Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Armed Forces: Size Targets

Monday 18 July 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Ministry of Defence will not argue against more money for defence, but other priorities would take precedence over increasing the Army's manpower.
  • Autonomy in weapons systems could make future forces more lethal without necessarily increasing workforce.
  • The focus is on enhancing lethality and deployability of current forces before considering manpower expansion.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alan Brown SNP
Ukraine Defence
Context

The question is prompted by concerns over the adequacy of Britain's military response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It follows an assessment that reductions in troop numbers predate this conflict.

Question

What assessment has been made of the potential merits of maintaining current targets for the size of the armed forces in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine? The outgoing Chief of the General Staff expressed discomfort with a 73,000-strong Army and Lord Dannatt stated that the force's capability is below expected levels.

Answer from James Heappey

Nobody in the Ministry of Defence will argue against more money for defence, but if additional funds were available, other priorities would take precedence over regrowing the Army. Immediate focus would be on enhancing lethality and deployability of current forces before considering manpower expansion.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Whether to reverse the cut of 10,000 troops or expand the army further was not directly addressed.

How: Let Us Be Clear

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Alan Brown SNP
Defence Science & Technology
Context

The discussion centres around the role of autonomous weapons in future conflicts, focusing on doctrine and necessary skill sets for soldiers.

Question

Given that autonomous weapons are expected to be force multipliers in the future, how does this affect the assessment of manpower requirements? What doctrine is needed to govern their use, and how will soldiers with the right skills be recruited?

Answer from James Heappey

Autonomy in weapons systems could make future forces more lethal without necessarily increasing workforce. This aligns with the integrated review and defence industrial strategy, aiming for a trend towards greater lethality through advanced technology.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Andrew Murrison Con South West Wiltshire
Defence Science & Technology
Context

The conversation is about the future implications of autonomous weapons in military operations, specifically regarding manpower requirements and recruitment criteria.

Question

Autonomous weapons are expected to be force multipliers. How does this impact manpower assessments? What doctrine will govern their use, and how will soldiers with necessary skill sets be recruited?

Answer from James Heappey

Autonomy in weapons systems could lead to a more lethal force without necessarily needing more workforce. This aligns with trends towards advanced technology and within the defence industrial strategy.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)