Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority's annual report 2023-24, last updated 17 January 2025, for what reason the E-7 Wedgetail programme has received a Red rating.

Compared to the end of financial year 22/23, in the final quarter of 23/24 the Infrastructure and Project Authority's (IPA) Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating for E-7 Wedgetail decreased from Amber to Red. This was primarily due to affordability and equipment delivery schedule risks and issues. The programme was seeking a revision to its scheduled end date as challenges within the global supply chain, retention of an appropriately skilled workforce at the modification facility and an increase in certification complexity in the aviation sector had caused delays to the expected in service date.

DCAs are not a comprehensive reflection of project performance, but reflect a project’s likelihood of success at a specific snapshot in time if issues and risks are left unaddressed. The 23/24 IPA Annual Report reflects the situation in March 2024. A revised assessment will be provided in the next Annual Report, which will set out the situation as at the end of the current financial year.