Corporate report

Ministry of Defence Outcome Delivery Plan: 2021 to 2022

Published 15 July 2021

© Crown copyright 2021

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Secretary of State for Defence

Permanent Secretary

The first duty of Government is to defend our country and to keep our people safe. 2021 is an important year for Defence. The evolving global environment means that we are making a decisive shift in the way we operate. We start with many things in our favour, including world-class Armed Forces and the largest investment since the Cold War.

With the publication of the Integrated Review and Defence in a Competitive Age, we now have a clear way forward to deliver the Prime Minister’s vision. This Outcome Delivery Plan sets out our priorities: understanding the threats we face, defending the Homeland, contributing to a secure international community, playing our full part in NATO, and modernising and investing in the Armed Forces. Equally, it draws upon our new green agenda and sets out our equality objectives.

2020 was a year like no other. We continued to protect the people of the United Kingdom, prevented conflict and remained ready to fight our enemies, all while supporting a national response to the Coronavirus pandemic. We are extremely grateful and proud of all the amazing people in Defence, working tirelessly in service of the nation. We know that together, we will deliver.

A. Executive Summary

Vision and Mission:

In March 2021, the Government published Global Britain in a Competitive Age, the Integrated Review (IR) of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, and Defence in a Competitive Age. These documents set out how we will ensure the UK and its citizens will be kept safe through working with our partners across Government and our Allies to protect the UK and its territories and deter, constrain and defeat state and non-state adversaries.

We are making a decisive shift in the way that we operate; defending our interests in the Euro-Atlantic while shaping the global order to ensure the world’s shared spaces are protected and open societies and economies can flourish. We will engage proactively and persistently around the globe, working with our allies, to support our foreign policy goals, promote our interests and keep our competitors at bay, including in the grey zone.

Defence will contribute to our prosperity through creating a secure environment for business, supporting British business and jobs, and through supporting technology innovation in the economy more widely, investing in Research and Development (R&D) and new technologies to counter the threat.

Our priority outcomes

This delivery plan sets out in detail how we will deliver our priority outcomes, how we will measure our success, and how we will ensure we continuously improve[footnote 1]. We will:

  1. Strengthen the UK’s national security by delivering threat-based defence decision making

  2. Protect the UK and its Overseas Territories

  3. Enhance global security through persistent engagement and response to crises

  4. Contribute to NATO collective deterrence and defence

  5. Modernise and integrate defence capabilities by taking a whole force approach to our people and increasing the use of technology and innovation

The department is also supporting the delivery of the following Priority Outcomes led by other departments:

Reduce the risk of terrorism to the UK and UK interests overseas Home Office

Strategic Enablers

To deliver our priority outcomes - and reinforce the ambitions of the Declaration on Government Reform - we will focus on four key enablers:

  1. Workforce, Skills and Location

  2. Innovation, Technology and Data

  3. Delivery, Evaluation and Collaboration

  4. Sustainability

B. Introduction

1. Context

The Integrated Review made clear how threats to the UK and our interests have changed. In an era of systemic competition, there are no longer clear distinctions between peace and war; home and away; state and non-state; and virtual and real.

Long established techniques of influence and leverage, such as economic coercion, propaganda, intellectual property theft and espionage, have been enhanced by technological transformation and the use of pervasive, false information. Our adversaries are increasingly attempting to fracture the cohesion and strength of our alliances and international institutions, as well as undermine the international norms and values that underpin our security and prosperity.

Our future operating environment will be characterised by increasing challenges below the threshold of armed warfare, the battle of narratives and the increasing use of non-lethal means to influence and secure objectives. The new domains of Cyberspace and Space pose significant challenges with advanced technologies already being developed. States will increasingly seek to integrate these capabilities with the traditional military domains of maritime, land and air.

This Outcome Delivery Plan will outline how the Ministry of Defence will ensure the safety of the United Kingdom, its citizens and our allies.

2. Governance and delivery agencies

The Defence Council has formal powers of command and administration over the Armed Forces. It is a formal body which is chaired by the Secretary of State and comprises all Defence Ministers, the Permanent Secretary, the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, the four heads of the Military Commands (including the three Service Chiefs), and Director General Finance.

