Military must live within its means, Defence Secretary says, amid cancelled training concerns

The Defence Secretary has said that the UK Armed Forces need to "live within its means" amid concerns that the British Army was told to stop non-essential training activities to save money. 

In his first oral questions in the House of Commons in his new role, Wes Streeting said there were historic problems of "routine overspending". 

Mr Streeting said he intends to change this and that it has required reprioritisation. 

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There were claims in September that non-essential exercises were being put on hold in order to make cost savings amid pressure on the defence budget. 

News reports suggested that collective exercises involving UK-based units were likely to be suspended for much of the year. 

"When I arrived in the Ministry of Defence, there was an in-year overspend that would have seen us overcommitted by the end of the year," Mr Streeting told MPs. 

"And as I did at [the Department of] Health, I make absolutely no apology whatsoever for sending a very strong message very early on that, while this government is delivering the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, I also expect my department and our Armed Forces to live within their means. 

"I think that message has been received loud and clear, and will help me tackle the historic problems we've had in the Ministry of Defence of routine overspending, challenges with value and productivity."

Mr Streeting added: "There is further training to take place throughout the rest of this year, including major exercises that we have taken part in. 

"But I once again restate, that we've got to live within our means. That has required some reprioritisation, including of training.

"We've got to focus on the right things, and make sure we're ready to fight the next war, not the last war. 

"And absolutely, it's not been a popular decision, but I absolutely stand by the decisions I've taken to make sure the culture in my department is one that lives within its means and delivers value to the taxpayer."

Mr Streeting's remarks come amid growing pressure on the government to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030, increasing to 3.5% by 2035. 

Chancellor John Healey, who resigned as Defence Secretary from former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet in June over defence spending, has said he will outline the path to 3% by 2030 in next year's spending review.