Select committee: Defence Committee
Conclusion 28
6th Report - The UK contribution to European Security
Published 19 Nov 2025
Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Defence Committee The UK contribution to European Security All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
We question the Ministry of Defence’s ability to protect the UK and the Overseas Territories from crisis or conflict. This means the UK is not fulfilling its Article 3 responsibilities—a fact recognised by Government. Despite this recognition from Government (which has pledged to be ‘NATO First’), measures to remediate seem to be moving at a glacial pace—we are deeply concerned by reports that the UK has no Article 3 national plan and that the work on the Home Defence Programme is still ongoing, a year after it was originally due to be complete. (Conclusion, Paragraph 121)
From: Defence Committee, 6th Report - The UK contribution to European Security (HC 520), 19 November 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 30 January 2026 (deadline 19 January 2026).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government's response to the Defence Committee's report on the UK contribution to European security outlines its approach under a 'NATO First' strategy, setting out many ongoing measures and deferring several decisions to the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
- On capability priorities, it says it is "considering where to prioritise investment", including UK involvement in EU capability development programmes, and that choices "will be detailed in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan".
- On a second sovereign nuclear delivery method, it states that a submarine-based system "remains the most effective and proportionate means" of delivering the deterrent, and that F-35A aircraft will "complement, rather than replace" it.
- On a Minister of Homeland Security, it says it "continues to judge" that the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Security Minister "remain suitable leads".
- On Defence Readiness legislation, it is reviewing which powers may be needed and will engage stakeholders "during 2026", but says it does "not yet have a specific timetable" for the legislation.