Strategic Defence Review reviewers Lord Robertson and Sir Richard Barrons to give evidence

Strategic Defence Review (SDR) Reviewers, Lord Robertson and General (Retd) Sir Richard Barrons, will give evidence to the Defence Committee on the Review, on Tuesday 3 December, at 10.30. 

Lord Robertson was NATO Secretary General between 1999 and 2003 and Secretary of State for Defence between 1997 and 1999.  

General (Retd) Sir Richard Barrons has served as Commander of the Joint Forces Command and as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations), the director of operations for UK armed forces. Sir Richard was Assistant Chief of the General Staff covering the 2010 the Strategic Defence and Security Review and Defence Reform exercises. 

Questions around the scope of the SDR, including what impact budgetary constraints will have on SDR and to what extent trade-offs are being considered as part of the review, are likely to be covered in the session.  

The session is likely to also cover the way in which the Review is being approached, with the use of external reviewers, the adoption of an AI programme to sift submissions and to what extent the reviewers will be involved in its implementation. The Committee is likely to ask about the role of the “NATO first” principle.  

10.30, Tuesday 3 December: 

·       Lord Robertson, Lead Reviewer, Strategic Defence Review 

·       General Sir Richard Barrons, Reviewer, Strategic Defence Review