identification process and will "support any future Government-led reviews".