Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on increasing levels of defence expenditure above 2.5% of GDP.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government is committed to setting a path to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence in Spring. The Ministry of Defence remains closely engaged with His Majesty's Treasury on this matter.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential long-term impact of increasing UK defence spending on (a) economic growth, (b) innovation and (c) job creation in the defence sector.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government recognises the vital role Defence plays not only in our national security but also in delivering economic growth to all nations and regions of the United Kingdom.
Peace and security are the essential preconditions of long-term economic growth. Added to this, Ministry of Defence (MOD) expenditure with industry supports over 200,000 jobs across the United Kingdom, many of which are outside London and the South East. Overall, 68% of MOD UK industry spending goes to areas outside London and the South East. The £2.6 billion spent on R&D in 2023-24 will also contribute to innovation that both keeps the country safe and leads to spillovers into the wider economy.
The Ministry of Defence will bring forward a Defence Industrial Strategy that ensures Defence contributes fully to the Government’s number one mission to drive economic growth.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what comparative assessment he has made of the level of defence expenditure in (a) the UK and (b) Russia; and what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Government's commitment to increase defence expenditure to 2.5% of GDP.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK currently spends 2.3% of GDP on defence, and the Government is committed to setting a pathway to 2.5% this Spring.
Russia's own public assessment forecast their military expenditure at over 7% of GDP in 2024, with some sources estimating that as much as 9% of Russian GDP is being spent on defence. However, the public figures almost certainly do not tell the full story about Russian expenditure or the true burden on the Russian economy.
These figures are not directly comparable as the UK follows NATO's definition of defence spending, Russia does not.