The Minister of State for Defence Procurement is, as a
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...
, a mid-level defence minister in the
Ministry of Defence
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A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
of the
British Government
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. The current incumbent of the post, Conservative MP
Alex Chalk
Alexander John Gervase Chalk, (born 8 August 1976) is a British politician serving as Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence since October 2022. He has been the Member of Parliament for Cheltenham since 2015. Chalk previously served as t ...
, was appointed in October 2022.
Origins
This ministerial post derives from that of two posts; the procurement aspects of this post were the responsibility of the Minister of Defence Procurement (either a Minister of State or the more junior, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State), while still the defence logistic aspects were the brief of the
Minister of State for the Armed Forces
The minister of state for the armed forces is a mid-level ministerial position at the Ministry of Defence in the Government of the United Kingdom.
When of Minister of State rank (until the appointment of James Heappey as a Parliamentary Under- ...
.
This post was created in 2007 to reflect the establishment of the
Defence Equipment and Support
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) is a trading entity and joint-defence organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence. It began operating on 2 April 2007, following the merger of the MoD's Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics ...
organisation of the
UK Ministry of Defence
The Ministry of Defence (MOD or MoD) is the department responsible for implementing the defence policy set by His Majesty's Government, and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces.
The MOD states that its principal objectives are to ...
.
Lord Drayson
Paul Rudd Drayson, Baron Drayson (born 5 March 1960), is a British businessman, amateur racing driver and Labour politician. He was Minister of Science in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills until May 2010, where he replaced I ...
was appointed as its first incumbent. Whilst Lord Drayson held the role as a
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...
, all of his successors were
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries, the most junior ministerial rank in the British Government, until the appointment of
Jeremy Quin
Jeremy Mark Quin (born 24 September 1968) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Horsham (UK Parliament constituency), Horsham since the 2015 United Kingdom general elec ...
in 2020.
The post was retitled in 2010 as Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology. The current title of the post is unclear as it has been announced as both Minister for Defence Procurement and Minister for Defence Equipment, Technology and Support.
Ministry of Defence Ministerial appointments finalised - 11 May 15
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Responsibilities
The Minister is responsible for:
*Delivery of the Equipment Plan
*nuclear enterprise
*Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) reform
*defence exports
*innovation
*defence science and technology including DSTL
*information computer technology
*the Single Source Regulations Office
The Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO) is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom responsible for overseeing and monitoring the Single Source Procurement Framework established by Part 2 of the Defence Reform Act 2014. Its role i ...
(SSRO)
*DIO estates and investment
*environment and sustainability in defence.
List of Ministers
References
{{United Kingdom Ministry of Defence
Defence Equipment and Support
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) is a trading entity and joint-defence organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence. It began operating on 2 April 2007, following the merger of the MoD's Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics ...
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
United Kingdom defence procurement
2007 establishments in the United Kingdom