Select committee: Defence Committee
Conclusion 4
5th Report - Defence in the Grey Zone
Published 9 Jul 2025
Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Defence Committee Defence in the Grey Zone All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The Joint Expeditionary Force’s freedom to operate independently should allow it to be more responsive and agile in combatting grey zone threats. But it can only do this if it possesses credible, deployable capabilities. Expanding membership of the JEF might also bring benefits. (Conclusion, Paragraph 44)
From: Defence Committee, 5th Report - Defence in the Grey Zone (HC 405), 9 July 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 24 October 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government agrees with, or partially agrees with, most of the Committee's recommendations on grey zone threats, but says it "cannot commit to specific capabilities at this stage" and does not accept the case for a dedicated Homeland Security Minister.
- On expanding capabilities against grey zone threats and seabed operations, it "agree[s]", pointing to the Strategic Defence Review's 'Atlantic Bastion' concept and a possible Defence Readiness Bill, which could include "possibly including a new Reserve Force".
- On the Joint Expeditionary Force, it "partially agrees" and says there are "no plans to increase the JEF membership beyond ten". It "accept[s] this recommendation with caveats" on deployable capability in the High North.
- On forward basing in the Baltic, it "note[s] and partially agree[s]", saying it "must balance this against the need to sustain credible deterrence effects across all domains and regions".
- It commits to review and report to the Committee within a year on protecting the networks it relies on. On a dedicated Homeland Security Minister, it says the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and Security Minister "remain suitable leads".