§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many work strands have been established by his Department; what subject areas each strand will cover; what savings have to be identified in each work strand; and if he will make a statement. [152926]
§ Mr. IngramAs part of the Ministry of Defence's annual planning round, 16 work strands have been established to conduct a thorough examination of defence costs and capabilities. Each work strand will explore aspects of military capability and/or associated overheads with a view to identifying options for re-balancing the Defence Programme. This work will take place within the policy context set out in the Defence White Paper: Delivering Security in a Changing World. Financial savings targets have not been set for individual work strands.