Oral statement to Parliament

Update on Defence capabilities

Statement by the Defence Secretary John Healey to the House of Commons on Wednesday 20 November.

• From: Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon John Healey MP
• Published: 20 November 2024

• Delivered on: 20 November 2024

I have been Secretary of State for Defence for four months.

It is an honour and privilege to have this job.

Every day, I meet staff from the military, civil service and industry who are totally inspiring and dedicated to keeping this country safe.

Often unseen, often unheard by us바카라 사이트�and by the public.

We are proud of their professionalism 바카라 사이트� and we thank them for everything they do.

Madame Deputy Speaker, this is a new government getting on with delivering for defence. We바카라 사이트檝e:

Stepped up support for Ukraine바카라 사이트�

Signed the landmark Trinity House Agreement with Germany바카라 사이트�

We바카라 사이트檝e given Forces personnel the largest pay rise for over 20 years바카라 사이트�

Confirmed Defence as a priority sector, as part of the 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 Industrial Strategy바카라 사이트�

And this week, we secured the Second Reading of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill to improve service life.

[Political content removed]

But Madame Deputy Speaker, we know these are serious times 바카라 사이트� war in Europe, conflict in the Middle East, increasing global threats바카라 사이트�.

And technology is rapidly changing the nature of warfare, as we see right now in Ukraine.

Before the election, we knew there were serious problems with defence 바카라 사이트� one previous [political content removed] Defence Secretary told this House last year that our Armed Forces had been 바카라 사이트渉ollowed out and underfunded바카라 사이트� over the last 14 years.

However, as I have told the House since taking office, the problems were even worse than we thought바카라 사이트�.

It was a dire inheritance 바카라 사이트� the state of the finances and the state of the Forces.

Often hidden to Parliament.

Billion-pound blackholes in defence plans.

Taxpayers바카라 사이트� funds being wasted.

Military morale down to record lows.

That바카라 사이트檚 why we바카라 사이트檙e taking swift action now: to inject investment, get a grip of MOD budgets, and kickstart much-needed reforms to start fixing the foundations for the UK Defence.

I want to update the House on what we바카라 사이트檙e doing today.

First, on investment바카라 사이트�

In July the Chancellor exposed the 拢22 billion black hole at the heart of the 바카라 사이트 plans.

Hundreds of unfunded pressures. This year, and into the future too.

The first duty of the 바카라 사이트 is to keep this country safe.聽

That바카라 사이트檚 why the Chancellor has announced in the budget that defence will receive a boost next year of nearly 拢3 billion to start to fix the foundations for our forces.

The Chancellor also told this House, 바카라 사이트渨e will set a clear path to 2.5% of GDP on Defence바카라 사이트�바카라 사이트�..

Which will be fully funded 바카라 사이트� [political content removed].

But this is not just how much you spend on defence, it바카라 사이트檚 how you spend that counts바카라 사이트�.

Which is why we are conducting a Strategic Defence Review, at pace, to assess the threats we face and the capabilities that we will need in the future바카라 사이트�.

And it is also why I have also introduced tight financial controls on the department, including a 拢300 million reduction in planned consultancy spending.

Madame Deputy Speaker, we are getting a grip of MOD budgets and investing in people and in future technologies.

Second, on kit and capabilities.

For too long, our soldiers, sailors, aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment바카라 사이트� because Ministers wouldn바카라 사이트檛 make the difficult decommissioning decisions.

As technology advances at pace, we must move faster towards the future.

So today, with full backing from our Service Chiefs, I can confirm that six outdated military capabilities will be taken out of service.

These decisions are set to save MOD 拢150 million over the next two years and up to 拢500 million over five years 바카라 사이트� savings that will be retained in full in Defence.

Alongside this Statement, I have laid a WMS to outline the detail of my decommissioning decisions. These include:

HMS Northumberland 바카라 사이트� a frigate with structural damage that makes her simply uneconomical to repair.聽

46 Watchkeeper Mk1s 바카라 사이트� a 14-year-old Army drone which technology has overtaken.

HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark 바카라 사이트� landing ships both effectively retired by previous Ministers but superficially kept on the books at a cost of 拢9 million a year.

