MoD: Minister tight-lipped on if Royal Navy, Army and RAF training budget will fall - defence review outlined

Questions regarding the finances for the Royal Navy, British Army and RAF were raised and answered this week. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer warned that October’s financial budget would be a “painful” one, with tough decisions needing to be made.

As reported in the Financial Times, he insisted that no measures which impact growth will be implemented - but uncertainties regarding the countries defence remain. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, Conservative MP for South Suffolk, asked whether there are plans to reduce the training budget for the three armed forces during this fiscal year.

Veterans minister Al Carns, Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, said: “The Chancellor has confirmed a challenging in year deficit across all Departments. A spending review process is underway. Departmental spending plans will be set out in the usual way.”

Other changes to the armed forces will be outlined in the upcoming Defence Strategic Review, issued by the prime minister in July. Raising the defence budget to 2.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be among the decisions considered. Mr Starmer previously told reporters during a visit to Washington DC, USA, that any spending increases would only be considered once the review was completed.

Details about what the review will consist of was outlined by defence minister Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. In response to a parliamentary written question from Mike Martin, Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells, Mr Pollard said: “The Strategic Defence Review will determine the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century, deliverable and affordable within the resources available to Defence within the trajectory to 2.5 per cent.

“The Review will ensure that Defence is central both to the security, and to the economic growth and prosperity, of the United Kingdom. The Review will identify where reprioritisation of roles, capabilities, activities, and support may be made in the current Defence programme, to allow new investment, achieve better value for money, and secure greater economic gain for the UK, and will make recommendations.”