The Defence Secretary avoided confirming whether the Defence Investment Plan will be published before Parliament rises for the Christmas recess during defence questions in the House of Commons.
Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome asked for a specific publication day, noting that the plan had been expected before the recess. Healey did not provide a date, instead telling the House that the government was “working flat out between now and the end of the year to finalise the defence investment plan.” He pointed to the scale of the task, saying Roome would “appreciate the scale of the decisions we need to make” and referring to “a programme from the last government that was overcommitted, underfunded and unsuited to meet the threats that we face in the future.”
The absence of a clear answer prompted further questioning from Conservative shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, who asked directly whether the plan would be published before the House rises on Thursday. Healey replied that “the answer is the same as I gave to the hon. Gentleman,” again stating that ministers were “working flat out between now and the end of the year to finalise the defence investment plan.”
Cartlidge challenged that response, arguing that the lack of a timetable suggested slippage. He reminded the House that Healey had previously said the plan would be “completed and published in the autumn,” adding that it was now “already late, just like the SDR, just like the Defence Industrial Strategy.” He cited Defence Select Committee concerns that progress on war readiness was too slow.
Healey rejected that criticism and turned the focus back on the previous government’s record. He said MPs should “take no lessons from the hon. Gentleman,” arguing that earlier strategies on munitions and drones were “often promised and never published” or lacked funding. He added that the last government’s defence funding plan was “published as an election gimmick” and “in 14 years was never delivered.”
While Healey stressed that work on the plan is ongoing, his refusal to confirm a publication date, combined with repeated references to finalisation running until the end of the year, suggested that release before the Christmas recess is increasingly unlikely.
So it doesn’t need to be published while Parliament is sitting? I thought that was a requirement.
There is no legal or procedural requirement (unlike primary legislation). Best practice though, unless you want to minimise scrutiny and avoid questions.
No great surprise, despite the assurances for months from Ministers that it would be published.
I was listening to this live just now. I cannot think of any other walk of life when someone can give such a non answer and not be forced to clarify.
Things really have to change in Parliament – MPs should be allowed to request a straight answer…
They are allowed to, and they did unfortunately the only person who can hold a minister to task about an evasive question is the Speaker. The only other action is to escalate to PM question time on Wednesday ! But TBH there is no real way to hold HMG to account whilst they holed a collosal Majority.
Dear Mr Mandelli,
Well my source and Analysis of what would happen in Westminster was correct, unfortunately its Option B. But he will not even admit he has now missed his target date to deliver to Parlaiment and its all the previous Governments fault.
If you listen really carefully you can here a sound coming from Moscow its called Laughter.
P’d off in Derby.
Talks between the EU and UK about the £130b joining fee for the EU defence fund have broken down. No doubt the money is linked to the Defence dept budget. This uncertainty ( and Ajax) is a likely the reason that the Treasury ‘can’t make the numbers add up’. Not much Healey can do. Probably down to Thomas-Symonds to negotiate the deal – linked up to the EU demand for a youth exchange agreement no doubt. Nothing is easy.
I would think Ajax is hanging over it as well. Thats going to blow a large hole in the budget and just reinforces the Treasury view that vast amounts of the defence budget is wasted
Well, the sad thing is they have a point. Relationships berween the MOD and suppliers, project planning and cost control have been aweful. But I do believe things are improved. Best thing I can say about the Ajax project is that it is an opportunity for character improvement. Prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude 😂
Paul.P
… ffs the figure of £130bn is NOT the joining fee itself, but the total value of the loans available under the SAFE fund, which the European Commission will issue to EU member states to help them purchase ammunition, artillery, and drones.
The last established joining fee was to €2 billion, it is said that the UK offered around €82 million and then pulled out of discussions, the UK ideally wants a larger share than the 35% limit on the total value of any finished product supplied under the scheme, 35% being the standard rate for non-EU “third-party-countries”.
Thanks M. I will write out 1oo times….Be thorough with research 🙂
Naughty Paul … and run around the sports-field 8 times as well. 🙃
There is already enough misinformation out there and we need to envince other readers to the veracity of our comments, best done by checking the comments we post. I know it can be time consuming and a hassle, but it keeps us on the straight n’ narrow.
You can learn who to trust though the authenticity and plausibility of their comments; there is a cacophony of background noise and static on UKDJ that detracts from discussions and only adds rancour and petty spite.
They’ve no interest in Defence beyond the grandstanding opportunities it gives them on the big boys table by having nukes, and the money channelled to the MIC for the jobs and the economy, which they are trashing with the other hand at the same time.
Sooner the country realise this, the better. Sadly, most have no interest in defence it seems despite the polls saying more support greater funding of the military.
It doesn’t go there, it goes to other areas of “Defence” which we’ve discussed endlessly here theres no point going over again.
As said, not in the least bit surprised.
Support for the funding of the military has support until it involves said people having to having a cut to something they get to pay for it or they have extra tax’s to pay for it. every single spending cut or tax rise of any type there outrage on social media or the press. There was a big fuss being raised by the Telegraph about how hard pressed people on £60k a year were. Like twice the UK average wage nearly
Well, we know we’ll get it this year. At some point. Brilliant.
