techUK, Make UK Defence, ADS, SMI and TheCityUK publish joint statement on the Defence Investment Plan and defence spending
We have joined Make UK Defence, ADS, SMI and TheCityUK in calling on the government to publish the Defence Investment Plan without further delay. Read our full statement:
Joint Statement on the Defence Investment Plan and defence spending by Make UK Defence, techUK, ADS, SMI and TheCityUK
As the UK’s leading voices providing support across the defence enterprise, we are deeply concerned about the current state of the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan and the reportedly marginal increase in defence spending that has been proposed as part of this plan. Decisions on defence investment are inevitably challenging, but these pressures make it more important, not less, that the Plan is credible.
We collectively and enthusiastically back the government’s central mission to kickstart economic growth, and the key role UK defence can play to deliver this. We have also warmly welcomed the MOD’s Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy as positive steps in the right direction towards backing UK based businesses, investing in cutting edge new technologies, supporting SMEs and strengthening warfighting readiness.
We have collectively made clear that we are deeply concerned that the sense of urgency recently presented on defence is not being met with tangible action inside certain parts of the UK Government. The UK’s Armed Forces are only as strong as the industry that sits behind them.
Whilst the Prime Minister has warned that “our intelligence assessment and the assessment of other countries in NATO that there could be an attack by Russia on NATO as soon as 2030”, we still have no Defence Investment Plan and HM Treasury has proposed a minimal increase to existing spending plans. The problem is not only the timing of this publication; it is that the scale and phasing of investment are insufficient for the challenges we face. There are difficult fiscal choices to make, but this – UK national security – is a decision too important to get wrong.
Without the Defence Investment Plan and a meaningful increase in defence spending, we will risk placing our national and economic security at risk against a growing and diversifying range of threats. As John Healey said in his resignation letter, the MOD should not be “forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations and could make the country less safe."
We also know from our collective membership that delays to the publication of the Defence Investment Plan are having a crippling impact on business confidence in the sector, with investments being held up, hiring plans put on hold, and in the worst cases, businesses at risk of going bust – a problem particularly affecting SMEs who lack the capital to sustain themselves through this challenging period. This also comes against the backdrop of ongoing increases in business costs and a fundamental lack of cashflow in the sector. The former Defence Secretary John Healey’s resignation, and the reasons for it, compounds that damage.
We urge the government to demonstrate the leadership our country desperately needs at this crucial time in our history by delivering a meaningful acceleration of defence investment as soon as possible and ensure the Defence Investment Plan is published in full before next month’s NATO Summit, setting out a clear pathway to meet our NATO commitments, with early decisions that give industry confidence. Failing to do so risks not just our country's security but would also amount to entirely avoidable harm to the UK economy.
Matthew Evans
Matthew Evans
Matt Evans is techUK's Chief Operating Officer and leads our Market Programme teams.
The Market Programme teams help techUK members apply innovative technology solutions across a range of sectors, including the Public Sector, Telecoms, Climate, Financial Services and Cyber. Matt also leads our Nations and Regions work.
Matt sits on a number of industry bodies, including the UKspace Executive Committee and the Task & Finish Group on Industry Resilience for Critical Minerals. Matt has previously represented techUK on the Steering Board of the Electric Vehicle Energy Taskforce, Digital Framework Task Group and the advisory board for the Prospering from the Energy Revolution industrial challenge fund.
Prior to his appointment in early 2019, Matt led techUK’s Smart Infrastructure and IoT work, as well as being CEO of the Broadband Stakeholder Group (now Digital Connectivity Forum). During this time he led the telecoms industry’s approach to lowering the cost of network deployment, played a key role in coordinating it’s response to Brexit and was closely involved in the development of the Government’s Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review. He also assisted in the development of the UK’s first secure by design Code of Practice aimed at consumer IoT, oversaw the publication of a paper outlining the tech sector’s view of future mobility services and drove engagement around the use of digital twins.
Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked in Arqiva's public policy team, across the broadcast and telecoms markets. Before that he was a researcher for an MP at Westminster.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2034
- Twitter:
- @Matthew_evs
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-evans-1349b145/
Fred Sugden
Fred Sugden
Fred is responsible for techUK's activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working to provide members with access to key stakeholders across the Defence and National Security community. Before taking on the role of Associate Director for Defence and National Security, Fred joined techUK in 2018, working as the Programme Head for Defence at techUK, leading the organisation's engagement with the Ministry of Defence. Before joining techUK, he worked at ADS, the national trade association representing Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space companies in the UK.
Fred is responsible for techUK’s market engagement and policy development activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working closely with various organisations within the Ministry of Defence, and across the wider National Security and Intelligence community. Fred works closely with many techUK member companies that have an interest in these sectors, and is responsible for the activities of techUK's senior Defence & Security Board. Working closely with techUK's Programme Head for Cyber Security, Fred oversees a broad range of activities for techUK members.
Outside of work, Fred's interests include football (a Watford FC fan) and skiing.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 07985 234 170
Jeremy Wimble
Jeremy Wimble
Jeremy manages techUK's defence programme, helping the UK's defence technology sector align itself with the Ministry of Defence - including the National Armaments Directorate (NAD), UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) and Frontline Commands - through a broad range of activities including policy consultation, private briefings and early market engagement. The Programme supports the MOD as it procures new digital technologies.
Prior to joining techUK, from 2016-2024 Jeremy was International Security Programme Manager at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) coordinating research and impact activities for funders including the FCDO and US Department of Defense, as well as business development and strategy.
Jeremy has a MA in International Relations from the University of Birmingham and a BA (Hons) in Politics & Social Policy from Swansea University.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-wimble-89183482/
