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| Armed forces cuts prompt defence committee concerns | Armed forces cuts prompt defence committee concerns |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Cuts to the UK's armed forces may leave them unable to fulfil required tasks after 2015, a report by MPs has warned. | Cuts to the UK's armed forces may leave them unable to fulfil required tasks after 2015, a report by MPs has warned. |
| The Commons defence committee rejected the prime minister's assurance of a "full spectrum" defence capability. | The Commons defence committee rejected the prime minister's assurance of a "full spectrum" defence capability. |
| The committee warned that without firm commitments to improved funding in the very near future, politicians risked "failing" the country's military. | The committee warned that without firm commitments to improved funding in the very near future, politicians risked "failing" the country's military. |
| Defence Secretary Liam Fox said the idea that the military was not being funded for its role was "not true". | Defence Secretary Liam Fox said the idea that the military was not being funded for its role was "not true". |
| 'Wish list' | 'Wish list' |
| Last year's strategic defence and security review (SDSR) outlined the future shape and size of the UK's armed forces. | Last year's strategic defence and security review (SDSR) outlined the future shape and size of the UK's armed forces. |
| It said Army numbers were to be reduced by 7,000, and the Royal Navy and RAF by 5,000 each. | It said Army numbers were to be reduced by 7,000, and the Royal Navy and RAF by 5,000 each. |
| And it saw the cancellation of equipment including Nimrod MRA4 reconnaissance planes and the early withdrawal of HMS Ark Royal and Harrier jump-jets. | And it saw the cancellation of equipment including Nimrod MRA4 reconnaissance planes and the early withdrawal of HMS Ark Royal and Harrier jump-jets. |
| The committee said the National Security Strategy, also unveiled last autumn, was in danger of becoming no more than a "wish list" unless the necessary money was committed to deliver the future armed forces envisaged for 2020 and beyond. | The committee said the National Security Strategy, also unveiled last autumn, was in danger of becoming no more than a "wish list" unless the necessary money was committed to deliver the future armed forces envisaged for 2020 and beyond. |
| Last month it was announced that spending on equipment would increase by 1% above inflation each year after 2015, to pave the way for the so-called Future Force 2020. | Last month it was announced that spending on equipment would increase by 1% above inflation each year after 2015, to pave the way for the so-called Future Force 2020. |
| However, the committee said it was "not convinced that, given the current financial climate and the drawdown of capabilities arising from the SDSR, UK armed forces will be able do what is asked of them after 2015". | However, the committee said it was "not convinced that, given the current financial climate and the drawdown of capabilities arising from the SDSR, UK armed forces will be able do what is asked of them after 2015". |
| It noted "mounting concern" that the military was falling below the minimum capacity needed to fulfil current commitments, let alone tasks it may face between 2015 and 2020, when ministers acknowledge there will be "capability gaps". | It noted "mounting concern" that the military was falling below the minimum capacity needed to fulfil current commitments, let alone tasks it may face between 2015 and 2020, when ministers acknowledge there will be "capability gaps". |
| And it said plans to increase funding after 2015 were merely "government aspiration, not government policy". | And it said plans to increase funding after 2015 were merely "government aspiration, not government policy". |
| The committee urged the government to outline its plans to manage the gap left by the loss of certain capabilities, and lay out detailed plans for their regeneration. | The committee urged the government to outline its plans to manage the gap left by the loss of certain capabilities, and lay out detailed plans for their regeneration. |
| Committee chairman James Arbuthnot said: "If the ambition of a real-term funding increase is not realised, we will have failed our armed forces." | Committee chairman James Arbuthnot said: "If the ambition of a real-term funding increase is not realised, we will have failed our armed forces." |
| He warned that failure to maintain spending on the armed forces put the UK's influence in the world at risk. | He warned that failure to maintain spending on the armed forces put the UK's influence in the world at risk. |
| "The government appears to believe that the UK can maintain its influence while reducing spending in defence and at the Foreign Office," said Mr Arbuthnot. | "The government appears to believe that the UK can maintain its influence while reducing spending in defence and at the Foreign Office," said Mr Arbuthnot. |
| He said MPs on the committee "do not agree" with this. | He said MPs on the committee "do not agree" with this. |
| 'Real budgets' | 'Real budgets' |
| The problem for the MoD is that, even now, the sums don't add up. So the MoD has had to announce more cuts to both civilian staff and the regular Army. The cuts for MoD civilians now amount to some 32,000, or around a third of the total, while for the regular Army, 20,000 jobs will be lost between 2011 and 2020, or a fifth of the UK's soldiers. | The problem for the MoD is that, even now, the sums don't add up. So the MoD has had to announce more cuts to both civilian staff and the regular Army. The cuts for MoD civilians now amount to some 32,000, or around a third of the total, while for the regular Army, 20,000 jobs will be lost between 2011 and 2020, or a fifth of the UK's soldiers. |
| The regular Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will all be significantly smaller by 2015, and probably more so by 2020. | The regular Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will all be significantly smaller by 2015, and probably more so by 2020. |
| The guarantee of an extra 1% real terms increase in the defence equipment budget from 2015-2020, announced by Defence Secretary Liam Fox in July, while welcomed by many in defence, is not as much as the MoD needs to make its plans for 2020 a reality. | The guarantee of an extra 1% real terms increase in the defence equipment budget from 2015-2020, announced by Defence Secretary Liam Fox in July, while welcomed by many in defence, is not as much as the MoD needs to make its plans for 2020 a reality. |
| The defence committee is clearly signposting the way to the next strategic defence review in 2015, with the emphasis on the need to ensure commitments and resources in defence genuinely do match. | The defence committee is clearly signposting the way to the next strategic defence review in 2015, with the emphasis on the need to ensure commitments and resources in defence genuinely do match. |
