Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government press release entitled UK to deliver on 5% NATO pledge as Government drives greater security for working people, published on 23 June 2025, if she will list (a) all Government departments that will be included in the commitment to spend 1.5% of GDP on resilience and security and (b) the financial quantum in each case.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It includes investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.
Our National Security Strategy confirms our belief that these types of investment are vital to national security and we are pleased that this is now recognised by NATO. As set out in the Spending Review 2025, this government is making significant investment into these areas and we are confident we will meet the 1.5% target on defence and security related spending.
Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government press release entitled UK to deliver on 5% NATO pledge as Government drives greater security for working people, published on 23 June 2025, whether the 1.5 percent to be allocated to resilience and security will include the costs of Sizewell C.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It will include investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.
Our National Security Strategy confirms our belief that these types of investment are vital to national security and we are pleased that this is now recognised by NATO. As set out in the Spending Review 2025, this government is making significant investment into these areas and we are confident we will meet the 1.5% target on defence and security related spending.
Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her planned timetable is for setting out how the UK will fund GDP on defence expenditure of (a) 3 percent in the next Parliament and (b) 3.5 percent by the Parliament after next.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
As confirmed in the Spending Review 2025, this government has a fully funded path to reaching 2.6% NATO qualifying defence spending by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% by the end of the next parliament, when fiscal and economic conditions allow. We will set budgets for the next Spending Review period at SR27. The NATO Defence Investment Pledge will be reviewed by NATO Allies in 2029.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 59131 on Intelligence Services: Finance, if she will specify the total financial quantum of the greater elements of the Single Intelligence Account spend referred to.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
In line with practice among our allies, and recognising the increased contribution provided by our security and intelligence agencies on defence, we are including greater elements of the Single Intelligence Account spend in our NATO defence reporting. This will bring total NATO qualifying spending to 2.6% by 2027-28. NATO sets the definition for NATO qualifying defence spending, against which the Government reports, in line with guidance provided by NATO. The SIA budget is set out in the Spending Review 2025 document. (Spending Review 2025 document - GOV.UK)
The inclusion of departmental spending that falls under NATO qualifying defence spending definitions will continue to be periodically reviewed in line with NATO guidance.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government press release entitled UK to deliver on 5% NATO pledge as Government drives greater security for working people, published on 23 June 2025, if she will publish a breakdown of the ten largest areas of government expenditure that will be reclassified under the commitment to spend 1.5 percent of GDP on resilience and security.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It includes investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.
Our National Security Strategy confirms our belief that these types of investment are vital to national security and we are pleased that this is now recognised by NATO. As set out in the Spending Review 2025, this government is making significant investment into these areas and we are confident we will meet the 1.5% target on defence and security related spending.
Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to to table 5.1 on pages 44-45 of the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, CP 1336, whether the Single Intelligence Account budget will be added to the Ministry of Defence's budget in 2027-28.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The PM announced in February that an increase in NATO qualifying defence spending to 2.5% would be fully funded by a reduction to the ODA budget.
In line with practice among our allies, and recognising the increased contribution provided by our security and intelligence agencies on defence, we are including greater elements of the Single Intelligence Account spend in our NATO defence reporting. This will bring total NATO qualifying spending to 2.6% by 2027-28. This does not mean that the intelligence and security services will be added to the MOD budget.
NATO qualifying defence spending has always included elements beyond the MOD TDEL budget. This includes elements of spend such as armed forces pensions.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the budget for the Ministry of Defence will be accounted for by expenditure on the intelligence and security services not previously included in that budget in each year of the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The PM announced in February that an increase in NATO qualifying defence spending to 2.5% would be fully funded by a reduction to the ODA budget.
In line with practice among our allies, and recognising the increased contribution provided by our security and intelligence agencies on defence, we are including greater elements of the Single Intelligence Account spend in our NATO defence reporting. This will bring total NATO qualifying spending to 2.6% by 2027-28. This does not mean that the intelligence and security services will be added to the MOD budget.
NATO qualifying defence spending has always included elements beyond the MOD TDEL budget. This includes elements of spend such as armed forces pensions.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to clause 5.59 of the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, if she will state for each year of the spending review the financial quantum of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's non-ODA budget accounted for by the portion of this funding which will contribute to the UK’s NATO-attributed defence spending, including FCDO-led programming in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Intelligence Community to counter (a) cyber attacks, (b) election interference, (c) disinformation and (d) other threats to stability.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
Elements of FCDO’s programming budget will be evaluated for NATO eligibility in line with the NATO qualifying criteria.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total quantum is of the amount of money that will be added to the defence budget as a result of the incorporation of the intelligence and security services in each year of the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The PM announced in February that an increase in NATO qualifying defence spending to 2.5% would be fully funded by a reduction to the ODA budget.
In line with practice among our allies, and recognising the increased contribution provided by our security and intelligence agencies on defence, we are including greater elements of the Single Intelligence Account spend in our NATO defence reporting. This will bring total NATO qualifying spending to 2.6% by 2027-28. This does not mean that the intelligence and security services will be added to the MOD budget.
NATO qualifying defence spending has always included elements beyond the MOD TDEL budget. This includes elements of spend such as armed forces pensions.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to launch a call for evidence as part of the Loan Charge review.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government has commissioned an independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers.
The Government does not think it is right for people affected by the Loan Charge to have to wait years for any progress on bringing this matter to a close for them and has therefore ensured that the review has a focused remit, allowing it to report by this summer. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.
The terms of reference make clear that it will be for the reviewer to decide what arrangements are needed to engage with stakeholders during the review.
The Government is committed to tackling promoters of tax avoidance and is currently consulting on a package of measures, powers and sanctions to facilitate swifter and stronger action against those who own or control promoter organisations. Further options are under consultation targeting those tax advisors and legal professionals behind avoidance schemes.