Or that they’ll be working flat out into next year on it, which is the other possible interpretation.
They may be hoping for some big event that dominates the news, when they can sneak it out then, without people noticing there is very little new kit in it.
This year?
I doubt it.
They won’t publish the defence investment plan before parliamentary recess on 19th December.
They’ve got huge problems now in defence budget.
1) GBAD has to improve
2) lethality with drones and long range missiles has to improve
3) autonomous drones aren’t coming online fast enough to undertake key missions manned platforms that have already been scrapped eg MCM and ASW warfare + protection of critical offshore infrastructure.
4) personnel numbers- too low and not able to deter effectively.
5) bugger all attritional reserve
6) internal security of UK mainland- we are all happy with that? ( Cough cough RAF Brize Norton, cough cough)
7) key programmes are running late, not delivering and are an utter dogs dinner- F35B no UK weapons integration, ajax- still broken and causing occupational harm to soldiers- likely needs to be scrapped and CV90 ordered instead. Tempest needs pushing into production, wedgetail number must go back up, Poseidon numbers must be increased.
Army has bugger all artillery left- RCH155 needs ordering asap.
Even if we scrap AJAX where are the funds for an entire buy of CV90 a a replacement.
Exactly! This publication of DIP commitments won’t happen until the solution to the ‘Ajax problem’ is decided and costed. Another issue is the surprise £130b fee that the EU want to slap on the UK for joining their defence fund. Where is that money going to come from?
Paul, exactly. £130bn to join a club that doesn’t give you any free stuff! That would be two years defence expenditure down the drain.
Actually Graham, I cant believe that number. Other sources say the total EDF fund is 13b euro. In any case we are being asked to pay into the fund and we havent budgetted for it.
The entire SAFE fund is €150bn and the EU wanted €6bn/year from the UK to participate, yet let Canada join for just €10m/year, some sixty times less.
Thx for the correct numbers Craig. It’s difdicult not to lose your rag. For all the smiling and ‘communautaire’ they can be as spiteful and bloody minded as anyone else.
Well that clearly shows it will be crap, a farce talked up as some thing great. All talk and nothing else as always. Do nothing, talk a lot, the odd vague hint and that will deter Russia? thank good Poland and Germany are re arming because we are not. And when we do it will be half arsed to save money.
No surprise… They’ve said there’s an Imminent decision on the Medium Helicopter fleet with only one bidder and talk of that bidder upping and closing the factory in the UK because they’re not there for free.
Leonardo are justifiably annoyed at the delay. Details leaking out from Norway hint at a joint UK-Norway buy of AW149 and Merlins for the Norwegian T26s. Plus Proteus drones for the RN. Leonardo just want to get Yeovil working rather than paying for it to do nothing.
Well that would be good news… I just wish the whole “Imminent decision” language is dropped and they just be frank that there’s some extras they want to tack on before spending.
Plans will be rooted in the SDR. The changes proposed to strategy, roles and orbat must be predicated on the acquisition of equipment. Definite need to get this delay sorted. E.g. set up joint T26 and Merlin operation, training, maintenance with Norway. Will the AW149s go to the AAC? Possible conversion of freed up AAC Wildcats to RN spec or for sale to Philippines?
We are working flat out to order nothing if we can avoid it. We do have a plan though to get things done sometime.
It’s getting a bit silly.. but it does show there is a major argument going on.. Normally the treasury would just say no and get whatever rubbish published… let’s hope it’s the last gasp of treasury authodoxy being defenestrated.
like many people I thought Labour were ready to take a grip and Mr Healey and team were committed to the cause
looks like its the same as always with HMT causing untold damage to the UK, in this case its ability to defend itself
We really need to start with homeland defence and work our way out, it really is that bad. I also think we should align more with the nordic block as at least they order stuff from us instead of the EU countries who want our troops stationed but aren’t that willing to buy British.
Time to be laser focused and get on with it – instead I have so little confident and fully expect another government big on talk short on action
Delay the DIP as long as possible; when it is released, announce that a Command Paper is the next step: ‘Command Paper to be released summer 2026!We can’t invest until we work out the force structure.’
Greg, I have long been wondering when the Defence Command Paper is coming out – its usually a month or two after SDR.
This Government is taking ages to do all manner of Defence analytical work and issue the documents.
Sad as it may seem, we need some serious disruption to society before politicians in power get a grip. They prefer short term and vote grabbing tactics to bluster their way through real issues. We lack any real leadership, and people have no faith in the system. That is being exploited by enemies, whilst the PTB flounder around in semi ignorance. Then of course welfarism is the cocaine of the masses, and politicians are more tuned into that than world reality.
Perhaps a few weeks of rolling power cuts, fuel shortages and empty food shelves might hit home with Joe Public.
Best post here in years.
I despise EVERY SINGLE ON OF THEM.
Too kind mate but thanks.