The Defence Board is chaired by the Secretary of State and comprises all Defence Ministers, the Permanent Secretary, the Chief and the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Director General Finance and up to four non-executive directors. It is the main Departmental Board in the Ministry of Defence and provides strategic direction and oversight of Defence. It is supported by the Ministry of Defence Executive Committee which is chaired by the Permanent Secretary.

More detailed information on the roles and responsibilities of the different boards and committees and how they fit together to support the Department’s top-level decision-making processes can be found in in the Defence Operating Model.

3. Strategic risk

Defence is a complex business and risk is an inherent part of everything we do. Our management of risk determines our success both in operations and in the activities that support them. We make decisions on risk every day, managing those uncertainties that could impact on the delivery of Defence outputs and objectives. The Ministry of Defence has a risk management policy to identify and manage risks to avoid unwanted surprises and to identify opportunities. Our detailed list of risks is not published for reasons of national security, but it includes risks associated with:

  • the right numbers of people with the right skills
  • the alignment of the workforce to planned outputs
  • the delivery of operational capability
  • the effectiveness of governance arrangements
  • the affordability of the vision for Defence
  • the failure of industry in delivery of outputs
  • protection of our assets and people, including from cyber-attack
  • a disruptive event such as a terrorist attack on our personnel and assets

4. Our resources

a. Our finances (000’s):

  • Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL): £56,276,047
  • Resource DEL (including depreciation): £41,943,383
  • Capital DEL: £14,332,664
  • Annually Managed Expenditure (AME): £1,519,000

Source: Main Supply Estimates 2021/22

Release Schedule: Annual

b. UK defence spending as a proportion of GDP

The UK expenditure on defence as a percentage of national GDP in 2019 was 2.1%. The UK has met NATO’s 2% target every year since its introduction in 2006.

Source: Finance and economics annual statistical bulletin: international defence 2020

Release Schedule: Annual

5. Our people

As at 31 December 2020, the Ministry of Defence had 253,380 employees: 196,140 military personnel and 57,240 Civil Servants.

Source: ONS public sector employment data

Release Schedule: Quarterly

Source: UK Armed Forces Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics 1 January 2021

Release Schedule: Quarterly

C. Priority Outcomes Delivery Plans

Priority Outcome 1 – Strengthen the UK’s national security through delivering threat-based defence decision making

Lead Minister

Senior Sponsor

  • Dominic Wilson, Director General Security Policy
  • Lieutenant General Sir Jim Hockenhull KBE, Chief of Defence Intelligence

Outcome strategy

The threats to the UK and our interests are in all five domains (Maritime, Land, Air, Cyberspace and Space), with those in the ‘new’ domains of cyberspace and space presenting particular challenges. This demands that decision making at all levels must be founded on insights and foresight derived from understanding these threats. By doing so, we will be able to protect our most precious assets, whether our critical national infrastructure, our intellectual property or our strategic nuclear deterrent. As well as protecting our vulnerabilities, we can also identify opportunities to exploit those of our adversaries.

As the threat continues to evolve and as technology presents new opportunities, Defence’s intelligence enterprise needs to adapt, using artificial intelligence, automation and open source intelligence to meet these challenges.

We contribute to the national endeavour through structures such as the Joint Intelligence Committee and National Security Council, with our analysis focused on our specialist understanding of adversary capabilities and the changing character of conflict. Within Defence, intelligence supports balance of investment decisions around research and development, and capability and procurement choices, ensuring the UK retains a strategic advantage by pre-empting adversary technical developments. We must also harness the power of international partnerships and alliances, such as the 5-Eyes framework. These international relationships also allow us to contribute to others’ understanding, helping to bind alliances like NATO together even more tightly.

In 2021, we will establish the new Secretary of State’s Office for Net Assessment and Challenge, which will ensure that everything we do is informed by the evolving threat picture.

Outcome Evaluation Plan

The Ministry of Defence has established a new central Evaluation Team in the Analysis Directorate to improve the quantity, quality and materiality of evaluation evidence supporting spending decisions. The strategy is to embed a more systematic approach to evaluation in the MOD.

