Defence policy
Defence policy news from UK Parliament.

MOD Parliamentary Under-Secretary Luke Pollard to face questions on grey zone threats
The Defence Committee will question Luke Pollard MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces at the Ministry of Defence on grey zone threats, at 10.30am on Tuesday 25 March.
21 March 2025

Women in the Armed Forces: what progress has been made?
The Defence Committee is assessing progress on its predecessor Committee’s work on women in the Armed Forces, hearing from witnesses across the Ministry of Defence (MOD) including the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
14 March 2025

International Women’s Day: Defence Committee to hold women in the Armed Forces session
The Defence Committee will hold a session this month following up on the previous Committee’s work on women in the Armed Forces. Details of the session will be announced shortly.
07 March 2025

Armed Forces Commissioner Bill centre of Lords debate
Members of the Lords debate the key principles and main purpose of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill. Catch up
06 March 2025

Government accepts majority of Committee’s recommendations on improving Service Accommodation
The Defence Committee today publishes the Government response to its report on Service Accommodation, in which the Government accepts the majority of the Committee’s recommendations for improving the quality of accommodation available to Service Personnel.
03 March 2025

European security inquiry: Defence Cttee focuses on challenges facing the UK’s industrial base
The Defence Committee will hold an evidence session on the UK’s contribution to European security at 10.30am, on Tuesday 4 March. The Committee will speak to industry experts from ADS Group, Make UK Defence and techUK.
28 February 2025

Defence Committee reacts to the Prime Minister’s statement on defence
The Defence Committee has reacted to the Prime Minister’s statement on defence.
25 February 2025

Defence Committee responds to recent statements on the war in Ukraine
The Defence Committee has issued a response to recent statements on the war in Ukraine.
13 February 2025

Defence and Public Accounts Committees express “deep frustration” at lack of Defence Equipment Plan
For the last two years, the MOD has failed to publish the annual Equipment Plan, where it sets out its spending plans on equipment procurement and support projects over the next decade
31 January 2025

Former MI6 Chief Sir Alex Younger to discuss grey zone threats
Former Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, Sir Alex Younger, will give evidence to the Defence Committee. The Committee will examine the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD’s) contribution towards combatting grey zone threats – threats that fall below the perceived threshold for military action – such as sabotaging undersea cables.
17 January 2025

Defence Committee: GCAP timescale is ambitious and Gov’t must keep pace
The Defence Committee has today (14 January) published a report on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), welcoming the programme’s progress but cautioning the need to stay on track to meet the in-service target date of 2035.
14 January 2025

Defence Committee: MOD must learn from Ukraine and embrace AI
Ukraine has shown that artificial intelligence (AI) is already delivering military advantage in conflict and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) should embrace the change AI is bringing to defence, a report by the Defence Committee has found.
10 January 2025

MOD lifts restriction on serving personnel giving evidence for Armed Forces Covenant inquiry
On the request of the Defence Committee, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon. John Healey, has granted special dispensation to Service Personnel to provide evidence to the Committee’s inquiry into the Armed Forces Covenant.
09 January 2025

Matt Western elected Chair of JCNSS
Matt Western has been elected Chair of the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy (JCNSS).
17 December 2024

BTC Chair: Ministers have many questions still to answer on UK position on arms exports to Israel
Liam Byrne has written to DBT and Foreign Office ministers following evidence in Parliament.
12 December 2024