Pressure is growing across party lines for clarity on the government’s Defence Investment Plan, with MPs from multiple parties warning that delays risk undermining capability planning and wider defence readiness.
During exchanges in the House of Commons, Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty warned that the timetable for the plan was already affecting decision-making.
“The delay to the defence investment plan is obviously having a huge effect on our capabilities, and the plan is in danger of being overtaken by events,” he said, pointing to pending approvals for underwater uncrewed systems and mine countermeasure programmes.
He also raised operational questions about autonomous mine-clearing vessels deployed to the Gulf, including their readiness and support arrangements.
Alongside this, MPs highlighted the framework set out in the Strategic Defence Review, noting that any removal of capabilities from the plan should be based on advice from the National Armaments Director and service chiefs, and queried whether such advice had been provided as the plan is finalised.
Liberal Democrat MP James MacCleary added to the pressure, linking the delay to wider concerns about national readiness and the pace of legislative follow-through.
“Liberal Democrats share concerns about the whereabouts of the defence investment plan, and urge the Government to come forward with its publication,” he said.
“At a time when senior military figures have warned repeatedly that Britain is not ready for war, my question is this: if the threat is urgent, why is the legislation not?”
MacCleary also pressed ministers on the timing of the promised Defence Readiness Bill.
“If the Secretary of State cannot tell us when he will publish the defence investment plan, can he tell us when he will introduce the defence readiness Bill?”
Defence Secretary John Healey acknowledged the importance of the plan but did not provide a publication date, describing it as a major cross-government effort.
“This is a whole-of-Defence effort; we are working flat out to deliver the defence investment plan. It will put into practice the 10-year vision that the strategic defence review set out in June last year,” he said.
“When we have that completed, we will report that to the House.”
Healey rejected suggestions that delays were holding up investment decisions.
“The defence investment plan is not holding up important investment decisions. We have awarded more than 1,200 major contracts since the election,” he said.
He declined to comment on specific operational matters raised during the exchange.
“The hon. Gentleman is the last person in the House to expect me to set out the detail of those sorts of operational arrangements in public.”
Responding to questions on wider preparedness, Healey said work on defence readiness was ongoing across government, but again did not set a timeline.
“Preparation for greater defence readiness, and greater societal and economic readiness, is going on at present,” he said, adding that a Defence Readiness Bill would be delivered “in due course.”
Won’t change until all the main parties have a defence spending trajectory.
I do think that defence has to be taken out of party politics.
It was supposedly days away from publication when the Ajax thing blew up.
How bad a fallout could that really have?
£6 billion
Instead of holding everything up why can’t they put “Ajax” in the appendix on its own and still to be dealt with?
I imagine the supposed £28bn shortfall in fulfilling the SDR is causing some headaches.
With announcements of RCH 155 and AW149 he is not wrong to say the delay in the DIP is not yet holding back major programs.
Why can’t they just show up and release a preliminary DIP Draft , still TBC version? Then we can all tear it to shreds, give feedback and behold a final DIP version might appear TBA?!