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Budget 2018 unlocks extra £1bn for MOD

Published on: 2 Nov 2018

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) will get an extra £1 billion of funding for the rest of 2018 and 2019 to boost Britain’s cyber capabilities and anti-submarine warfare capacity.

Announcing the measures during this week’s Budget, chancellor Philip Hammond - who served as UK defence secretary between 2011 and 2014 - said the cash would also be used to maintain the pace of the dreadnought programme to ensure continuous at sea deterrence.

Mr Hammond went on to announce that an additional £160 million will fund counter terrorism policing in 2019-20.

This cash will help protect counter terrorism police numbers and to allow future police funding to be considered in the round at the spending review.

During his speech, Mr Hammond said: “Our counter terrorism police play a vital role in defending Britain against the evolving threats we face. I recognise that policing more generally is under pressure from the changing nature of crime.

“As a former defence secretary myself, I understand the immediate pressures our armed forces are facing. We are proud of our armed forces and we will always back them with the investment they need to keep this country safe.”

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