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 MoD Main Building, Westminster | |
| Department overview | |
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| Formed | 1 April 1964 (as modern department) |
| Jurisdiction | Government of the United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | Main Building, Whitehall, Westminster, London 51°30′14″N0°07′30″W / 51.5040°N 0.1249°W /51.5040; -0.1249 |
| Employees | |
| Annual budget | £55 billion;FY 2021[3] |
| Secretary of State responsible | |
| Department executives | |
| Child agencies | |
| Website | gov |
TheMinistry of Defence (MOD orMoD) is aministerial department of theGovernment of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for implementing the defence policy set by the government and serves as the headquarters of theBritish Armed Forces.
Officially, its principal objectives are to defend theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its interests and to strengthen international peace and stability.[4] The MOD also manages day-to-day running of the armed forces, contingency planning anddefence procurement.
The expenditure, administration and policy of the MOD are scrutinised by theDefence Select Committee,[5] except forDefence Intelligence which instead falls under theIntelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.[6]
The Ministry of Defence has been involved in commercial activities; an example of which is their 2025 announcement to supply Norway with warships, the UK's largest warship export deal by value.[7]
During the 1920s and 1930s, Britishcivil servants and politicians, looking back at the performance of the state during theFirst World War, concluded that there was a need for greater co-ordination between the three services that made up the armed forces of the United Kingdom: theRoyal Navy, theBritish Army and theRoyal Air Force. The formation of a united ministry of defence was rejected by the coalition government ofDavid Lloyd George in 1921, but theChiefs of Staff Committee was formed in 1923, for the purposes of inter-service co-ordination. As rearmament became a concern during the 1930s,Stanley Baldwin created the position ofMinister for Co-ordination of Defence.Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield held the post until the fall of theChamberlain government in 1940. His success was limited by his lack of control over the existing Service departments, and his lack of political influence.
On forming his government in 1940,Winston Churchill created the office of Minister of Defence, to exercise ministerial control over the Chiefs of Staff Committee and to co-ordinate defence matters. The post was held by the Prime Minister of the day untilClement Attlee's government introduced theMinistry of Defence Act of 1946. After 1946, the three posts ofSecretary of State for War,First Lord of the Admiralty, andSecretary of State for Air were formally subordinated to the newMinister of Defence, who had a seat in the Cabinet. The three service ministers – Admiralty, War, Air – remained in direct operational control of their respective services, but ceased to attend Cabinet.
From 1946 to 1964, five Departments of State did the work of the modern Ministry of Defence: theAdmiralty, theWar Office, theAir Ministry, theMinistry of Aviation, andan earlier form of the Ministry of Defence. TheMinistry of Supply existed from 1939 to 1959. Those departments merged in 1964, and the defence functions of theMinistry of Aviation Supply were merged into the Ministry of Defence in 1971.[8] Thereafter theMoD Procurement Executive was established as a separate organisation to supervise all military procurement. The unification of all defence activities under a single ministry was motivated by a desire to curbinterservice rivalries and followed the precedent set by the AmericanNational Security Act of 1947.[9]
The most notable fraud conviction has been that ofGordon Foxley, Director of Ammunition Procurement at the Ministry of Defence from 1981 to 1984. Police claimed he received at least £3.5m in total in corrupt payments, such as substantial bribes from overseas arms contractors aiming to influence the allocation of contracts.[10]
A government report covered byThe Guardian newspaper in 2002 indicated that between 1940 and 1979, the Ministry of Defence "turned large parts of the country into a giant laboratory to conduct a series of secretgerm warfare tests on the public" and many of these tests "involved releasing potentially dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms over vast swathes of the population without the public being told."[11] The Ministry of Defence claims that these trials were to simulate germ warfare and that the tests were harmless. However, families who have been in the area of many of the tests are experiencing children with birth defects and physical and mental handicaps and many are asking for a public inquiry. The report estimated these tests affected millions of people, including during one period between 1961 and 1968 where "more than a million people along the south coast of England, fromTorquay to theNew Forest, were exposed to bacteria includingE.coli andBacillus globigii, which mimicsanthrax." Two scientists commissioned by the Ministry of Defence stated that these trials posed no risk to the public. This was confirmed by Sue Ellison, a representative of theDefence Science and Technology Laboratory atPorton Down who said that the results from these trials "will save lives, should the country or our forces face an attack by chemical and biological weapons."
