Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Accepted
Promote the broader economic benefits of GCAP to maintain public and political support.
Conclusion
If political and public support for GCAP is to be maintained, it is essential that the Government not only makes the case for its necessity as a military capability, but also promotes the broader economic benefits that it will bring. (Recommendation, Paragraph 48)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the importance of promoting GCAP's economic benefits and states it is already delivering and will continue to highlight these, citing current investments, job creation, and export strength.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Department thanks the Committee for its recommendation and agrees on the importance of highlighting GCAP’s wider economic benefits. The programme is already delivering significant economic and industrial benefits across the UK and we will continue to highlight this to Parliament and the public. We continue to invest in R&D through the FCAS Technology Initiative (FCAS TI), to grow the advanced skills and technologies required to deliver a next-generation combat aircraft. The MOD has invested heavily in FCAS TI, with over £600 million invested to date by our UK industry partners, supporting advanced design and development facilities with long-term benefit to the combat air sector. There are now over 3,500 people working on the programme across the UK, with major combat air hubs in the south-west and north-west of England and in Edinburgh, supported by a supply chain of hundreds of organisations spread across the country. The programme is important to sustaining the UK’s strong international position in combat air exports, which regularly account for over half of the UK’s total defence exports. GCAP’s crucial role in sustaining and growing the UK’s combat air defence industrial base, and delivering a range of wider economic benefits important to the growth mission, are being taken into account as we develop the Defence Industrial Strategy.