Priority Outcome 2 – Protect the UK and its Overseas Territories

Lead Minister

Senior Sponsor

  • Vanessa Nicholls, Director General Nuclear
  • Angus Lapsley, Director General Strategy and International
  • Dominic Wilson, Director General Security Policy
  • Lieutenant General Charles Walker, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations)

Outcome Strategy

The Ministry of Defence provides global military strategic efforts against both state and non-state threats in order to ensure the safety, territorial integrity and resilience of the UK, Overseas Territories and our overseas bases. We will continue to deter and defend against multi-domain threats to UK territory and – with partners across Government – similarly protect our Critical National Infrastructure, operating across the five domains: Maritime, Land, Air, Cyberspace and Space.

We will continue to defend UK airspace through an integrated Air Defence system that includes 24-hour quick reaction alert aircraft and we will defend the UK’s waters with high readiness maritime assets, to protect the territorial integrity of the UK. And in the new domains, we have established the National Cyber Force to conduct targeted, responsible offensive cyber operations to support the UK’s national security priorities, bringing together defence and intelligence capabilities. We will also make the UK a meaningful actor in space and establish a new Space Command to enhance the breadth of our space capabilities.

A minimum, credible, independent nuclear deterrent, based on a continuous at sea posture and assigned to the defence of NATO, remains essential as the ultimate guarantee to our security, and that of our allies. The Royal Navy will provide the Continuous At Sea Deterrent, with a ballistic missile submarine always at sea on deterrent patrol, to counter the most extreme threats. In this context, we have committed to a once-in-two-generations programme to modernise our nuclear forces. In 2021, we will maintain the UK’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent and continue to deliver our nuclear recapitalisation programmes.

We are also committed to supporting the Devolved Administrations, Other Government Departments and Local Authorities in resilience and counter terrorism activities. We will work with the Home Office and other partners to counter terrorism and enhance homeland security and resilience. In the event of a National Emergency, we will continue to provide specialist military personnel support to civil authorities, including the police and local government.

Our performance metrics

  • number of operations undertaken (Military Aid to the Civil Authorities, Continuous at Sea Deterrent, Quick Reaction Alert, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Fisheries, Counter Narcotics)
  • impact of UK and Overseas Territories operations

Continuous At Sea Deterrent

We will continue to provide the Continuous At Sea Deterrent.

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

Counter-Narcotics

Year Quantity seized or disrupted (metric tonnes)
2019/2020 4.9
2018/2019 18.9
2017/2018 3

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)

Year Number of occasions EOD teams responded
2019/2020 2,067
2018/2019 2,456
2017/2018 2,424

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

Fisheries protection

Year Number of vessels boarded
2019/2020 149
2018/2019 178
2017/2018 257

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

Military Aid to Civil Authorities in the UK (MACA)

Year Number of occasions that military aid was provided to civil authorities in the UK
2020 (to June 2020) 210
2019 129
2018 130

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

Quick Reaction Alert Aircraft

In 2019 to 20 we continued to defend the airspace of the UK and the Falkland Islands with 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Integrated Air Defence System that included Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft, Voyager tankers, and air surveillance and control facilities.

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

How our work contributes to the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):

Priority Outcome Link to SDGs
Priority Outcome 2 SDG 16 – Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels (Target 16.3)

Projects and Programmes

  • Dreadnought
  • Nuclear Warhead Sustainment Programme
  • Core Production Capability
  • Astute

Outcome Evaluation Plan

The Ministry of Defence has established a new central Evaluation Team in the Analysis Directorate to improve the quantity, quality and materiality of evaluation evidence supporting spending decisions. The strategy is to embed a more systematic approach to evaluation in the MOD.

