[Withdrawn] Ministry of Defence single departmental plan 2018
Updated 11 July 2019
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This publication was withdrawn on 13 June 2019
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Our single departmental plan sets out our objectives and how we will achieve them.
The first duty of government is to defend our country and to keep our people safe. In the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, we set out plans for stronger defence with more ships, more aircraft, more troops at readiness, better equipment for special forces, and more for cyber. Since this review, the international security landscape has evolved rapidly with growing challenges to the rules-based order. In response, defence has delivered a Modernising Defence Programme (MDP) to ensure that the UK’s armed forces can deliver better military capability in a sustainable and affordable way. In particular, it has yielded a planned transformation as part of Spending Review 2019.
We will protect our people, territories, values and interests, at home and overseas, through strong Armed Forces and in partnership with allies, to ensure our security and safeguard our prosperity. We will also project our influence abroad and continue to place NATO at the heart of our defence posture. As we leave the European Union, we will play a key role supporting government’s Global Britain agenda through our ability to engage internationally.
Our objectives
We will:
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Protect our people
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Project our global influence
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Promote our prosperity
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Manage the Department of State and the Defence enterprise
1. Protect our people
Lead minister
The Rt Hon Mark Lancaster MP, Minister of State for the Armed Forces
Lead officials
General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of Defence Staff
Angus Lapsley, Director General Strategy and International
Dominic Wilson, Director General Security Policy
Lieutenant General Doug Chalmers, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations)
1.1 Defend and contribute to the security and resilience of the UK and Overseas Territories against state and non-state threats
| How will we achieve this |
|---|
| Take a leading role in NATO through the NATO Response Force |
| Enforce the sovereignty of the United Kingdom, including its territorial waters and airspace, and of the Overseas Territories and Permanent Joint Operating Bases |
| Develop Joint Force 2025 and deliver it into service in order to respond to future threats including: a maritime task group centred on a Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier with F35 Lightning combat aircraft; a land division with 3 brigades including a new Strike Force; an air group of combat, transport and surveillance aircraft; and a Special Forces task group |
| Work with the civil authorities and security and intelligence agencies to counter terrorism and enhance homeland security and resilience |
| Develop our cyber capabilities |
1.2 Deliver nuclear deterrence and the Defence Nuclear Enterprise
| How will we achieve this |
|---|
| Deliver Trident continuous at sea nuclear deterrent to provide the ultimate guarantee of our safety |
| Build the new fleet of 4 Dreadnought ballistic missile submarines |
1.3 Conduct overseas defence activity
| How will we achieve this |
|---|
| Be present overseas and conduct operations with Allies and Agencies in response to world events |
Our performance
| Key global military commitments |
|---|
| c. 8,000 personnel deployed on over 30 named operations in over 20 countries. During 2018, the UK sustained its largest exercise footprint in recent years; at the peak of activity during October, there were over 19,000 personnel from all 3 services deployed on operations and major exercises. Simultaneously, there were: 2,700 UK personnel participated in NATO’s largest exercise Trident Juncture in Norway, 5,500 UK personnel deployed on Exercise Saif Sareea 3 alongside 75,000 Omani personnel, over 1,500 UK personnel deployed on Exercise Westlant 18, completing first of class F-35B Lightning II sea trials on HMS Queen Elizabeth |
| Counter-Daesh - over 1,000 currently deployed |
| Africa - over 500 personnel deployed across the continent in UN peace support operations and delivering specialist military training to several countries, including counter-Boko Haram and anti-wildlife poaching. |
| Ukraine - commitment to deploy around 100 personnel at any one time to train Ukrainian Armed Forces. |
| Afghanistan - an increased commitment over 1,000 personnel |
| NATO – c.800 personnel deployed in support of NATO operations in Europe |
| Cyprus – c. 280 currently deployed in support of UN operations |
| Maritime – near continuous Royal Navy presence in the Indo Asia-Pacific region, including support for UN Security Council Resolution enforcement operations; commanded NATO Standing Naval Forces in the Mediterranean and Black Sea |
| Romania – c.150 were deployed as part of NATO Enhanced Air Policing |
| Southern Mediterranean – c. 80 were deployed in support of EU operations to counter illegal people trafficking |
Source: Ministry of Defence
Release Schedule: Annual
Total 10 year Planned Expenditure on Equipment and Support, includes:
| Category | Planned Expenditure on Equipment and Support between 2018 to 2028 |
| Submarines (all Submarines and Atomic Weapons Establishment) | £44.6 billion |
| Information Systems and Services | £24.8 billion |
| Ships (e.g. T45s, T26s, Queen Elizabeth Carrier, Support Shipping) | £19.5 billion |
| Air Support (e.g. Voyager, A400M, C130) | £18.6 billion |
| Land equipment (e.g. AJAX and personal equipment) | £18.4 billion |
| Combat Air (e.g. Typhoon, Tornado, F-35) | £17.8 billion |
| Weapons (e.g. Air and sea launched missiles) | £13.8 billion |
| Helicopters (e.g. Merlin, Apache, Chinook) | £9.6 billion |
| Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (Air traffic management and multiple small programmes) | £4.9 billion |
| Naval Bases | £3.2 billion |
| Logistic Delivery | £2.2 billion |
| Other | £2.5 billion |
| Departmental contingency allocated to Equipment Plan | £5.1 billion |
| Nuclear-related contingency dedicated to nuclear programme | £1.1 billion |
Source: Defence Equipment Plan 2018
Release schedule: Annual
Annual Spend on Defence Equipment and Equipment support from 2016/17
| Financial Year | Spend on Defence Equipment and Equipment support from 2016/17 |
| FY16/17 | £14.7 billion |
| FY17/18 | £15.1 billion |
Source: Defence Equipment Plan 2018
Release schedule: Annual
Numbers of UK Armed Forces deployed
| Number of UK Armed Forces personnel deployed by Financial Year | ||
| FY 14/15 | 36,070 | |
| FY 15/16 | 23,120 | |
| FY 16/17 | 24,210 |
Source: Annual Report and Accounts 2016 - 17
Release schedule: Annual
2. Project our global influence
Lead ministers
The Rt Hon Mark Lancaster MP, Minister of State for the Armed Forces
The Rt Hon The Earl Howe, Minister of State in the House of Lords
Lead officials
General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of Defence Staff
Angus Lapsley, Director General Strategy and International
Lieutenant General Doug Chalmers, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations)
2.1 Influence through international Defence engagement
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Remain at the forefront of the NATO alliance standing shoulder to shoulder with our Allies |
| Strengthen the rules based international order including through capacity building, international Defence training and nuclear weapon counter-proliferation (contributes to SDG 17) |
| Strengthen our international defence partnerships through regional engagement strategies (contributes to SDG 16) |
Our performance
United Nations defence commitments
| Year | Number of UK military personnel deployed on UN-led peacekeeping operations |
|---|---|
| April 2015 | 300 |
| April 2016 | 350 |
| April 2017 | 720 |
Source: Annual Report and Accounts 2017 - 18 Release schedule: annual
International Defence Training
| Financial year | Numbers of International Defence Training places offered |
|---|---|
| 2014/15 | 1,397 |
| 2015/16 | 1,964 |
| 2016/17 | 2,240 |
Source: Annual Report and Accounts 2017 - 18
Release schedule: annual
3. Promote our prosperity
Lead minister
Stuart Andrew MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Procurement
Lead officials
Cat Little, Director General Finance
Angus Lapsley, Director General Strategy and International
3.1 Promote UK prosperity and civil society
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Maintain an industrial base sufficient to maintain operational advantage and freedom of action whilst ensuring value for money |
| Promote UK defence exports providing the lead on strategic export campaigns |
| Provide MOD sponsored cadet forces |
| Support the UK skills agenda through skills development with academia, industry and defence provided educational facilities |
| Release surplus MOD land to support the national house building programme |
| Work with the devolved administrations in support of the wider Government objective to strengthen the UK |
Our performance
Defence jobs by sector 2015/16
| Sectors | Jobs |
|---|---|
| Technical, Financial Services and Other Business Services (including R&D, Equipment testing, Education and Healthcare) | 44,500 jobs |
| Shipbuilding and Repair | 19,600 jobs |
| Other Manufacturing | 7,300 jobs |
| Aircraft and spacecraft | 6,200 jobs |
| Construction | 6,100 jobs |
| Weapons and Ammunition | 6,300 jobs |
| Computer Services | 9,500 jobs |
Source: MOD Regional Expenditure with UK Industry and Commerce 2016/17
Release schedule: annual
Annual direct and indirect spend with Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a percentage of overall procurement spend
| Financial Year (FY) | Percentage of overall procurement spend with industry by year |
|---|---|
| FY 2014/15 | 19.40% |
| FY 2015/16 | 18.10% |
| FY 16/17 | 13.10% |
Source: Ministry of Defence (official statistic); release schedule: annual
Defence exports (based on orders)
| Year | Exports value |
|---|---|
| 2015 | £7.74 billion |
| 2016 | £5.90 billion |
| 2017 | £9.0 billion |
Release schedule: annual
Apprenticeships
We have enrolled 47,000 Civil Service and Armed Forces apprentices between April 2015 and October 2018, against a government target of 50,000 by April 2020. Over 90 per cent of recruits now gain an apprenticeship as part of their trade training and first assignment.
Source: Ministry of Defence
The percentage of overall spend is 5% lower than in FY15/16, due to an improvement in the way the MOD performs the calculation.
Number of Cadets Units parading in schools
| Year | Number of Cadets Units parading in schools |
|---|---|
| December 2016 | 363 |
| December 2017 | 411 |
| December 2018 | 444 |
Source: Ministry of Defence
Release schedule: annual
Land Release
To date, land to provide capacity for 2,284 houses has been scored against the target (including 1,765 Service family homes and single living accommodation) and land for up to a further 3,500 units has been transferred to Homes England.
Source: Annual Reports and Accounts 2017 - 18
Release schedule: Annual
This figure is based on the amount of land that has been scored for release (meaning they have reasonable planning certainty and a contract with the private sector for their sale is in place by 2020). Sites are scored in a number of ways including: transfers to Homes England; building of single living or service families accommodation; homes that MOD have previously been leasing from Annington Homes which are now released or sub-let. For sales that are released for development, professional judgement is used to assess how many homes are likely to be built on these sites, based on a number of factors (e.g. location, size of site, types of homes likely to be built) and validated by Homes England.
4. Manage the Department of State and the Defence Enterprise
Lead ministers
The Rt Hon The Earl Howe, Minister of State in the House of Lords
Stuart Andrew MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Procurement
The Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence People and Veterans
Lead officials
General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of Defence Staff
Cat Little, Director General Finance
Air Marshall Richard Knighton, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability)
David Goldstone, Chief Operating Officer
Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, Chief of Defence People
4.1 Direct Defence
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Deliver the UK strategic military headquarters role and command UK military operations at home and overseas |
| Increase the defence budget every year by at least 0.5% in real terms and continue to meet NATO’s target to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence for the rest of the decade |
| Ensure that the defence programme is balanced, affordable and cost effective |
| Improve efficiency and productivity |
| Improve UK Armed Forces operational advantage by promoting innovation |
4.2 Deliver key enabling functions
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Ensure Defence has the right numbers of capable and motivated people that represent the breadth of society it exists to defend |
| Promote a diverse and inclusive culture across defence |
| Modernise working conditions for our people |
| Honour the Armed Forces Covenant and ensure that those who have served, and their families are not disadvantaged, and that special provision is made for those who have sacrificed the most. |
