A parliamentary committee that scrutinises public spending has made scathing comments about the impact of delays in the publication of the government\u2019s defence investment plan (Dip).<\/p>\n
The plan, originally expected last autumn, has been repeatedly postponed amid warnings that the military faces a huge funding gap over the next four years. It is due to be published before a Nato<\/a> summit early next month.<\/p>\n In a report, the public accounts committee said the delay was undermining credibility with the UK\u2019s allies. The chair of the committee of MPs, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, said: \u201cThose responsible may argue there are good reasons for the Dip\u2019s continuing absence, but our report makes clear that excuses to the effect of \u2018taking the time to get the details right\u2019 simply do not cut it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever the content of the Dip when it eventually does appear, the damage from its absence has been done \u2013 to the nation\u2019s credibility, to its safety, to its armed forces, and to certainty within its entire defence industrial base.<\/p>\n \u201cAny government minister attempting to explain away this delay to the Dip should instead ask themselves what message the bureaucratic drift of the past months has given to the public, as well as the UK\u2019s allies and its adversaries, and simply apologise.\u201d<\/p>\n The UK defence secretary, John Healey (left), during a visit to Cyprus in March. Photograph: Leon Neal\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The report added that the Ministry of Defence<\/a> (MoD) \u201chas not yet decided which capabilities, infrastructure and people it requires to transform the armed forces to be warfighting-ready within the budget available\u201d, nor had it \u201csecured the cross-government agreement that the plan needs\u201d.<\/p>\n The prime minister, Keir Starmer<\/a>, has said the plan, originally promised in autumn 2025, will be published before the Nato summit in Turkey beginning on 7 July.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the MoD said the government was providing a \u201cgenerational increase\u201d in defence spending, with an extra \u00a3270bn across this parliament.<\/p>\n \u201cThe defence investment plan will fix the outdated, overcommitted and underfunded programme we inherited,\u201d said the spokesperson. \u201cWe are working hard to finalise it. As the defence secretary told parliament this week, the prime minister is determined to publish it before the Nato summit.\u201d<\/p>\n The PAC report comes as it emerged the MoD is developing a submarine maintenance recovery plan amid reports the Royal Navy\u2019s entire available fleet of hunter-killer submarines is docked.<\/p>\n The Mail on Sunday reported all five Astute-class submarines \u2013 which are used to protect the Vanguard submarines that carry nuclear Trident missiles \u2013 are out of service while they undergo maintenance and repair work<\/a>. The first sea lord ordered the development of the plan, which would prevent maintenance overruns and increase capacity to achieve war readiness.<\/p>\n An MoD spokesperson said: \u201cStrengthening and sustaining our submarine capability is a top priority and we are taking decisive action to ensure its long-term resilience.<\/p>\n \u201cThe strategic defence review has underscored the critical importance of sustained and targeted investment across the defence nuclear enterprise, and we are unwavering in our efforts to deliver the resources, infrastructure and support necessary to meet current and future operational demands.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do not routinely comment about specific submarine operations and availability, but British waters are always protected with a range of assets including warships, patrol aircraft and submarines.\u201d<\/p>\n The Mail quoted a naval source claiming that \u201ca lack of investment for decades in providing the backup infrastructure to keep them [submarines] safe\u201d had contributed to the problem.<\/p>\n