Priority Outcome 3 – Enhance global security through persistent engagement and response to crises

Lead Minister

Senior Sponsor

  • Angus Lapsley, Director General Strategy and International
  • Dominic Wilson, Director General Security Policy
  • Lieutenant General Charles Walker, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations)

Outcome Strategy

While an effective warfighting capability remains an essential part of our defence policy, we are rebalancing our force to provide a more proactive, persistent presence to pursue our foreign policy objectives and shape conditions for stability. Our persistent forward presence will bring us influence and understanding, strengthen our partnerships, prosperity and trade, and deter our adversaries.

We will have a larger, professionalised cadre of personnel permanently based overseas, and we will integrate their activities into a scalable global foundation, comprising sovereign or partnered bases and facilities, alongside an expanded network of British Defence Staffs. As part of our approach, Defence will maintain an extensive global network with 142 Defence Attaché posts in 90 Defence Sections worldwide, with another 77 non-resident accreditations. We will also maintain a dedicated Foreign Liaison Staff who are tasked with liaising with the 228 foreign attachés from 103 Nations accredited to the UK.

In 2021, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, one of the two largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy, will lead a British and allied task group on the UK’s most ambitious global deployment for two decades, visiting the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. We will take a campaigning approach to building partners’ capacity, with a capability optimised to work alongside other nations’ forces. We will train, advise, assist and, when necessary, accompany them. And we will be prepared to operate with them in hostile environments.

Our European neighbours and allies remain vital partners. The UK will be the greatest single European contributor to the security of the Euro-Atlantic area to 2030. We will work with our partners to defend our common values, counter shared threats and build resilience in our neighbourhood. We will also sustain our people and cultural ties, and look for opportunities to collaborate, including in developing green technology and through a green recovery from COVID-19.

State threats to the UK, and to our allies, are growing and diversifying. To combat this, we will work with allies, partners and other government departments to improve the UK’s ability to deter and counter state threats, using a mixture of operational activity, strategic communication and engagement. We will enhance the defence contribution to the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy, campaigning to counter terrorism overseas. And we will develop our intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and stand-off strike capabilities so we can respond quickly as the threat develops.

We remain ready to respond to crises overseas and will work with our allies and partners to ensure the UK can respond appropriately, enabled by a network of strategic bases and forward deployed forces wherever possible.

Our performance metrics

  • number of operations undertaken
  • impact of operations
  • number of training places offered

Number of operations undertaken

Data will be provided for 2021/2022

International Defence Training

Year Number of International Defence Training places offered
2019/2020 2,247
2018/2019 2,269
2017/2018 2,240

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

How our work contributes to the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):

Priority Outcome Link to SDGs
Priority Outcome 3 SDG 16 – Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels (Targets 16.3, 16.a)

Projects and Programmes

  • Carrier Strike Group 21 – Inaugural deployment will take place in 2021

Outcome Evaluation Plan

The Ministry of Defence has established a new central Evaluation Team in the Analysis Directorate to improve the quantity, quality and materiality of evaluation evidence supporting spending decisions. The strategy is to embed a more systematic approach to evaluation in the MOD.

Priority Outcome 4 – Contribute to NATO collective deterrence and defence

Lead Minister

Senior Sponsor

Outcome strategy

The UK remains committed to sustaining warfighting capabilities at sufficient readiness and capability to be an effective deterrent, in concert with our allies. We will continue to be the leading European ally in NATO, working with our allies to deter nuclear, conventional and hybrid threats to our security. We will continue to commit a full spectrum of forces to the Alliance, from our nuclear deterrent to offensive cyber capabilities; make a leading contribution to NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence and Response Force; and ensure we are at the forefront of implementing NATO’s new Deterrence and Defence Concept. In addition, we will continue to exceed the NATO guideline of spending 2% of Gross Domestic Product on defence.