| But Mr Fox rejected the accusation that the UK risked failing its military. | But Mr Fox rejected the accusation that the UK risked failing its military. |
| The defence secretary said: "We have set out real plans with real budgets, quite different from the previous government, and that will enable us to continue to invest in the defence capabilities we require in the years ahead. | The defence secretary said: "We have set out real plans with real budgets, quite different from the previous government, and that will enable us to continue to invest in the defence capabilities we require in the years ahead. |
| "When we have asked the military to do more, for example in Libya, excess funding is available and we are able to take that from the Treasury Reserve. | "When we have asked the military to do more, for example in Libya, excess funding is available and we are able to take that from the Treasury Reserve. |
| "That does not come from the core MoD budget. And so the idea that we are asking the military to do things without funding simply isn't true." | "That does not come from the core MoD budget. And so the idea that we are asking the military to do things without funding simply isn't true." |
| However, shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said the report was "damning". | However, shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said the report was "damning". |
| "The rushed defence review has been much criticised, but now those who were disappointed will be dismayed and the anxious will be angry," he said. | "The rushed defence review has been much criticised, but now those who were disappointed will be dismayed and the anxious will be angry," he said. |
| "The capability gaps and budgetary black hole left by the rushed defence review have limited Britain's reach in the world." | "The capability gaps and budgetary black hole left by the rushed defence review have limited Britain's reach in the world." |
| 'Rightly assessed' | 'Rightly assessed' |
| The UK's most senior military officer, Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir David Richards, said "some tough decisions" had to be taken and the UK "will remain a formidable fighting force on the world stage". | The UK's most senior military officer, Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir David Richards, said "some tough decisions" had to be taken and the UK "will remain a formidable fighting force on the world stage". |
| "We are continually working with our international allies to share operational requirements," he said, which are "measures we rightly assessed in the SDSR could be relied upon to mitigate capability gaps". | "We are continually working with our international allies to share operational requirements," he said, which are "measures we rightly assessed in the SDSR could be relied upon to mitigate capability gaps". |
| General Sir Nick Houghton, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, said the report was "quite well balanced and quite constructive," adding that he did not feel there had been "scathing criticisms". | General Sir Nick Houghton, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, said the report was "quite well balanced and quite constructive," adding that he did not feel there had been "scathing criticisms". |
| He said there had simply been "quite a lot of serious constructive counsel" in the report. | He said there had simply been "quite a lot of serious constructive counsel" in the report. |
| And, when asked about concerns that the UK's stature would diminish as a result of the cuts, he said: "We will remain the fourth biggest defence spending country." | And, when asked about concerns that the UK's stature would diminish as a result of the cuts, he said: "We will remain the fourth biggest defence spending country." |
| Colonel Stuart Tootal, a former commander of 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan, described the criticisms raised by the select committee as "hardly surprising". | Colonel Stuart Tootal, a former commander of 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan, described the criticisms raised by the select committee as "hardly surprising". |
| "We have a strategic security and defence review which has been driven by costs rather than strategy," he told the BBC's Breakfast programme. | "We have a strategic security and defence review which has been driven by costs rather than strategy," he told the BBC's Breakfast programme. |
| He said: "There is a real risk - and it is already happening now - that there is a mismatch between resources that the Armed Forces have now, will have after 2015, and the commitments and tasks they are going to have to meet and there are going to be gaps, quite serious capability gaps. | He said: "There is a real risk - and it is already happening now - that there is a mismatch between resources that the Armed Forces have now, will have after 2015, and the commitments and tasks they are going to have to meet and there are going to be gaps, quite serious capability gaps. |
| "[The Army] is going to struggle to meet its commitments even after the campaign in Afghanistan ends," he added. | "[The Army] is going to struggle to meet its commitments even after the campaign in Afghanistan ends," he added. |
| Commodore Steven Jermy, who retired from the Royal Navy in 2010 and has written a book Strategy for Action: Using Force Wisely in the 21st century, told the BBC's 5 live programme it was a "balanced report". | |
| He said he understood the need to reduce spending on defence but the government was trying to do "the impossible". | |
| "I understand that we need to reduced spending on defence, of course we do to balance the books, but equally to say that we can achieve exactly the same with a reduced size forces - without the Nimrods, without the carriers and harriers and all that - that simply doesn't make sense. | |
| "For example without the Nimrods, we cannot patrol our exclusive economic zone, that's the waters out to 200 miles from the UK coast, and without the carriers we could not do another Sierra Leone and we could not retake the Falklands," he said. | |
| In May, senior military figures voiced fears of the impact the SDSR would have on the UK's standing. | In May, senior military figures voiced fears of the impact the SDSR would have on the UK's standing. |
| The heads of the Army, Royal Navy and RAF told the Commons defence committee that the UK could no longer aspire to the "full spectrum" of military capabilities in its wake. | The heads of the Army, Royal Navy and RAF told the Commons defence committee that the UK could no longer aspire to the "full spectrum" of military capabilities in its wake. |
| But Prime Minister David Cameron later contradicted the warnings. | But Prime Minister David Cameron later contradicted the warnings. |