Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to progress the updating of the Integrated Review; how long the update will take; and if he will take steps to ensure that there will be a formal industry engagement process.

The Prime Minister has committed to producing a ‘refresh’ of the 2021 Integrated Review by the end of the year to ensure that the UK’s security, defence, development and foreign policy architecture is keeping pace with the evolving international environment.

The ‘refresh’ has two core aims:

• to review changes in the strategic context since publication of the IR; and

• to adjust the UK’s overarching approach and its priorities for action to 2025, including in line with the new Prime Minister’s specific priorities.

The ‘refresh’ will supplement and extend the IR rather than replacing it. As such, it supports the ongoing process of strategy development and delivery within government, and is an example of adaptive strategy in practice.

The Government will engage with Parliament, the Devolved Administrations, external experts, industry and wider stakeholders with an interest in our nation’s security and prosperity. This includes our allies and partners, building on our ongoing dialogue.

Although there are currently no plans for other documents to be published alongside the ‘refresh’, more detail will be published in due course on how the Government will pursue the strategic priorities set out in the IR.