AUKUS

Defence Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 2 Apr 2025 Parliament page
This inquiry will examine the AUKUS partnership, a trilateral security agreement between Australia, the US and the UK which was announced in 2021. AUKUS will see the US and UK support Australia in acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine fleet alongside a deepening of co-operation between the three countries on other advanced … Read more
15 Recommendations
18 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
5 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
28 Apr
2026
Report published
2 Dec
2025
Oral evidence
2 Dec
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
26 Nov
2025
Oral evidence
26 Nov
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
19 Nov
2025
Oral evidence
19 Nov
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
21 Oct
2025
Oral evidence
21 Oct
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
9 Sep
2025
Oral evidence
9 Sep
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
2 Dec 2025
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Panel 1
Air Marshal Tim Jones · Ministry of Defence Luke Pollard MP · Ministry of Defence Vice Admiral Sir Chris Gardner KBE · Submarine Delivery Agency
26 Nov 2025
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Panel 1
Angela Jones · Westmorland and Furness Council Nona Buckley-Irvine · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Peter Anstiss · Team Barrow The Rt Hon The Lord Case · Team Barrow
19 Nov 2025
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Panel 1
Sir Stephen Lovegrove - Prime Minister's Special Representative on AUKUS
21 Oct 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Andrew Kinniburgh · Make UK Defence Harry Holt · Babcock International Group Matthew Evans · techUK Samira Braund · ADS Steve Carlier · Rolls Royce Submarines Limited Steve Timms · BAE Systems Submarines
9 Sep 2025
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Oral Evidence Session
Dr Sidharth Kaushal · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Sophia Gaston · Centre for Statecraft and National Security, King's College London
Title HC No. Published Items Response
8th Report - AUKUS HC 841 28 Apr 2026 33 Pending
Recommendations & Conclusions
33 results
1 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
Our inquiry has underlined the importance of the AUKUS partnership, but has also laid bare...
Our inquiry has underlined the importance of the AUKUS partnership, but has also laid bare the scale of the endeavour that will be required to successfully deliver it. For the UK, AUKUS presents challenges but also great opportunities. Meeting those … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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2 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
Almost five years on from the announcement of the AUKUS partnership, the world is a...
Almost five years on from the announcement of the AUKUS partnership, the world is a very different place. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and shifting US priorities have placed increasing pressure on Western nations’ defence and security apparatus. The alliances … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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3 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
It is deeply disappointing that more than a year after Sir Stephen Lovegrove completed his...
It is deeply disappointing that more than a year after Sir Stephen Lovegrove completed his review of AUKUS, the Government’s commitment to issue a public version of his findings has not been fulfilled. This reflects poorly on the Government and … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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4 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
We urge the Government to issue a public version of Sir Stephen Lovegrove’s report as...
We urge the Government to issue a public version of Sir Stephen Lovegrove’s report as soon as possible. (Recommendation, Paragraph 22)
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5 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
The UK Prime Minister must take a more prominent role in driving the delivery of...
The UK Prime Minister must take a more prominent role in driving the delivery of AUKUS. Many of the challenges we identify in this report arise from a lack of funding or prioritisation within Government rather than any underlying structural … Read more
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6 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
As we approach five years since AUKUS was launched, following changes of Government and with...
As we approach five years since AUKUS was launched, following changes of Government and with domestic reviews of the programme recently completed in all three partner nations, a natural opportunity arises for national leaders to convene and make a powerful … Read more
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7 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
The appointment of a Prime Minister’s Special Representative on AUKUS, initially for a year, has...
The appointment of a Prime Minister’s Special Representative on AUKUS, initially for a year, has been a positive step welcomed by stakeholders in industry and across the trilateral. We recommend that the role be made permanent, providing consistency for stakeholders … Read more
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8 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
The Government should advocate for the US and Australia to follow the UK in appointing...
The Government should advocate for the US and Australia to follow the UK in appointing their own Special Representative (or an equivalent role). Consideration should also be given to establishing a joint secretariat to support them. (Recommendation, Paragraph 39) Read more
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9 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
The remit of the Prime Minister’s Special Representative is broad, with both domestic and international...
The remit of the Prime Minister’s Special Representative is broad, with both domestic and international focus across a wide range of capabilities. If its functions are to be exercised effectively, it must be adequately supported by the Civil Service. Alongside … Read more
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10 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
The need to engage more openly with the public in a national conversation on defence...
The need to engage more openly with the public in a national conversation on defence and security issues has been a recurring feature of the political discourse in recent years and one on which we have previously pressed the Government … Read more
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11 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
Within an overarching dialogue about the role of defence in society, AUKUS offers an opportunity...
Within an overarching dialogue about the role of defence in society, AUKUS offers an opportunity to demonstrate the more tangible benefits that a thriving defence industry can bring to local economies across the UK. Members of Parliament can play a … Read more
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12 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
Whilst the groundwork has been laid for growing the nuclear workforce, the scale of the...
Whilst the groundwork has been laid for growing the nuclear workforce, the scale of the recruitment needed to deliver AUKUS calls for more creative solutions. These should harness existing strengths, such as the world- leading skills academies run by UK … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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13 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
We are deeply concerned by the Government’s failure to recognise the impact of barriers to...
We are deeply concerned by the Government’s failure to recognise the impact of barriers to workforce movement across the trilateral. The ensuing inconvenience and cost may currently be manageable—although they are having a stifling effect on collaboration—but it is clear … Read more
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14 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
The Government must urgently remove barriers to workforce mobility across the AUKUS partners, beginning with...
The Government must urgently remove barriers to workforce mobility across the AUKUS partners, beginning with security clearances. We recommend that the MOD, working with trilateral partners and in consultation with industry, set out within six months a clear plan to … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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15 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
The development of new SSN facilities in Adelaide and Perth could pose a risk to...