Our performance metrics

  • number of operations undertaken
  • impact of NATO operations and engagements
  • fill rate of NATO posts

Impact of NATO operations and engagements 2019 to 2020

Operations Description
Enhanced Forward Presence 1,000 UK personnel in Estonia and Poland
Baltic Air Policing Typhoon aircraft contributed to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, based in Lithuania
NATO Response Force (NRF) Maritime: Provision of ships as part of NATO’s contingency forces and Standing Naval Forces. Land: The UK Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Headquarters fulfilled the role NATO’s Warfighting Corps Headquarters as part of our contribution to the Alliance’s Long-Term Commitments Plan. Air: the UK held a broad range of combat and support aircraft at high readiness in support of the NRF, and provided air-to-air refuelling and air transport support to NATO
Afghanistan Contributed 1,100 personnel in support of the NATO train, advise and assist mission in Afghanistan

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

UK Operations in support of NATO deterrence activity

Year Number of UK Operations in support of NATO deterrence activity
2019/2020 4
2018/2019 4
2017/2018 3

Source: MOD internal data

NATO exercises

Year Number of NATO exercises undertaken
2019/2020 31
2018/2019 48
2017/2018 49

Source: MOD internal data

Fill rate of NATO posts

Year NATO fill rate
2019/2020 92%
2018/2019 92%
2017/2018 94%

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

Outcome evaluation plan

The Ministry of Defence has established a new central Evaluation Team in the Analysis Directorate to improve the quantity, quality and materiality of evaluation evidence supporting spending decisions. The strategy is to embed a more systematic approach to evaluation in the MOD.

Priority Outcome 5 – Modernise and integrate defence capabilities by taking a whole force approach to our people and increasing the use of technology and innovation

Lead Minister

Senior Sponsor

Outcome strategy

We will spend over £85-billion in the next four years on equipment and equipment support, modernising the capabilities of our Armed Forces and ensuring they are better integrated. We will invest in the new domains of Cyberspace and Space, and in modern platforms and weapons systems that will enable us to extend our technological advantage over our competitors. We will retire platforms to make way for new systems and approaches. This is a crucial opportunity for Defence to move to a sound financial footing. We are working to strengthen our mechanisms to drive and assure value for money. And we will invest in that most precious commodity of all – the people of our armed forces.

Through the MOD Science and Technology Strategy 2020, we will prioritise higher-risk research to support the modernisation of our armed forces. Over the next four years, we will invest at least £6.6-billion of Defence funding in advanced and next-generation R&D to deliver an enduring military edge in areas including space, directed energy weapons, and advanced high-speed missiles. We will work to shape international legal, ethical and regulatory norms and standards for new and emerging technologies.

We are also committed to accelerating the modernisation of digital capability in support of military and business advantage, and multi-domain integration. To achieve this, we will: establish a common Defence data framework to ensure we can access and exploit data across Defence, Government and with our allies; establish a single, modern, secure Digital Backbone to enable faster, better, decisions and improved outcomes; and establish an Artificial Intelligence Centre as part of the Digital Foundry. We will continue to secure our data, systems and digital infrastructure, to reduce cyber security risk.

Our new focus will be matched by a more modern approach to our workforce. Our people – military and civilian – will remain fundamental to delivering our competitive advantage, our links to society, and our global standing. Defence will require a more highly skilled and integrated workforce, fit for the digital age with a growing demand for specialists. We will continue to offer apprenticeships to over 80% of armed forces recruits, with a third of those in science and technology fields. Our National Cyber Force and Space Command will be pathfinders and experts in their field. Our scientists will lead our innovation and experimentation. We will also optimise the workforce for global persistent presence, strengthening the professional foundations for defence diplomacy. We want to attract the most talented individuals to Defence and increase the diversity and inclusion of our Armed Forces to better reflect the society they protect.

Service families are at the very heart of the armed forces community, and as part of a revised Families Strategy, we will introduce measures to ease the burden for parents who might be deployed at short notice, including investing £1.4-billion over the next decade to provide wraparound childcare.

We will continue to invest in Defence Infrastructure; including investing more in single living accommodation to improve the lived experience for Service personnel. We will also deliver the Defence Estate Optimisation Programme, as part of a wider portfolio of infrastructure optimisation; and ensure that we support the delivery of our sustainability targets through improvements to our estate.

We need to ensure we have the right industrial base capable of keeping up with the global threat and rapidly evolving technologies. Through the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy, we will adopt a more strategic approach to the industrial bases to ensure the UK continues to have competitive, innovative and world-class defence and security industries. This includes embedding changes across MOD to increase the pace and agility of our acquisition processes.

