Select committee: Defence Committee
Recommendation 8
In Search of Strategy — The 2020 Integrated Review
Published 13 Aug 2020
Paragraph 46
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 have heard that in order to identify the desired “ends” of the UK’s security, defence, development and foreign policy, the Review must clearly articulate the UK’s interests and values. Whilst scrutiny of the UK’s foreign policy falls to the Foreign Affairs Committee, from a defence perspective we believe that the Review should answer the following questions: a. How does the UK define its national interest abroad? b. What role do values play in the UK’s foreign policy? c. How will the UK pursue its objectives through hard and soft power instruments?
From: Defence Committee, In Search of Strategy — The 2020 Integrated Review (HC 165), paragraph 46, 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".