§ Mr. Wallasked the Minister of Defence what specific methods have been introduced in the past five years to increase common use and co-operation among the three defence Services.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftAs was stated in the 1962 Statement on Defence (Cmnd. 1639) increasing stress is now laid on mutual support and assistance between the three Services in the interests of economy. The principal method by which the common use of administrative and support facilities is achieved is the agency arrangement under which one Service acts for one or both of the others. Increasing use is to be made of arrangements of this kind as a result of the 173W studies carried out by an inter-Service Committee established for the purpose.
Closer co-operation in the operational sphere has been achieved by the introduction of the Unified Command organisation in the Middle East and Far East and by the designation of the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Near East, to be responsible for all British forces in that command. A Joint Service Staff has been established in the Ministry of Defence to advise the Chiefs of Staff on all aspects of Joint Service operations including training.