Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 24 July 2024 to Question 146 on Defence: Expenditure, whether the future fiscal event will cover the potential impact of the Department’s timetable for reaching expenditure of 2.5% of GDP on plans for the Global Combat Air Programme’s (a) un-crewed and autonomous collaborative platform elements and (b) related systems-of-systems software and digital development.

The pathway to 2.5% will set the overall envelope for Defence spending. Funding for specific programmes is considered as part of the Department’s annual budget setting process.