The ambitions of the Strategic Defence Review must be placed on a firm financial footing, says Lords Committee Chair

The Chair of the cross-party House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee has issued a statement following the Government's statement on the Strategic Defence Review.

Lord de Mauley, who chairs the Committee said:

“The Strategic Defence Review sets out a transformative vision for UK Defence. I am pleased that it echoes many of the conclusions of my Committee's 2024 report ‘Ukraine: a wake-up call', which we submitted to the review—in particular, its recognition of the importance of mass and rapid innovation on the battlefield, and the need for a whole-of-society approach to defence. 

“Yet there is, at present, no comprehensive funding profile assigned to the laudable ambitions in the SDR. Without this, the credibility of delivery remains uncertain. The Defence Investment Plan scheduled for autumn 2025 must provide a transparent costed pathway, with clear timelines and milestones. It must also set out the trade-offs involved if the 3% funding—which remains an ambition, not a certainty—is not achieved. Until a clear financial underpinning is in place, delivery will remain at risk.”