In February 2019, former soldier Inoke Momonakaya won £458,000 payout after a legal battle for the racial harassment and bullying he received while serving in the army.[12] In August 2019,A Commons Defence Select Committee report revealed that several female andBAME military staff have raised concerns regarding discrimination, bullying and harassment.[13] In September 2019, two former British army soldiers Nkululeko Zulu and Hani Gue won a racial discrimination claim against the Ministry of Defence (MoD).[14] In November 2019, mixed race soldier Mark De Kretser sued MoD for £100k claiming he was subjected to "grindingly repetitive" racist taunts from colleagues.[15][16]
In October 2009, the MOD was heavily criticised for withdrawing the bi-annual non-operational training £20m budget for theTerritorial Army (TA), ending all non-operational training for six months until April 2010. The government eventually backed down and restored the funding. The TA provides a small percentage of the UK's operational troops. Its members train on weekly evenings and monthly weekends, as well as two-week exercises generally annually and occasionally bi-annually for troops doing other courses. The cuts would have meant a significant loss of personnel and would have had adverse effects on recruitment.[17]
In 2013, it was found that the Ministry of Defence had overspent on its equipment budget by £6.5bn on orders that could take up to 39 years to fulfil. The Ministry of Defence has been criticised in the past for poor management and financial control.[18]Specific examples of overspending include:
In May 2024, the ministry's payroll system was reportedly targeted multiple times in acyberattack in which personnel and their bank details were compromised. While initial reports attributed thecyberattack to China, the Minister of DefenceGrant Shapps said it would take some time to conclude who was to blame.[25][26]
The Ministers in the Ministry of Defence are as follows, with cabinet ministers in bold:[27][28]
| Minister | Portrait | Office | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John HealeyMP |  | Secretary of State for Defence | Overall responsibility for the department; strategic operations and operational strategy, including as a member of the National Security Council; defence planning, programme and resource allocation; strategic international partnerships: US, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, NATO; nuclear operations, policy and organisations; strategic communications. |
| Lord Coaker |  | Minister of State for Defence | Corporate governance including transformation programme; single departmental plan, risk reporting and health, safety and security; EU relations, including Brexit (excluding No Deal planning); engagement with retired senior Defence personnel and wider opinion formers; arms control and counter-proliferation, including strategic export licensing and chemical and biological weapons; UK Hydrographic Office; Statutory Instrument programme; Australia, Asia and Far East defence engagement; Defence Fire and Rescue; safety and security; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland devolved authorities; ship wrecks, museums and heritage; Ministry of Defence Police; ministerial correspondence and PQs |
| Luke PollardMP |  | Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry | Implementation of relevant SDR Vision and Recommendations; oversight of the National Armaments Director Group; departmental communications strategy and reform; armed forces readiness and stockpiles; Defence procurement, including reform and UK Defence Innovation; submarine delivery; Defence Industrial Strategy implementation and growth; Defence Exports Campaign and Office; Defence Readiness Bill; Ukraine support - military aid and industrial partnerships, including HIRST and KINDRED; Defence industry relationships and the Defence Industrial Joint Council; acquisition reform/UK Defence Innovation; climate change and sustainability; Defence estates, accommodation and Defence Infrastructure Organisation; artificial intelligence and innovation; science and technology; Defence Afghanistan Relocation and Assistance Programme (ARAP) including eligibility applications and asylum; oversight of Parliamentary engagement |
| Alistair CarnsMP |  | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces | Implementation of relevant SDR Vision and Recommendations; oversight of Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ); legislation (including Armed Forces Bill); Northern Ireland Legacy; Ukraine support – operations; autonomy and drones, including Drone Centre of Excellence; Force Posture and Deployment; Intelligence; Global Operational policy and commitments; North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) operations and planning; crisis response; Permanent Joint Operational Bases and Overseas Bases (including Cyprus, Falkland Islands and Gibraltar); Military Aid to Civilian Authority (MACA); Homeland Defence; UN Peacekeeping and Human Security Call Out Orders; Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Reports |
| Louise Sandher-JonesMP |  | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans and People | Implementation of relevant SDR Vision and Recommendations; recruitment and renewing the contract between the nation and those who serve; Veterans policy and delivery (including VALOUR); Office for Veterans Affairs; Armed Forces Commissioner; Armed Forces People and Families; civilian workforce (including RFA); Defence Business Services (including legal, pensions and compensation); Armed Forces Covenant; retention and incentivisation, including training skills and development; Service resettlement and transition; Reserves; Cadets; Defence culture – including oversight of the Raising our Standards Programme and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme; Service Justice System and Service Complaints |
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TheChief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the professional head of the British Armed Forces and the most senior uniformed military adviser to theSecretary of State for Defence and thePrime Minister.
The CDS is supported by the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS) who deputises and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the armed services aspect of the MOD through the Central Staff, working closely alongside the Permanent Secretary. They are joined by the professional heads of the three British armed services (Royal Navy,British Army andRoyal Air Force) and the Commander ofStrategic Command. All personnel sit atOF-9 rank in theNATO rank system.[29]
Together the Chiefs of Staff form theChiefs of Staff Committee with responsibility for providing advice on operational military matters and the preparation and conduct of military operations.
