Select committee: Defence Committee
Recommendation 6
In Search of Strategy — The 2020 Integrated Review
Published 13 Aug 2020
Paragraph 36
Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Defence Committee The Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We welcome the Government’s ambition to conduct the “deepest” and “most radical review since the Cold War.” At a time of such geopolitical and economic uncertainty, it is vital that the Review involves thorough consideration of the desired “ends” of the UK’s security, defence, development and foreign policy as well as the “ways” and “means” required to achieve them. To realise its ambition, Government must identify and overcome the factors that contribute to a Review becoming a “business as usual” exercise. By answering the questions laid out in this report, the Review can overcome the tensions inherent in the Review process and identify and question assumptions at the heart of the UK’s security, defence, development and foreign policy. In response to this Report, Government should: a. Set out the mechanisms and approach to challenging assumptions underpinning the UK’s defence strategy b. Explain what role the Dstl’s Defence Wargaming Centre and MoD’s Strategic Net Assessment Unit will play
From: Defence Committee, In Search of Strategy — The 2020 Integrated Review (HC 165), paragraph 36, 13 August 2020
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 22 October 2020 (deadline 13 October 2020).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response welcomes the Committee's inquiry and says the Integrated Review is addressing or will address most of the issues raised, while saying that the Comprehensive Spending Review will determine funding.
- On challenge to assumptions, the government states that it "agrees with the Committee that appropriate challenge is critical to delivering the Integrated Review", and says external challenge is being invited, including through targeted workshops.
- On defence funding, it says it remains committed to spending at least 2% of GDP, which should be seen as "a floor and not a ceiling", while adding that "we should not fixate on percentages".
- On a long-term settlement, the government says the Comprehensive Spending Review "will provide a multiyear financial settlement for Defence" and that its position on that Review "has not changed".
- On procurement, it says decisions on adapting existing policies will be based on investment decisions made as part of the Integrated Review, and it looks forward to updating the Committee "in due course".