Public Accounts Committee
23 March 2026
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Committee House of Commons
00:02 - 01:54
Speaker 1
Ahead of myself. Order order. Welcome to the public accounts committee on Monday, 03/23/2026. In 2025, the MOD's total expenditure was 60,200,000,000.0. The Strategic Defense Review, SDR, published in the summer last year set out plans to increase defense expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 with an ambition to increase it to 3% of GDP in the 2030s.
However, worryingly, the CNAG qualified its audit opinion of the MOD annual report and accounts for twenty four five for two separate issues which we will examine in today's session. Last year, the MOD committed to setting out its detailed spending plans in the defense investment plan by autumn twenty five but has not yet done so. Following the Annampton Homes deal, which totaled £6,000,000,000, the MED also committed to a further 1 and a half billion to improve the condition of service accommodation, some examples of which the committee saw recent on their visit to RAF Marham in Norfolk. This investment is part of the MOD's £9,000,000,000 defense housing strategy. The recruitment and retention of military personnel was also recognized as a priority in the SDR, yet 11,000 1,140 more people left the rego forces than joined in twenty four five.
This session will also be an opportunity to understand the CNAG's qualified audit opinion, examine the impact of delay of the dip, and inquire about progress in boosting the number of military personnel. So may I extend a very warm welcome to all of our witnesses today, are all very busy people, and just ask each of you, starting with you, permanent secretary, Jeremy, if you would introduce yourself and just just all of you, say when you were appointed to your present post, please.
01:54 - 02:00
Speaker 2
Jeremy Poplington, permanent secretary. I became principal accounting officer on the December 1.
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