The current Chiefs of Staff are as follows.[30]
The Chief of Defence Staff is supported by severalDeputy Chiefs of the Defence Staff and senior officers atOF-8 rank.[29]
Additionally, there are a number ofAssistant Chiefs of Defence Staff, including theDefence Services Secretary in theRoyal Household of theSovereign of theUnited Kingdom, who is also the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel).[31]
Permanent Secretary and other senior officialsThe Ministers and Chiefs of the Defence Staff are supported by several civilian, scientific and professional military advisors. ThePermanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence (generally known as thePermanent Secretary) is the senior civil servant at the MOD. Their role is to ensure that it operates effectively as a government department and has responsibility for the strategy, performance, reform, organisation and the finances of the MOD.[32]The role works closely with the Chief of the Defence Staff in leading the organisation and supporting Ministers in the conduct of business in the department across the full range of responsibilities.
TheStrategic Defence and Security Review 2015 included £178 billion investment in new equipment and capabilities.[33][34] The review set a defence policy with four primary missions for the Armed Forces:[35]
The review stated the Armed Forces will also contribute to the government's response to crises by being prepared to:[35]
Defence is governed and managed by several committees.
The following organisational groups come under the control of the MOD.[39][40]
Top level budgets
The MOD comprises four top-levelbudgets. These are:[41]
Executive agencies
Executive non-departmental public bodies
Advisory non-departmental public bodies
Ad-hoc advisory group
Other bodies
Public corporations
Enabling organisation
In addition, the MOD is responsible for the administration of the Sovereign Base Areas ofAkrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus.[42]
Competitive procurement processes are used whenever possible,[43] and all new direct tender and contract opportunities valued over £10,000 are advertised on a system called the Defence Sourcing Portal. A separate internal policy generally operates in respect of low value purchasing below this threshold.[44]
DEFCON contract conditions are numbered defencecontract conditions are in contracts issued by the MOD (not to be confused withDEFCON as used by theUnited States Armed Forces, which refers to a level of military "defence readiness condition").
Examples include:
A full set of the DEFCONs can be accessed via the MoD's Defence Gateway (registration required).[47]
The government noted in 2013 that the MoD's third-party expenditure was characterised by "complex, high-value contracts". Defence purchasing contributes to government ambitions to make supply chains more accessible tosmall and medium-sized enterprises, but the government commented that it had yet to secure good insight into the supply chain role of SMEs.[48]
The Ministry of Defence is one of the United Kingdom's largest landowners, owning 227,300hectares of land and foreshore (either freehold or leasehold) at April 2014, which was valued at "about £20 billion". The MOD also has "rights of access" to a further 222,000 hectares. In total, this is about 1.8% of the UK land mass. The total annual cost to support the defence estate is "in excess of £3.3 billion".[49]
The defence estate is divided as training areas & ranges (84.0%), research & development (5.4%), airfields (3.4%), barracks & camps (2.5%), storage & supply depots (1.6%), and other (3.0%).[49] These are largely managed by theDefence Infrastructure Organisation.
The headquarters of the MOD are inWhitehall and is known asMOD Main Building. This structure isneoclassical in style and was originally built between 1938 and 1959 to designs byVincent Harris to house theAir Ministry and theBoard of Trade. A major refurbishment of the building was completed under aPrivate Finance Initiative contract bySkanska in 2004.[50] The northern entrance inHorse Guards Avenue is flanked by two monumental statues,Earth andWater, byCharles Wheeler. Opposite stands theGurkha Monument, sculpted byPhilip Jackson and unveiled in 1997 by QueenElizabeth II. Within it is the Victoria Cross and George Cross Memorial, and nearby are memorials to theFleet Air Arm andRAF (to its east, facing the riverside).
Henry VIII's wine cellar at thePalace of Whitehall, built in 1514–1516 forCardinal Wolsey, is in the basement of Main Building, and is used for entertainment. The entire vaulted brick structure of the cellar was encased in steel and concrete and relocated nine feet to the west and nearly 19 feet (5.8 m) deeper in 1949, when construction was resumed at the site afterWorld War II. This was carried out without any significant damage to the structure.[51]
The Defence Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies.
The ISC oversees the policies, expenditure, administration and operations of MI5, MI6, GCHQ, Defence Intelligence, the Joint Intelligence Organisation, the National Security Secretariat (NSS) and Homeland Security Group.
This article incorporates text published under the BritishOpen Government Licence: Cabinet Office,Making Government business more accessible to SMEs: Two Years On, published on 8 August 2013, accessed on 25 September 2024
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