Select committee: Defence Committee
Recommendation 12
In Search of Strategy — The 2020 Integrated Review
Published 13 Aug 2020
Paragraph 82
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)
Existing spending commitments are a necessary but insufficient basis for approaching funding decisions in the Integrated Review. Whilst the economic outlook for the UK remains uncertain, it is imperative that funding considerations are informed by the Review’s strategic analysis and not the other way around. The Integrated Review should look beyond the NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defence to consider what financial resources are required to ensure that defence can contribute to achieving the priorities of the UK’s security.
From: Defence Committee, In Search of Strategy — The 2020 Integrated Review (HC 165), paragraph 82, 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".