Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Q43 of the oral evidence he gave to the Defence Committee on 2 July 2025, HC 973, if the Strategic Advisor and Head of Review and Challenge is a direct replacement for the Director of the Secretary of State’s Office for Net Assessment and Challenge.

The Ministry of Defence is pleased to welcome Malcom Chalmers as the new Strategic Advisor to the Secretary of State (SofS) and Head of Review and Challenge. Malcolm Chalmers will not be a direct replacement for Director SONAC but will have many of the same responsibilities. This model will allow Mr Chalmers to focus on providing expert advice to the SofS, backed by the expertise and intellectual horsepower of SONAC. SONAC will be run day to day by a Civil Servant Deputy Director. This model will allow us to get the best out of the expert - and optimise the strategic value that SONAC delivers to the Defence Secretary and the Department.