Our performance metrics

  • Defence projects in the Government Major Projects Portfolio that are on course for delivery, based on Infrastructure and Projects Authority assessment criteria (per cent)
  • number of critical military and civilian skills ‘pinch points’

Percentage of Defence projects in the Government Major Projects Portfolio that are on course for delivery, based on Infrastructure and Projects Authority assessment criteria

Year % of Defence projects in the Government Major Projects Portfolio that are on course for delivery
2019/2020 70%

Source: Infrastructure and Projects Authority annual report 2020

Release Schedule: Annual

Number of critical military and civilian skills ‘pinch points’

Year Number of pinch points
January 2020 59

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20 (military) MOD internal data (civilian)

Release Schedule: Annual

How our work contributes to the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):

Priority Outcome Link to SDGs
Priority Outcome 5 SDG 3 – Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (Targets 3.4, 3.5)
  SDG 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (Target 4.4)
  SDG 6 – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all (Target 6.4)
  SDG 7 – Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (Target 7.3)
  SDG 8 – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all (Targets 8.2, 8.3)
  SDG 9 – Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation (Target 9.4)
  SDG 11 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (Targets 11.4, 11.a)
  SDG 12 – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns (Targets 12.5, 12.6, 12.7)
  SDG13 – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (Target 13.2)
  SDG 15 – Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss (Target 15.1)

Projects and Programmes

Shipbuilding Strategy
Wraparound Childcare
Overseas Operations Act
Fleet Solid Support
Type 26 Frigate
Type 31 Frigate
Armoured Cavalry Programme (AJAX)
Armoured Main Battle Tank (Challenger)
Mechanised Infantry Programme (MIV/Boxer)
Lightning II
Typhoon Radar 2
Armed Forces Recruiting Programme
Defence Estates Optimisation Programme
Strategic Workforce Planning
Future Commando Force
Land Special Operations
National Cyber Force
National Space Strategy/Defence Space Portfolio
Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre
CIRRUS
Cyber Resilience Programme
Digital Strategic Workforce Plan
Defence and Security Industrial Strategy
Novel Weapons Programme
Future Combat Air System

Further information can be found in the MOD Government Major Projects Portfolio Data, 2020

Outcome evaluation plan

The Ministry of Defence has established a new central Evaluation Team in the Analysis Directorate to improve the quantity, quality and materiality of evaluation evidence supporting spending decisions. The strategy is to embed a more systematic approach to evaluation in the MOD.

D. Strategic Enablers

Workforce, Skills and Location

Our focus on exploiting technology at pace must be matched with a more modern approach to our finest asset – our people. As we respond to rapidly evolving threats to our values and way of life, our people – military and civilian – will remain fundamental to delivering our competitive advantage, our links to society, and our global standing. We want to attract the most talented individuals to Defence. As the world changes around us, we will invest in our people and equip them with the specialist skills required to win in the era of global systemic competition.

In 2021 to 22, the MOD will:

  • increase the diversity and inclusion of our Armed Forces and the MOD Civil Service, to better reflect the society they protect
  • support wider Government agendas through contributing to the upskilling of UK talent
  • trial the new lateral entry policy for the Armed Forces in 2021/22, and introduce new flexible service opportunities, including job share in the Armed Forces
  • strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant by further enshrining it in law
  • provide wraparound childcare for Armed Forces families and refresh the Defence Families Strategy and associated Action Plan
  • deliver the McCloud prospective pension changes by 1 April 2022 and plan for the implementation of pensions remedy
  • sustain the 5 MOD-sponsored cadet forces across the UK and work with the Department for Education and devolved administrations to further invest in the Cadet Expansion Programme
  • continue to invest in our people through education, training and apprenticeships

Our performance

People survey engagement score

Year Response rate
2020 67%
2019 63%
2018 61%

Source: Civil Service People Survey

Release Schedule: Annual

Representation of female staff, ethnic minority staff and disabled staff (MOD civilian personnel)

Year Female Ethnic minority Disabled
October 2020 43.8% 5.9% 12.2%
October 2019 43.0% 5.4% 11.0%
October 2018 42.9% 4.8% 11.7%

