The Defence Committee is today publishing the Government’s
Response to its report “In Search
of Strategy – The 2020 Integrated Review”.
The Report underscored the need for strong political leadership
and strategic analysis to inform the UK's future defence posture
and urges the Government to include a thorough assessment of the
economic, diplomatic and military activities and the internal
political dynamics of hostile foreign states, such as Russia and
China.
Chair of the Defence Committee, MP, said:
“The Government’s formal Response to our Integrated Review
inquiry clearly outlines that a Comprehensive Spending
Review would provide a multiyear financial settlement for
Defence, enabling the delivery of the policy priorities set out
in the Integrated Review.
“However, in just the last few days, the Treasury has signalled
its intentions to scrap this plan. I strongly urge the Chancellor
to reconsider as this would lead to delays in key financial
decisions, costing the Ministry of Defence billions of pounds.
And more widely it would send a poor signal about the
Government’s commitment to re-establishing a coherent vision of
our place in the world at a time of great uncertainty and
instability.
“The Integrated Review was promoted with great fanfare as the
opportunity for the nation to reassess current and emerging
threats and serve as a commitment to shape the world beyond our
borders with a subsequent upgrade to our defence posture. We
cannot afford to let this opportunity go to waste at a time when
the West is at its most divided in decades and our adversaries
stand primed and ready to take advantage of any weakness they
see.
“I urge to Prime Minister to complete review process in full –
even if this means confirming the multiyear financial settlement
for Defence in isolation from other Government departments.
The first duty of the Government is security of the nation. Now
is not the time to blink.”
