The UK’s credibility with its allies has been “undermined” by repeated delays in publishing a long-awaited defence spending plan, a parliamentary committee has warned, as NATO allies move to fast-track drone purchases in response to growing aerial threats.
The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) was originally due in the autumn but is now expected ahead of a NATO summit early next month. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says the hold-up means procuring the latest equipment will be more expensive, “hindering the government’s attempt to modernise the Armed Forces”.
“MPs warn delays to UK defence plan undermine credibility as NATO fast-tracks drone purchases after Russian drone incidents.”
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, chair of the PAC, said the nation had “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 the time to get the details right’ simply do not cut it.”
The PAC report attributed the delay to “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”. It warned that defence contractors were raising prices because of global instability, meaning further delays could cost more.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman insisted the DIP would “fix the outdated, overcommitted and underfunded programme we inherited”, adding: “We are working hard to finalise it.” Defence Secretary John Healey told the Commons on Monday that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was “determined to publish” the plan. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said on the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday that the plan “will be absolutely clear” before the NATO summit in July.
The urgency comes as NATO allies discussed a proposal for an accelerated drone-buying program at a closed-door meeting of the alliance’s 32 ambassadors on Wednesday. The meeting was held just days after a Russian drone crash caused multiple injuries in Romania, and as NATO has scrambled jets to shoot down suspicious drones over Latvia and Estonia in recent weeks.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan wrote after the meeting: “Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to create major risks for Euro-Atlantic security, particularly in the Black Sea… It is therefore important that NATO strengthen its presence and capabilities in Romania.” He said it was agreed “to accelerate NATO projects on responding to drone threats, so that support measures for affected Allies can be approved at the [alliance’s] Ankara summit” next month.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said: “As a direct result of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, we’ve seen more incidents with drones along our eastern flank.” Allies also flagged threats to critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, including Romania’s €4 billion Neptun Deep offshore gas exploration project, set to come online next year.
“The money will be found,” the justice secretary insisted, calling defence the “first purpose” of the nation. But Sir Geoffrey was blunt: ministers should “simply apologise” instead of defending the delay, and consider the message its absence sent “to the public, as well as the UK’s allies and its adversaries”.