Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence

Office in the UK Ministry of Defense

Permanent Under-Secretary for Defence

Royal Arms as used by His Majesty's Government

Incumbent
David Williams

since April 2021

Ministry of Defence
Style| Permanent Secretary
Member of| Defence Council
Defence Board
Defence Audit and Risk Assurance Committee
People Committee
Investment Approvals Committee
Executive Committee
Reports to| Secretary of State for Defence
Cabinet Secretary
Seat| Ministry of Defence, London
Appointer| Prime Minister
Inaugural holder| Henry Hardman
Formation| 1963
Deputy| Second Permanent Secretary
Salary| SCS Pay Band 4

The Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence,[1][2] also called the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence,[3][4] is the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence. The office holder is the government's principal civilian adviser on Defence matters.[5] The office holder is a member of the Defence Council and the Defence Board.[6] They are the MOD Principal Accounting Officer,[5] and are called to give evidence to the Defence Select Committee.[7]

The position has existed in its current format since the formation of the modern Ministry of Defence in 1964.[1] It was preceded by the Permanent Secretary at the earlier Ministry of Defence (1947–1964), and by the Permanent Secretaries at the government departments that were absorbed into the Ministry of Defence in 1964: the Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty, the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for War, and the Permanent Secretary to the Air Ministry.

The current Permanent Secretary to the MOD is David Williams.[4]

## Responsibilities

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* Leading defence (with CDS);
* Setting strategy for defence, including corporate strategy (subject to ministers’ direction, and together with CDS);
* Heading the Department of State and the MOD Civil Service;
* Providing policy advice to ministers and leading the relationship with other government departments;
* The overall organisation, management and staffing of defence;
* Performing the full range of Accounting Officer responsibilities, including the delegation of financial and other authority and accountability to senior colleagues, with personal accountability to Parliament for the economic, efficient and effective use of defence resources. [8]

## Permanent Secretaries to the Ministry of Defence (1947–1964)

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The Permanent Secretaries at the earlier Ministry of Defence (1947–1964):[9]

* 1947: Sir Henry Wilson Smith
* 1948: Sir Harold Parker
* 1956: Sir Richard Powell
* 1960: Sir Edward Playfair
* 1961: Sir Robert Scott
* 1964: Sir Henry Hardman

## Permanent Secretaries to the Ministry of Defence (1964–present)

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* Henry Hardman (1964–1966)[10]
* James Dunnett (1966–1974)[10]
* Michael Cary (1974–1976)[10]
* Frank Cooper (1976–1982)[10]
* Clive Whitmore (1982–1988)[10]
* Michael Quinlan (1988–1992)[10]
* Christopher France (1992–1995)[10]
* Richard Mottram (1995–1998)[11]
* Kevin Tebbit (1998–2005)
* Bill Jeffrey (2005–2010)
* Ursula Brennan (2010–2012)
* Jon Thompson (2012–2016)
* Stephen Lovegrove (2016–2021)
* David Williams (2021–)[4]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Ministry of Defence: Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence: Registered Files (D/PUS and PUS Series)". National Archives. Retrieved 17 March 2022. "Under the Defence (Transfer of Functions) Act 1964, the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry were absorbed into an enlarged Ministry of Defence under a Secretary of State for Defence from 1 April 1964. As a result, the post of Permanent Under Secretary of State (PUS) for Defence was created."
2. ^ "Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts Volume One 2008-2009" (PDF). gov.uk. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2022. "Introduction by Chief of Defence Staff and Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence"
3. ^ "Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2020–21" (PDF). gov.uk. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022. "David Williams CB Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence"
4. ^ a b c "Appointment of Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence". GOV.UK. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
5. ^ a b "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTING OFFICER SYSTEM STATEMENT 2020" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 17 March 2022. "2.1 As the MOD Permanent Secretary, I am the government's principal civilian adviser on Defence. I have primary responsibility for policy, finance and business planning, and I am the MOD Principal Accounting Officer."
6. ^ "Ministry of Defence: Our governance". GOV.UK. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
7. ^ "MoD officials questioned on Annual Report and Accounts". Parliament.UK. Retrieved 31 December 2022. "The Defence Committee holds an evidence session on the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts... Witnesses: Tuesday 26 April 2022: At 10.35am: David Williams, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence"
8. ^ "David Williams". GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
9. ^ David Butler and Gareth Butler, Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900–2000, eighth edition, Macmillan, 2000, p. 302
10. ^ a b c d e f g "Ministry of Defence: Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence: Registered Files (D/PUS and PUS Series)". National Archives. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
11. ^ "Interview: Sir Richard Mottram". CivilServiceWorld. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2022. "1995 Rejoins MoD as permanent secretary. 1998 Takes over at vast Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions."

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