Well it’s truth. The establishment and most of the House of Commons and the Lords just sing la la la with their heads in the clouds.
That’s very constructive 😀
Politicians are just a symptom it’s the electorate that’s the cause.
It’s not politicians who became work shy since 2020 and have a never ending entitlement with less civic virtue than at any modern time.
John, some said that we failed in Afghanistan (Op HERRICK, 2001 – 2014; 457 KIA, 2116 WIA) and Iraq (Op TELIC, 2003 – 2009; 179 KIA, 315 WIA)….for many reasons such as insufficient manpower, inadequate or insufficient equipment, mission creep, poor political direction etc.
My point is that no-one in Government got very exercised over such criticism such as to implement fixes. In fact things just got worse. What followed such Operations was more cuts, and there were more examples of ageing (or even ancient) equipment not being upgraded or replaced.
So what events would it actually take to spur ministers into action? Perhaps it is, as you say, serious disruption to society. We have already had examples of Russian hybrid warfare in our country over several years, but it has not affected enough people significantly or for a long time. It would have to be prolonged and serious disruption to a huge swathe of society. Is that around the corner?
Even then, have we got time to rearm? We spent nearly 5 years rearming before WW2 with mostly universal support from across political parties, unions, industrialists, the population – universal will – and the release of huge government funds. Today the industrial base has shrunk, platforms and weapons take far longer to build and universal will is not there.
Hmmm…rather obvious that the fiscal spreadsheets of MoD and Treasury do not correspond Straightforward remedy is available; joint UKSF op against HMG Treasury and some Labour backbenchers. 😉. His Majesty’s forces should be able to vanquish some timid accountants and a few barristers/MPs. Nothing too dramatic mind you–perhaps a little waterboarding of MPs, and an occasional flogging of accountants before the main mast of HMS Victory, would have an extremely salutary effect. 😁
Semi-seriously however, some MoD line items have to disappear specifically: the Chagos Islands settlement, support of UKR from MoD’s budget. First item doesn’t even merit serious argument; UKR support by ENATO/EU should be dispensed from expropriated frozen RU Central Bank funds totaling $200+ Bn. Time to lean on the Belgians, Hungarians, Italians, Slovakians, etc., to grow a f**king spine. Really, how the hell are Mad Vlad and the Orcs going to prevail in any lawsuit?!? In any event, a little effort re policy and spreadsheets should yield sufficient headroom for rearmament. Sorry, just one colonial’s opinion from across the Pond. 🤔😁🤞👍🇬🇧
We’re in no position to criticize the UK, we got the great traitor Trump as our “leader”,
The UK is stuck with a government of leftist human rights lawyers (until the next election).
Where’s that British lion gone ? Anyone 🕵 🦁 🇬🇧
Blether blether blether. I wonder if it will be printed in Russian too just in case? I genuinely think they are now hoping to push back serious spending until after the next election by which time they will be back in opposition playing student politics again.
No it won’t as it’s Reform, not Labour, that’s financed by the Russians.
Are you prepared to repeat that statement in Court?
No need, it’s already been proven in court 😂
I am not at all surprised that the DIP is proving hard work. There is a massive black hole in just about every element of defence – wages, barracks, family housing, base facilities, service numbers and equipment procurement. This is the jolly legacy of 14 years of gross underfunding and a heap of over-ambitious, unaffordable and too often poor procurement decisions.
The DIP basically faces trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot. The total of things we need or wish to acquire is about twice the budget available.
It is easy enough, though totall unrealistic, to sit on the sidelines and emulate the junior doctors in demanding another 25% please. I think HMG has done surprisingly well to get a future 3.5% target past its backbenchers. Defence spending is rising quite significantly over the next 5 years. If we trach the planned 3% of GDP target by 2030, that will be a 25% increase from 2024. Not to be sneezed at and a big change from the ever-diminishing, cost-cutting defence
settlements of the previous14 years of Tory indolence.
There is certainly nothing like the procurement budget that so many bay for.
We have a heap of dysfunctional “new’.equipment that is costing a fortune to repair – Astute, T45 and now Ajax
We have gaps alll over the place, like te Wedgetail, field artillery for the army, GBAD, Sky Sabre numbers, MCMVs, amphib assailt ships land on and on.
We have a lot of kit that is due for replacement in the next few years, including River 1, Hunt MCMVs, HMS Scott, Land Rovet 110, Pinzgauer, Bulldog etc etc.
Now we have a raft on new equipment to fund, including assorted UAVs, the RN’s extensive Projrct Bastion idea, counter-UAV artillery, laser weapons procurement and so on.
All overshadowed by the enormous cost of the Dreadnought SSBNs, which sucks the life out of the procurement budget and is, in reality, way beyond the nations resources.
We will be lucky if half of the.above.can be squeezed into the defence budget. No doubt the staffs are wrestling with a lot of difficult decisions just now . I would rathet the DIP is delayed until all the boxes are ticked, we might actually get it about right. Agitating for it to.be published instantly is not really in anyone’s interest, it needs cool heads just now while the staffs work through it.