The Ministry of Defence has said it is working flat out to publish its long-awaited Defence Investment Plan, claiming that major capability programmes are being managed to avoid unnecessary delay. He described the Defence Investment Plan as the first comprehensive review of defence programmes in 18 years and said it is backed by the government’s largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, with £270 billion committed during this Parliament. However, the extended timetable has prompted concern across parts of the defence industrial base, with industry bodies and trade unions warning that prolonged uncertainty risks affecting investment decisions and workforce planning. Unite the union has argued that delays to the Defence Investment Plan are creating instability for manufacturers and suppliers, particularly those supporting complex long-term programmes. The union has warned that without a clear investment signal from government, companies may struggle to justify capital investment, retain specialist skills or plan future recruitment in areas such as aerospace, land systems and advanced manufacturing.