The development of new SSN facilities in Adelaide and Perth could pose a risk to workforce retention at the UK’s equivalent facilities in Barrow-in- Furness and Plymouth. The MOD must closely monitor workforce flow as the design and build of … Read more
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16 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
For the UK, delivering SSN-AUKUS will be a lengthy and complex undertaking requiring a sustained...
For the UK, delivering SSN-AUKUS will be a lengthy and complex undertaking requiring a sustained financial commitment from Government across several electoral cycles. It is deeply concerning that there are signs that the investment pipeline that underpins that commitment has … Read more
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17 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
The Government must demonstrate that the industrial uplift required to deliver SSN AUKUS is being...
The Government must demonstrate that the industrial uplift required to deliver SSN AUKUS is being funded and delivered at pace. We recommend that an annual assessment of planned versus delivered investment in submarine industrial capacity be conducted by the Prime … Read more
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18 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
As Australia works against tight timescales to develop the infrastructure and workforce required to build...
As Australia works against tight timescales to develop the infrastructure and workforce required to build its sovereign nuclear-powered submarine capability, it will need to take decisions which could have implications for the UK’s own build schedule at Barrow. The UK … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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19 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
There was a clear consensus in our evidence that the regeneration of the town of...
There was a clear consensus in our evidence that the regeneration of the town of Barrow-in-Furness is essential to the delivery of AUKUS. The formation of Team Barrow and the investment committed to date to address 51 this is welcome, … Read more
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20 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
With the successful delivery of SSN-AUKUS dependent on attracting and retaining a skilled workforce at...
With the successful delivery of SSN-AUKUS dependent on attracting and retaining a skilled workforce at BAE Systems’ site in Barrow, the Government must do more to ensure that the ambition laid out by Team Barrow is met. This will require … Read more
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21 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
Although the planned regeneration is in its early stages, Team Barrow must ensure that visible...
Although the planned regeneration is in its early stages, Team Barrow must ensure that visible change is seen on the ground as soon as possible to reassure the local community that their role in the national endeavour has been recognised, … Read more
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22 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
Delivering on the UK’s commitment to increase port visits and later rotate an Astute-class submarine...
Delivering on the UK’s commitment to increase port visits and later rotate an Astute-class submarine out of Australia will be essential to maintaining credibility within AUKUS. We were glad to receive the Minister’s assurance that the UK remained on track … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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23 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
With submarine availability critically low, and against a backdrop of deepening concern about the readiness...
With submarine availability critically low, and against a backdrop of deepening concern about the readiness of the Royal Navy, the Government must deliver infrastructure improvements at HMNB Devonport and HMNB Clyde at pace to relieve pressure on the fleet. Failure … Read more
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24 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
Workforce growth at HMNB Devonport will be key to delivering the infrastructure required to improve...
Workforce growth at HMNB Devonport will be key to delivering the infrastructure required to improve submarine availability and prepare for SSN-AUKUS. Team Plymouth will play a central role in creating the local conditions to attract and maintain this larger workforce … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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25 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
The UK must throw its full support behind Australia’s development of new infrastructure in Perth,...
The UK must throw its full support behind Australia’s development of new infrastructure in Perth, particularly the new Defence Precinct at Henderson. Close working between the UK and Australia at government and industry level will enable the UK to share … Read more
Ministry of Defence
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26 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
The lifting of export control restrictions under AUKUS is a significant achievement for the partnership.
The lifting of export control restrictions under AUKUS is a significant achievement for the partnership. It has the potential to bring immense benefits across UK defence. However, that potential will only be realised if Government removes barriers to participation and … Read more
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27 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
The Government should seek to identify those organisations which could benefit from membership of the...
The Government should seek to identify those organisations which could benefit from membership of the Authorised User Community—especially SMEs—and proactively promote it to them, offering guidance and support where required. The new Defence Office for Small Business Growth should play … Read more
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28 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
With its aim of harnessing trilateral collaboration on advanced technologies, Pillar 2 has the potential...
With its aim of harnessing trilateral collaboration on advanced technologies, Pillar 2 has the potential to be transformative, but progress to date has been disappointing and inadequate. It now faces an uphill battle to restore credibility. In the short term, … Read more
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29 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
There is an obvious alignment between the workstreams covered under Pillar 2 and the Defence...
There is an obvious alignment between the workstreams covered under Pillar 2 and the Defence Industrial Strategy’s themes of innovation, resilience and prosperity; and it offers clear opportunities for defence-related growth. However, the UK’s approach to Pillar 2 has so … Read more
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30 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
The MOD must work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the...
The MOD must work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the Department for Education, to drive a truly joined-up, whole-of-government approach to Pillar 2. The Government must also do more to involve SMEs directly in Pillar … Read more
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31 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
Expanding Pillar 2 to include additional partners offers potential opportunities, but it will add a...
Expanding Pillar 2 to include additional partners offers potential opportunities, but it will add a further layer of complexity and negotiation to what is already proving to be a difficult task. Whilst remaining positive about a future expansion of Pillar … Read more
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32 Conclusion
8th Report - AUKUS
A programme of AUKUS’ scale and scope will not succeed if it is perceived within...
A programme of AUKUS’ scale and scope will not succeed if it is perceived within Whitehall as one of many defence programmes competing for scarce resources. Only strong and visible political leadership from the very top of Government can counter … Read more
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33 Recommendation
8th Report - AUKUS
As we approach five years since the partnership came into being, with changes of Government...
As we approach five years since the partnership came into being, with changes of Government in each partner nation and domestic reviews completed, now is the time to seize the opportunity AUKUS presents and demonstrate the UK’s firm commitment to … Read more
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