Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to make the CEO of Defence Equipment & Support an Additional Accounting Officer.

The DE&S CEO has now formally joined the Defence Board. This is the most senior committee in the MOD, responsible for top level strategic leadership and plans for generating military force. This amendment to the Defence Board’s membership ensures that DE&S will take a fuller, more integrated role in setting the Department’s broader strategic direction.

Defence Design is undertaking a complete review of how we work as a Department. As part of this initiative, we will look at whether the CEO of DE&S should be an Additional Accounting Officer, as the Second Permanent Secretary and Director General Nuclear already are. Any changes from the current Accounting Officer arrangements will flow from the future model. At present, the Permanent Secretary remains the Accounting Officer for the Military Commands and the CEO DE&S is able to escalate any concerns as required.