14 Chinooks 바카라 사이트� some over 35 years old 바카라 사이트� accelerated out of service.

Two Wave Class tankers 바카라 사이트� neither of which have been to sea for years.

And 17 Puma helicopters 바카라 사이트� some with over 50 years바카라 사이트� flying - will not be extended.

I recognise that these will mean lot to many who바카라 사이트檝e sailed and flown in them during their deployments around the world.

They have provided a valuable capability over the years. But their work is done. We must look now to the future.聽

All current personnel will be redeployed or retrained 바카라 사이트� no one will be made redundant.

And as the First Sea Lord says about these retirements, and I quote 바카라 사이트渢he threat is changing so we must have the self-confidence to make the changes required바카라 사이트�.

And of course, Madame Deputy Speaker be in no doubt, the future for our Royal Marines, and their elite force, will be reinforced in the SDR.

These are common-sense decisions which previous governments failed to take.

Decisions which will secure better value for money for taxpayers and better outcomes for the military.

Decisions which are all backed by the Chiefs and taken in consultation with the SDR Reviewers. Allies have been informed and we have constant dialogue with NATO.

These will not be the last difficult decisions I will have to make, to fix the defence inheritance that we were left with.聽

But they will help to get a grip of the finances now and give greater scope to renew our Forces for the future 바카라 사이트� as we look towards the Strategic Defence Review and to 2.5%.

I want to thank the Chiefs for their determination to work together with me on this.

Third, Madame Deputy Speaker, on reform바카라 사이트�

I have to say that Defence reform has been of little interest to recent Defence Secretaries.

It doesn바카라 사이트檛 make headlines. It doesn바카라 사이트檛 advance careers.聽

But how Defence works must change to deal with the increasing and diversifying threats.

So recently, I launched the biggest reform programme in defence for 50 years.

To create a stronger UK defence centre to secure better value for money, better outcomes for our Armed Forces, and be better聽able to implement the Strategic Defence Review.

Central to a reformed Defence is our new fully-fledged聽National Armaments Director, for which recruitment is underway now.

The Chief of the Defence Staff will oversee a new Military Strategic Headquarters바카라 사이트�operating from the end of 2024

바카라 사이트�where he will formally command the individual Service Chiefs for the first time

바카라 사이트� and will be central to prioritising investment spending between the Services.

The Permanent Secretary will lead a leaner department, with more policy muscle and influence.

These reforms will ensure faster delivery, better integration and clearer accountability across Defence to make our Forces fit to fight in the future.

And finally, Madame Deputy Speaker, our people.

This 바카라 사이트 is putting defence people at the heart of defence plans.

But we inherited [political content removed] in military recruitment and retention.

Targets missed every year for 14 years. Morale at record lows.

We can바카라 사이트檛 fix these deep-set problems overnight. But as Ministers, we are on a mission to lift military morale.

We have awarded the Forces the largest pay increase in over 20 years바카라 사이트�

And I can announce today:

that I바카라 사이트檓 introducing from April, a new 拢30,000 retention payment for a cohort of Tri-service aircraft engineers who sign up for additional three years바카라 사이트� of service. This will be open to around 5,000 personnel in total.

And from January, a new 拢8,000 retention payment for Army personnel who have served four years 바카라 사이트� supporting 4,000 personnel each year for three years, so 12,000 troops in total.

Madame Deputy Speaker, today I have set out where we were, and where we are going.

We are in a new era of rising global tensions.

We need a new era for UK Defence.

To achieve this바카라 사이트�

The 바카라 사이트 is investing 拢3 billion extra next year and setting a clear path to 2.5%바카라 사이트�

Driving far-reaching reform바카라 사이트�

Fixing the foundations for our Armed Forces바카라 사이트�

To make Britain better defended바카라 사이트�.

Strong at home and secure abroad.

Published 20 November 2024