Defence & Security
70mentions · last 12 months↓
View full analysis →Defence Committee scrutinises defence policy, military strategy, and the Ministry of Defence's spending and operations. The Commons Select Committee takes oral evidence from government ministers, military personnel, civil servants and external experts during regular public sessions. It examines major defence initiatives, spending decisions and operational matters affecting the armed forces. Recent inquiries have focused on UK defence capabilities in the High North, including testimony from academic experts and an expert panel on strategic positioning in that region. The Committee has also investigated the MOD's handling of a data breach involving Afghan Relocation Assistance Programme records, hearing from Williams and Lincoln, and pursued a follow-up inquiry into women in the Armed Forces. In parallel, it has assessed delays to the Defence Industrial Plan and its impact on defence industry capacity, whilst reviewing the MOD's Annual Report for 2024-25 with emphasis on reform priorities and undersea warfare capabilities including submarine and Bastion systems.
22 sessions published in the last 12 months
Click any cell in the heatmap to see the sessions held that day and the insights extracted from them.
267 insights
15 Jul 2026
The session scrutinised the Ministry of Defence’s approach to High North defence amid reduced US focus on Europe, rising Russian threat, and the UK’s role in NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force. The Minister said the UK is stepping up through its nuclear deterrent, submarine programme, F-35As, carrier deployments and deeper cooperation with allies such as Norway, France and Germany. The panel defended the shift towards a hybrid Navy and uncrewed systems, said the Defence Investment Plan is intended to deliver the Strategic Defence Review, and gave no guarantee that frigate numbers would never dip below five. They also said NATO has already filled the immediate US capability gap through force sourcing, that JEF and JFC Norfolk are complementary, and that the UK is open to Canada joining GCAP while JEF membership for Canada remains for members to decide.
07 Jul 2026
The Committee scrutinised Lord Robertson and General Sir Richard Barrons on how far the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) implements the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), and whether the plan is fast and well-funded enough for the threat the UK faces. The witnesses argued the DIP broadly preserves the SDR’s transformation agenda but is too slow, too backloaded and too small relative to the pace of risk, especially given Russia and NATO’s 2030 horizon. They pressed for more money sooner, more public and parliamentary debate, stronger homeland resilience, and greater transparency over defence spending, while also warning that nuclear costs and legacy shortfalls crowd out conventional capability.
09 Jun 2026
The Defence Committee session examined Ukraine’s conflict dynamics, emphasising the role of the defence-industrial base, rapid tech iteration, and private-sector collaboration in sustaining military aid. Witnesses argued Ukraine’s battlefield gains hinge on three pillars: innovation, unity of purpose, and European support, with the UK cast as a trusted ally and potential leader in defence collaboration. The discussion also explored defence procurement reform, the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), and the future of a ceasefire—contrasting good and bad outcomes amid shifting American support. Overall, the witnesses urged strengthened industrial and financial linkages with Europe and highlighted resilience as a critical social and economic dimension of modern warfare.
19 May 2026
This Defence Committee session scrutinised the Afghan data breach, the ARAP/ARR/ACRS relocation schemes, and the cross-government response. Witnesses from the Ministry of Defence explained stabilising the schemes, risk assessments (notably the Rimmer review), and the decision to lift the super-injunction while planning to close the schemes by the end of this Parliament. They outlined data-protection improvements, a shift to self-moves, KPI governance, and cross-Government lessons to improve transparency and accountability.
28 Apr 2026
The Defence Committee session scrutinised Russia’s Arctic strategy and the High North’s security dynamics, the UK’s role and leadership options (bilateral vs multilateral), and the capability gaps and strategic challenges faced by the UK and its allies. Witnesses emphasized the importance of NATO coherence while acknowledging valuable complementary roles for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and bilateral arrangements (notably with Norway and Canada). They highlighted significant UK naval capability shortfalls (submarine availability, frigate numbers, mine-countermeasures, airborne early warning, and weapons fit for platforms like F-35), the potential but limited and contingent value of autonomous/uncrewed systems, and the need for resilient defence-finance and stockpile approaches to sustain long-term campaigning. The discussion also underscored potential risks if US commitment wanes and the implications for extended deterrence in the High North. Overall, the witnesses argued for a pragmatic combination of leadership, allied collaboration, and ensured industrial capacity to deter and reassure in the Arctic region.
21 Apr 2026
This session scrutinised the Afghan relocations and assistance policy (ARAP) data-handling risks, the scale of the ARAP and Triples schemes, the governance and accountability arrangements, and the steps taken to address a major data breach in August 2023. Witnesses David Williams (former Permanent Secretary, MOD) and Paul Lincoln (former Second Permanent Secretary, MOD) outline the origins of the risk, the shift from ad hoc spreadsheet use to dedicated casework systems (DACS) and Home Office platforms, and the challenges of cross-government coordination. They discuss the role of a cross-government SRO and a central co-ordination mechanism (the “gold group”), the impact of a super-injunction on parliamentary scrutiny, and the long shadow of accountability for decisions taken under crisis conditions. The discussion also covers cost implications (early MOD estimates of the breach around £850m), and the need for clearer outcomes and department-specific responsibilities to improve future crisis responses. The session signals a governance shift towards Cabinet Office-led cross-government coordination and an emphasis on clearly defined outcomes and accountability models in complex, multi-department schemes.
21 Nov 2024
21 Nov 2024
21 Nov 2024