Chiefs of Staff Committees (Hansard, 24 July 1984)

§ 4. Mr. Dykes
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the arrangements for policy examination and co-ordination by members of the service chiefs of staff committees in respect of defence policy aspects affecting the three services.

§ Mr. Heseltine
The changes described in the White Paper "The Central Organisation for Defence", are designed, among other things, to improve the Ministry's ability to reach the best defence-wide solutions. The chiefs of staff committee will continue to be the forum in which the chief of defence staff, as principal military adviser to the Government, seeks the advice of the service chiefs of staff. They will have full access to the advice of the new, unified defence staff; and they will have sufficient single-service staff to enable them to direct the work of their own services, as chairmen of the service executive committees.

§ Mr. Dykes
My right hon. Friend made a full statement about this matter last week, and we now have the White Paper, but does he agree that the brouhaha about the change has been somewhat overdone? As he said, there is no net reduction in the role of the chiefs of staff. As they will have complete access to the new unified defence policy appraisal committee, will that not strengthen rather than weaken their intrinsic role?

§ Mr. Heseltine
Any change brings uncertainty in advance. The chiefs of staff have a responsibility to point out their anxieties. I admire them for doing that. I take my hon. Friend's point that, under the new arrangements for the Ministry of Defence, if anything, they will have an enhanced opportunity to influence defence policy. That will emerge as the new system shakes down.

§ Mr. McNamara
If the Secretary of State is correct and the role of the service chiefs is enhanced, why have they been making all this row?

§ Mr. Heseltine
As I said to my right hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes), there is always uncertainty in advance of change. It is perfectly legitimate for those who are the custodians of the single services to express any reservations that they may have. I must point out, however, that the chiefs of staff have now given a clear commitment that they will work for the system, and they believe that it is workable.