Towards the Next Defence and Security Review: Part Two
21 March 2014
The Defence Committee today announces the next stage of its major inquiry Towards the next Defence and Security Review.
On 7 January, the Defence Committee published its report on Towards the next Defence and Security Review: Part One. In its report, the Committee called for a more strategic approach to production of the next National Security Strategy (NSS), outlining a vision of the UK’s place in the world at a time of profound geo-political and geo-economic change which should shape the subsequent Defence and Security Review (DSR). The DSR should therefore be shaped by a strategic vision of the role of the Armed Forces and how their capabilities can be best exploited, and not simply by what could be afforded. The Committee also argued that the opportunity of the NSS and the DSR should also be used to re-connect the public with a vision of the role of the Armed Forces.
The Committee has now received the Government’s response to this report, which it will publish on Wednesday 25 March.
The Committee’s work on preparations for the next Defence and Security Review have also involved pursuing four separate strands of inquiry into:
- Remote control: Remotely Piloted Air Systems – current and future UK use;
- Deterrence in the twenty-first century;
- UK Armed Forces Personnel and the Legal Framework for Future Operations;
- Intervention: Why, When and How?
The Committee will be publishing reports on these strands over the coming weeks.
The Committee is now announcing Part Two of its inquiry into Towards the next Defence and Security Review during which it will follow up the Government’s response to its first inquiry, and the responses that it receives to the reports on the four strands.
The Committee is also looking to take further evidence to address the following questions:
- What is the role of the UK’s strategic alliances and military partnerships in delivering security?
- What are the implications of the changing strategic context for the capability that we require from the Armed Forces?
- What role does a global military presence have in supporting the UK’s strategic objectives?
- What role should the military play in enhancing national resilience and providing assistance to civil authorities?
- What steps should be taken to improve the connection between the Armed Forces and society at large?
Written submissions
The Committee would welcome written evidence to this inquiry. The deadline for submissions is Friday 2 May 2014.
Where to submit your written evidence
Written submissions for this inquiry should be submitted via the inquiry page on the Defence Committee website.
As a guideline submissions should state clearly who the submission is from e.g. ‘Written evidence submitted by xxxx’ and be no longer than 3000 words, please contact the Committee staff if you wish to discuss this.
Submissions must be a self-contained memorandum in Word or Rich Text Format (not PDFs). Paragraphs should be numbered for ease of reference and the document should, if possible, include an executive summary.
Submissions should be original work, not previously published or circulated elsewhere. Once submitted, your submission becomes the property of the Committee and no public use should be made of it unless you have first obtained permission from the Clerk of the Committee. Please bear in mind that Committees are not able to investigate individual cases.
Publication of written evidence
The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to publish the written evidence it receives. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure; the Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.
The personal information you supply will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 for the purposes of attributing the evidence you submit and contacting you as necessary in connection with its processing. The Clerk of the House of Commons is the data controller for the purposes of the Act.