Standing Tall in our World : Coalition Promises in Mid Term Review

http://midtermreview.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/standing-tall-in-the-world/

National Security

We will continue to protect the core counter-terrorism capabilities of the intelligence agencies and enable them to deliver against the Government’s national security priorities as set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

We are investing an extra £650 million over the current Spending Review period in improving Britain’s cyber security. The Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance has published its progress in delivering the objectives of the Cyber Security Strategy and has set out its future plans.

We will strengthen our borders with a new Border Policing Command, to ensure that illegal goods are seized, illegal immigrants are dealt with and networks of organised criminals are targeted and disrupted – both overseas and at ports up and down the UK.

We will consider the report of the Joint Committee on the draft Communications Data Bill before bringing a new Bill to Parliament.

Foreign Affairs

We will continue to support the ambition of the Afghan Government to have full security responsibility across Afghanistan by the end of 2014, and will reduce force levels to approximately 5,200 by the end of 2013. In accordance with International Security Assistance Force planning, we expect that UK forces will no longer need to routinely mentor the Afghan National Security Forces below Brigade level by this time. We will have ended our combat role in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 but will remain committed to the continued development of the Afghan National Security Forces, including through our role as the lead coalition partner at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy.

We will continue to work with the E3+3 to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

We will continue to work with like-minded countries and the UN for a political transition and end to the violence in Syria.

We will lead a successful UK G8 Presidency in 2013, focusing on the development of open economies, open governments and open societies.

We will strongly support further EU enlargement to the Western Balkans and Turkey, subject to rigorous conditionality.

We will intensify efforts to support the development of effective democratic institutions in Egypt and Libya.

We will press on with the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative, deploying staff from our 70-strong team of doctors, psychologists, forensic experts and lawyers into conflict areas to support justice for survivors of rape as a weapon of war.

We will continue to insist on the right of self-determination for the people of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands and respect the result of the planned referendum in the Falklands next year.

Defence

We will publish a 10-year equipment plan, to equip our Armed Forces with new aircraft carriers, new destroyers and frigates, the joint strike fighter aircraft, new refuelling, transport and reconnaissance aircraft, new armoured vehicles, new helicopters and a renewed nuclear deterrent.

We will invest £1.8 billion over the next 10 years to increase the size and capability of the Reserves.

We will provide an extra £100 million for 2013/14 to improve service accommodation.

We will remove a further 7,000 MOD civilian staff by 2014.

We will plan to achieve non-front-line savings of more than £4 billion by 2015.

We will secure receipts of at least £1.8 billion over the next 10 years through the sale of excess land.

We will complete and publish the review of alternatives to Trident.

We will distribute £35 million in fines for LIBOR manipulation to service personnel and their families through the Armed Forces Covenant and Forces charities.

International Development

We will deliver our commitment to increase aid to 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income from 2013, and will enshrine this commitment in law.

We will provide access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation and hygiene for up to 60 million people.

We will stop 250,000 babies dying unnecessarily.

We will support 11 million children in school – more than we educate in the UK, but at 2.5 per cent of the cost.

We will vaccinate more children against preventable diseases than the whole population of England.

We will save the lives of 50,000 women in pregnancy and childbirth.

We will support 13 countries to hold free and fair elections.