Select committee: Defence Committee
Recommendation 7
Sixth Report: Manpower or mindset: Defence’s contribution to the UK’s pandemic response
Published 25 Mar 2021
Paragraph 53
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)
In addition to delaying the publication of the Integrated Review, it seems inevitable that the pandemic must also influence its conclusions. Coronavirus has highlighted serious deficiencies in the UK’s domestic resilience in the face of an anticipated threat. We have agreed this Report before publication of the Integrated Review, but but believe that the Review and the funding of its conclusions must take into account the significance of Defence’s role in underpinning the UKs’ domestic resilience against future shocks of this magnitude, while enabling the Armed Forces to fulfil their primary role of defending our vital interests at home and abroad.
From: Defence Committee, Sixth Report: Manpower or mindset: Defence’s contribution to the UK’s pandemic response (HC 357), paragraph 53, 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".