Absence of defence spending plan ‘entirely unsatisfactory’
The government has been “entirely unsatisfactory” in failing to assess whether their defence spending plans are affordable, a group of senior MPs has said, in a damning assessment of ministers’ transparency. The row comes amid concerns spending on the nuclear deterrent would be higher than first assumed.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government would increase spending on defence to 2.5 per cent as a share of GDP by 2027, a commitment it brought forward after months of pressure from Nato officials and the Trump administration.
But senior MPs responsible for scrutinising expenditure have blasted the government’s failure to reveal whether spending plans are affordable, with few details provided on how it plans to fund 62 changes recommended by Labour peer Lord Robertson in the strategic defence review (SDR).
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said it was “extremely disappointed” by the absence of information regarding investment on military equipment and technology, with blame laid on Ministry of Defence permanent secretary David Williams for giving “excuses” to PAC for its failure to provide details on expenditure.
PAC also pointed out that the cost of the nuclear deterrent could increase £10bn in the ten-year period leading up to 2034, putting spending commitments on other key equipment at risk of being “sucked away”.
The government noted Williams wrote to the PAC on the affordability of the last equipment plan and rejected criticism from MPs.
More defence spending in nuclear deterrent
Separately, the MoD revealed that a nuclear weapons technology centre in Berkshire had attracted 1,500 new jobs in the last year, a development which defence secretary John Healey said showed the nuclear deterrent was an “engine for growth”.
The government said it would invest £15bn in nuclear warheads by 2030.
But the PAC said it was last able to examine comprehensive defence spending plans in late 2022 when the last ‘equipment plan’ was published under the Conservative government.
Members of the committee said it was “entirely unsatisfactory” that the government suggested it would only finish working through the SDR later this year.
“The MoD must come forward quickly with proposals on how it will update parliament on its equipment procurement and support plans,” a memo said.
“As part of the SDR, the government committed to producing a defence investment plan to replace the equipment plan in future, due for completion in Autumn 2025.”
“It is yet to be made clear how the new plan will be reported to parliament and the underpinning data provided for scrutiny to the National Audit Office, thus allowing detailed and proper scrutiny by committees including the PAC.”
Conservative MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who chairs the committee, said the government had been approached in “good faith” that it would be open to public scrutiny.
“That window remains tightly shut,” he said.
“Scrutiny does not take place on the government’s timetable, but as the proper functioning of our democracy, and a critical analysis of our nation’s defence plans has been denied for two years now.
Investment plan to come
The government said it would unveil its investment plan in the autumn, which would “supersede the old-style defence equipment plan”. It also said it was working with the National Audit Office (NAO) on reviews of defence programmes.
PAC’s report separately praises the MoD’s work in supporting Ukraine, with lessons learned in the use of Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, which the UK government supplied and has been used to strike targets inside Russia, and on industrial capacity to sustain equipment production even if supply chains break down.
A government spokesperson said: “Through the recently published Strategic Defence Review, we will make Britain secure at home and strong abroad, backed by the largest sustained increase to defence spending since the end of the Cold War.
“As a new government elected last year, we are fully committed to parliamentary scrutiny of our spending plans. The new defence investment plan will be published in the autumn and detail the delivery of our plans, ensuring they are affordable, beneficial to our Armed Forces, and maximising the benefits of defence spending to grow the UK economy.”