Source: MOD diversity dashboard

Release Schedule: Quarterly

Representation of female staff and ethnic minority staff (UK Regular Forces)

Year Number of personnel Female Ethnic minority
October 2020 146,330 11.0% 9.1%
April 2020 145,320 10.9% 8.8%
October 2019 144,650 10.8% 8.2%

Source: UK Armed Forces Quarterly Personnel Statistics 1 October 2020

Release Schedule: Quarterly

Source: UK armed forces biannual diversity statistics: 1 October 2020

Release Schedule: Biannual

Source: UK armed forces biannual diversity statistics: 1 April 2020

Release Schedule: Biannual

Total number of organisations signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant

Year Number of organisations
September 2020 5,802
September 2019 4,324
September 2018 2,751

Source: Armed Forces Covenant annual report 2020

Release Schedule: Annual

Innovation, Technology and Data

The pace of technological change will require us to constantly adapt, experiment and take risks, to preserve strategic advantage. We will ensure that the frameworks that govern our operations keep pace with technological change, embedding an ethical approach consistent with our core values and principles in the design and deployment of new technologies. As much of technology development currently sits outside of government, we will develop new ways of partnering with industry to ensure that pioneering research and development is pulled through to capability delivery.

In 2021 to 22, the MOD will:

  1. Pivot towards a more highly technological and innovative future enabled by additional investment in Research and Development (R&D), totalling at least £6.6-billon over the four-year Spending Review period. This will facilitate and accelerate the wider transformation of how Defence operates, fights, and pursues operational advantage through increased agility and integration

  2. Capitalise on these investments to bring new capabilities into service, swiftly and efficiently

  3. Improve data sharing across the department to support agile decision making

  4. Implement the Science and Technology Strategy 2020, which includes:

  • a refreshed Science & Technology (S&T) portfolio design;
  • close working across MOD and with other government departments on S&T intelligence and strategy;
  • publishing our S&T collaboration and engagement strategy;
  • a clear direction to academia and industry on our priority areas of focus; and
  • governance in place to identify and intervene in non-coherent R&D activities.

Our performance

Defence Innovation Fund

Year Spending (£m)
2019/2020 44
2018/2019 17

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

Innovation proposals funded by Defence and Security Accelerator

Year Number of proposals funded Allocated funding (£m)
2019/2020 240 42
2018/2019 228 36

Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2019 to 20

Release Schedule: Annual

Delivery, Evaluation and Collaboration

We also need to make changes to be more effective in the way we manage our business. We will drive business change and continuous improvement to enable the department to deliver its priority outcomes. We will take forward an ambitious portfolio of transformation programmes including in the people, support, digital and acquisition areas; optimise our infrastructure based on value, potential and sustainability, and build the resilience of our estate; and respond to the challenges posed by climate change.

In 2021 to 22, the MOD will:

  • work to deliver the changes required in people, support, digital and acquisition

  • continue to take forward our empowerment programme and a Future Workplace programme that will enable our people to work flexibly, innovatively and from dispersed geographic locations

  • continuously improve our internal processes including our planning and performance processes to facilitate delivery, track progress and drive better outcomes

  • monitor the delivery of non-financial and financial benefits from our projects and programmes

  • continue our duty to respond promptly to Ministerial and Freedom of Information correspondence

Percentage of Ministerial correspondence answered within 20 working days

Year % complete
2019/2020 98%
2018/2019 98%
2017/2018 95%

Source: MOD internal data

Sustainability

Defence is already being impacted by the effects of climate change. It will affect the way we protect, operate and fight and will alter the frequency and type of operations, at home and abroad, we will be called on to support.

We recognise that we need to both adapt to and address the causes of climate change. For Defence this is not a standing start. We have embedded sustainability into our policy, processes and planning for the last two decades. Our strategic approach, launched in March 21, is the foundation stone for the MOD’s ongoing response setting out Defence’s ambitions, our guiding principles and near-term activity to ensure that Defence has adapted and is resilient to the impact of climate change and has mitigated its impact, with the Armed Forces and the MOD becoming more sustainable organisations and Defence contributing to the UK’s Net Zero 2050 commitment.

