The UK Statistics Authority wrote to James Cartlidge MP about Defence spending

5 August 2026 · Penny Young, Chair, UK Statistics Authority

The letter, dated 5 August 2026, replies to correspondence of 3 June 2026. The UK Statistics Authority published it as Letter from Penny Young to James Cartlidge MP: Defence spending; it links to 1 official record. Below are 4 passages from the letter in the regulator's own words.

What the UK Statistics Authority wrote

“We agree that it is incorrect and misleading to describe the £270 billion as an increase in defence spending over the course of this Parliament, or to describe it as an extra £270 billion.”

“On 5 June it posted instead “The UK government is investing £270 billion in defence over this Parliament to secure our national security”, which is a more accurate description of the proposed spend.”

“Following our intervention, the MOD has taken steps to ensure that future communications use precise and consistent language when presenting defence spending figures.”

“We consider that the actions taken by Wales Office and MOD should reduce the risk of these misleading statements being used in future public debate.”

From Penny Young, Chair, UK Statistics Authority, letter of 5 August 2026. Read the full letter.

The words the letter quotes

The letter quotes 2 passages from the public record:

“We have already committed to 2.5% in 2027, and we will hit that. That means that, in this Parliament, we will spend £270 billion more on defence than we would otherwise have done.”

Source named in the letter: similar claim at a House of Commons Liaison Committee

“An MoD spokesman said the Government is providing a “generational increase” in defence spending, with an extra £270 billion across this Parliament.”

Records the letter links to

• similar claim at a House of Commons Liaison Committee

Correspondence

• The letter it answered: James Cartlidge MP to Ed Humpherson – defence spending (3 June 2026)

More on James Cartlidge.

Receipt