Armed Forces: Deployment
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the readiness levels of the armed forces.
Answered by Luke Pollard
We inherited a hollowed out and underfunded Armed Forces. The Strategic Defence Review sets out a path to war fighting readiness, and the Defence Investment Plan will set out the capabilities required to deliver the Strategic Defence Review.
The readiness of the Armed Forces is kept under continual review. It is directed through the Armed Forces Plan, in which the Chief of the Defence Staff directs Military Command Chiefs to hold force elements, comprising personnel and capabilities, at varying levels of readiness. This is aligned to the NATO Force Model, our sovereign defence requirements, and our ability to respond to crises, and is assessed against the sum of Availability, Capability, and Sustainment.
The Armed Forces are assessed as having the readiness required to meet current operational commitments, while recognising the need to continue strengthening readiness in response to a more demanding and evolving threat environment. Defence continues to focus on improving readiness, including for high intensity conflict, in line with the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review. The Strategic Defence Review is already being implemented, and the Defence Investment Plan will further shape our priorities to ensure we can continue to meet the threats we face.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →