Written questions, answers and statements

Ministry of Defence: Research

Show full question

Question for Ministry of Defence

UIN 56996, tabled on 15 October 2021

Question

Chris Evans
Labour
Islwyn
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s planned Research and Expenditure spend is for (a) this financial year and (b) each of the next four financial years.

Answer

Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons

Answered on

20 October 2021

The 2020 Spending Review (SR) Settlement sets out a ringfence for defence R&D amounting to at least £6.6 billion over four years from 2021-22. This funding will support next generation capabilities from satellites and automation to AI and novel weapons.

For this financial year, current plans indicate that we will spend in excess of the £960 million ringfence as reported at Main Estimates. Investment plans for the subsequent 4 years are still subject to change and will be considered in annual budgeting cycles. However, R&D investment is expected to meet the £6.6 million ringfence by financial year 2024-2025.

Answered by

Ministry of Defence
Named day
Named day questions only occur in the House of Commons. The MP tabling the question specifies the date on which they should receive an answer. MPs may not table more than five named day questions on a single day.