HC Deb 24 March 1999 vol 328 cc310-1W
Ms Dari Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made towards a mission statement for his Department. [78854]

Mr. George Robertson

The objectives for the Ministry of Defence were included in the volume of Supporting Essays published as part of the Strategic Defence Review. I have since revised the language of these objectives to make them more simple and direct. The Mission Statement, which describes both the overall output and the main characteristics of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, is as followsThe Defence Mission Purpose

  • The purpose of the Ministry of Defence, and the Armed Forces, is to:
    • defend the United Kingdom, and Overseas Territories, our people and interest;
    • act as a force for good by strengthening international peace and security.
  • How we achieve it
  • To achieve this, we:
    • make a vital contribution to Britain's security policy and its promotion at home and abroad;
    • direct and provide a defence effort that meets the needs of the present, prepares for the future and insures against the unpredictable;
    • generate modern, battle-winning forces and other defence capabilities to help;
      • prevent conflicts and build stability;
      • resolve crisis and respond to emergencies;
      • protect and further UK interests;
      • meet our commitments and responsibilities;
      • work with Allies and partners to strengthen international security relationships.
  • Success depends, above all, on our people. We must:
    • recruit and retain the best people for the job from a diverse society;
    • train, motivate and quip them properly;
    • manage with care, ensuring that the demands on individuals and their families are reasonable;
    • develop careers in defence and skills for life.
  • In all this we must:
    • make every pound count for defence to ensure that the defence budget is used to best effect;
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    • develop a joint approach, harnessing the three Armed Services, defence civilians and all our resources to deliver the defence mission;
    • be open, flexible and creative in the way we work;
    • encourage British defence technology, science and industry;
    • help protect the natural environment;
    • be an active part of the wider community which we serve and in which we live.

This Defence Mission is implemented through a series of supporting objectives, which were set out in the Strategic Defence Review White Paper.