Multiple reports say Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to maintain a previously agreed defence funding settlement of £13.5 billion when it is carried over to the new defence secretary, Dan Jarvis. The update follows the resignation of John Healey, who stepped down last week amid disagreement over defence spending. One outlet reports that Healey’s replacement has sought additional funding beyond the existing settlement. Despite this, the Prime Minister is expected to provide the same overall amount that underpinned Healey’s resignation, rather than increasing the budget for the incoming defence minister. The reporting frames the issue as a continuation of the same financial position for the defence department, with Jarvis receiving the established settlement rather than a new or expanded package. The articles do not provide further detail on the scale of the additional sum requested or the specific mechanism for how any changes would be assessed, but they indicate the government’s current intention is to keep defence spending at the £13.5 billion level linked to the earlier dispute.