| Ensure the necessary defence support network is in place to sustain military operations |
| Develop and manage departmental infrastructure across the defence estate in the most effective, efficient and sustainable way to meet defence needs |
| Manage the Department’s response to EU exit, identifying and acting on the risks and opportunities |
| Ensure a culture of safety and compliance with the Defence Regulatory Framework |
| Contribute to ‘greening’ government and construction strategy objectives |
Our performance
UK defence spending as a proportion of GDP
| Years | Expenditure as percentage of GDP |
|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 2.06% |
| 2016/17 | 2.15% |
| 2017/18 | 2.11% |
Source: Finance and economics annual statistical bulletin: international defence 2018 from NATO data sources (Non-Official Statistic) Release schedule: annual
Total number of armed forces personnel
| Years | Total size (regulars and reserves) |
|---|---|
| April 2016 | 197,090 |
| April 2017 | 197,040 |
| April 2018 | 194,140 |
Source: UK Armed Forces Service Personnel Statistics (Official Statistic) Release schedule: Annual
Number of civilians employed by MOD, by financial year
| Financial year (FY) | Number of civilians |
|---|---|
| FY 2015/16 | 56,240 |
| FY 2016/17 | 56,680 |
| FY 2017/18 | 56,870 |
Source: MOD Biannual Civilian Personnel Report 2018 (official statistics) Release schedule: Annual
Percentage of eligible MOD workforce who are members of the Reserve Forces by financial year
| Financial year (FY) | Percentage of eligible MOD workforce |
|---|---|
| FY 2016/17 | 1.78% |
| FY 17/18 | 3.50% |
Source: Ministry of Defence
Release schedule: annual
Diversity: Female recruits
| Financial year | Proportion of female recruits joining the armed forces (regulars) |
|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 11.20% |
| 2016/17 | 11.40% |
| 2017/18 | 12.20% |
Source: UK Armed Forces Diversity Statistics Release schedule: Annual
Diversity: Black, Asian and Minority Ethnicity (BAME) recruits
| Financial year | Proportion of BAME recruits joining the armed forces (regulars) |
|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 5.70% |
| 2016/17 | 7.20% |
| 2017/18 | 8.40% |
Source: UK Armed Forces Diversity Statistics (Official Statistic) Release schedule: Biannual
Armed Forces Covenant
| Year | Number of organisations signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant |
|---|---|
| April 2016 | 1,000 |
| April 2017 | 1,300 |
| April 2018 | 3,000 |
Source: Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report
Release schedule: Annual
Amount of disposal receipts generated by financial year
| Financial year (FY) | Amount generated |
|---|---|
| FY 2016/17 | £155.6 million |
| FY 2017/18 | £183.6 million |
Source: Ministry of Defence Release schedule: Annual
Civil Service People Survey employee engagement index
| Year | Employee engagement index (%) |
|---|---|
| FY 2016/17 | 58% |
| FY 2017/18 | 58% |
| FY 2018/19 | 61% |
Source: Ministry of Defence Release schedule: Annual
Our equality objectives
We have the following diversity and inclusion goals:
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To be an inclusive employer where all staff can fulfil their potential and feel confident that their unique perspectives and talents will be valued
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To be an organisation that, at all levels, appropriately represents UK society
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To be recognised as a force for inclusion in wider society
Our finances
Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL): £45.5 billion
Resource DEL (including depreciation): £36.7 billion
Capital DEL: £8.8 billion
Annually Managed Expenditure (AME): £1.5 billion
Control totals included in this document are in line with those presented in the Main Supply Estimates 2018 to 2019 and are currently subject to Parliamentary approval. Any changes arising from the Parliamentary approval process will be reflected in due course.
An additional £12.7 million has been allocated to MOD to support preparations for exiting the EU. This was announced alongside the Spring Statement 2018 and will be confirmed through the Supplementary Estimates 2018 to 2019.
Our people
MOD currently reports total number of employees at task 4.2 above for military and civilian personnel.
Note
Many of the figures included are official statistics. Other figures have been quality assured, although they have not undergone the full quality assurance process that would be used for official statistics.