A chronic delay in publishing the government’s defence investment blueprint has left the UK less safe and undermined its credibility with allies, a cross-party group of MPs has warned. The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) – supposed to be published in the autumn – is now due ahead of a Nato summit early next month, but the hold-up means procuring equipment will be more expensive, “hindering the government’s attempt to modernise the Armed Forces”, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the PAC chair, said the nation has “now in fact gone years without a credible plan for UK military capability”. He added: “Those responsible may argue there are good reasons for the DIP’s continuing absence, but our report makes clear that excuses to the effect of ‘taking time to get the details right’ simply do not cut it.”
“Delays to the Defence Investment Plan have undermined UK credibility and left the country less safe, say MPs.”
The PAC report blamed the delay on “the lack of a decision from the MoD as to which capabilities, infrastructure and people it requires to transform the Armed Forces to be warfighting-ready”. Global instability is driving up prices charged by defence contractors, so further procrastination could cost more. The delay also means an “inability to equip the UK’s Armed Forces for the modern battlefield” and undermines the MoD’s credibility with allies and the defence sector.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman responded that the DIP would “fix the outdated, overcommitted and underfunded programme we inherited”, adding: “We are working hard to finalise it.” Since coming to power in July 2024, the government has signed more than 1,400 major defence contracts and is providing “a generational increase in defence spending… ensuring no return to the hollowed out armed forces of the past”.
The PAC report also highlighted ongoing issues with the Ajax armoured vehicle. In November 2025, the army paused its use after soldiers became unwell from noise and vibration, with some vomiting after leaving the vehicle. A total of 33 soldiers have been affected, five still under medical review as of March, the report found.