In 2021 to 22, the MOD will:

  • establish a Directorate of Climate Change and Sustainability to cohere cross Departmental working

  • develop a MOD Sustainability Strategy

  • develop MOD sustainability targets and delivery plans for GGC 2025 targets as well as wider metrics and plans to drive Departmental delivery

  • build a comprehensive baseline and database to allow decisions on a detailed plan for all themes – Culture and Behaviour, Governance, the Built Estate, Rural Estate, Security and International, Operational Capability, Logistics, Commercial, Procurement and Finance

  • work with suppliers to identify ways to improve sustainability in the supply chain through the equipment we use and contract conditions we set

  • develop a Natural Asset Register

  • create the skills base to be able to better apportion carbon targets and develop a fuller cross Departmental understanding of sustainability in the broadest sense

Our Performance

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2020 target (revised July 2018): 40% reduction.

Our performance

Year % reduction
2019/2020 45%
2018/2019 42%
2017/2018 34%

Percentage reductions against a 2009/10 baseline

Source: Greening Government Commitments Annual Report

Release Schedule: Annual

Domestic flights

2020 cross-government target: 30% reduction.

Our performance

Year % reduction
2019/2020 17%
2018/2019 21%
2017/2018 18%

Percentage reductions against a 2009/10 baseline

Source: Greening Government Commitments Annual Report

Release Schedule: Annual

Waste

2020 cross-government target: reduce landfill to 10% or less of total waste.

Our performance

Year % of waste to landfill
2019/2020 7%
2018/2019 8%
2017/2018 14%

Percentage reductions against a 2009/10 baseline

Source: Greening Government Commitments Annual Report

Release Schedule: Annual

Paper

2020 cross-government target: 50% reduction.

Our performance

Year % reduction
2019/2020 40%
2018/2019 33%
2017/2018 24%

Percentage reductions against a 2009/10 baseline

Source: Greening Government Commitments Annual Report

Release Schedule: Annual

Water

2020 cross-government target: continue to reduce water consumption.

Our performance

Year % reduction
2019/2020 11%
2018/2019 10%
2017/2018 9%

Percentage reductions against a 2009/10 baseline

Source: Greening Government Commitments Annual Report

Release Schedule: Annual

E. Our equality objectives

Our vision is that defence harnesses the power of difference to deliver capability that safeguards our nation’s security and stability.

Defence is committed to meeting the goals that have been set out in its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (D&I) 2018 to 2030: A Force for Inclusion:

  1. to be an inclusive employer where all staff can fulfil their potential and feel confident that their unique perspectives and talents will be valued;

  2. to be an organisation that, at all levels, appropriately represents UK society; and

  3. to be recognised as a force for inclusion in wider society. The goals are supported by a range of challenging objectives (and commitments) which clearly set out where we want to see change (detailed in the D&I Strategy).

MOD endeavours to be aware of how civilians are impacted by conflict. The presence of human-trafficking, sexual violence in conflict and child soldiers in operations must be understood by British personnel and planned for. In addition, to ensure gender and related perspectives are integrated into the MOD’s operational planning, we will continue to integrate the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) on women, peace and security.

Defence will become a more diverse and inclusive organisation, which is stronger, healthier and more resilient. In 2021 to 22, the MOD will:

  • establish a new directorate to drive momentum on diversity and inclusion, including implementation of the Wigston Review into inappropriate behaviours and Unacceptable behaviours: progress review 2020 recommendations
  • continue to implement legislative and other changes recommended in the 2019 review of the service justice system
  • further protect the workforce, by continuing to reform the service complaints and civilian grievance systems
  • launch a new Defence Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which will drive human performance
  • continue to implement UNSCR 1325 on women, peace and security

Note

Many of the figures included are official statistics. Other figures have been quality assured; however, they have not undergone the full quality assurance process that is used for official statistics.

  1. Provisional priority outcomes and associated metrics will be adjusted through the next Spending Review as necessary, including to deliver the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. ↩

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