8th Report - AUKUS

The government welcomed the Committee's conclusion on the importance and scale of the AUKUS partnership, affirming its commitment to the program and stating that the Prime Minister is driving sustained UK delivery through a whole-of-government effort.

The government welcomes and agrees with the Committee's conclusion, affirming that the strategic rationale for the AUKUS partnership remains enduring and relevant amidst a changing global security context.

The government agrees on the importance of public engagement and outlines its proactive efforts, including regular engagement with Members of Parliament, commitments for parliamentary briefings, and the 'National Endeavour' campaign to communicate the economic and technological benefits of nuclear programmes like AUKUS.

The government acknowledged the concern about barriers to workforce movement and stated it is acutely aware of the issue. It has conducted a survey to identify barriers and continues to look for opportunities to make changes, but offered no specific new commitments to address the problem immediately.

The government acknowledges the importance of workforce retention and movement, highlighting substantial investment in nuclear defence programmes and the successes of Team Barrow, Team Plymouth, and the Nuclear Skills Plan, asserting that AUKUS is not a talent competition but a partnership to expand the nuclear workforce.

The government agrees on the need for close collaboration with Australia and states that sustained engagement is driving progress on workforce, infrastructure, and build schedules. However, it does not specifically commit to developing contingencies for all possible options as recommended.

The government agrees Barrow's regeneration is essential for AUKUS, highlighting Team Barrow and the £200m Transformation Fund, and citing additional commitments like £7m for the Alfred Barrow Health Centre as part of a strong cross-government approach to regeneration.

The government acknowledges the pressure on the Astute-class fleet but reaffirms its commitment to delivering port visits and a rotational presence in Australia, outlining a balanced approach of managing deployments, investing in maintenance, and sharing the burden with partners.

The government recognizes the alignment between Pillar II and the Defence Industrial Strategy, outlining ongoing efforts like the Advanced Capabilities Industry Forum and the ITAR exemption to accelerate capability development and industrial growth. It highlights over £13 million in AI and autonomy contracts and a new signature project, committing to continue providing greater clarity and opportunity for industry.

The government acknowledged the conclusion, affirming the Prime Minister's full commitment to AUKUS and highlighting existing measures such as appointing a Special Representative and establishing a new Cabinet Office team to ensure the program receives necessary focus and priority.

The government acknowledges the report and reaffirms the Prime Minister's full commitment to AUKUS, highlighting existing efforts like the appointment of a Special Representative and a new Cabinet Office team to drive delivery, and offers to provide an update in 2027.