2nd Report - Shifting the Goalposts? Defence expenditure and the 2% pledge

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government states that it is "fully committed" to spending 2% of GDP on defence over this Parliament, and says there is "no foundation" to the suggestion that its accounting amounts to 'creative accounting'.

• On accounting, it says it "does not accept the Committee's claim that creative accounting has been employed", and that it is NATO, not the UK, that determines the definitions for categorising defence spending.
• It declines to provide a calculation under the 2010 accounting approach, saying figures "based on out-dated reporting procedures" would be "a misrepresentation of current defence spending".
• On training costs, it says they "cannot be broken out without incurring disproportionate cost", but "recognise[s]" that better understanding would be beneficial and says the Army and RAF are working on this.
• On efficiency savings and equipment projects, it says the department "would welcome the opportunity to update the Committee on delivery progress as appropriate" and "will keep the Committee informed of progress" on the frigate and Ajax projects.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error