The Defence Council of the United Kingdom is the body in the legally entrusted with the defence of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories and with control over the British armed forces, and is part of the Ministry of Defence.
Prior to 1964, there were five bodies responsible for the armed forces: the Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry, the Ministry of Aviation , and a smaller Ministry of Defence.
The Defence Council is chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence. The Defence Council is responsible for formulating policy, ensuring that the three services are run efficiently and in accordance with the wishes of the government of the day.
There are three service boards chaired by the Secretary of State which report to the full Defence Council, namely the Admiralty Board, the Army Board and the Air Force Board.
The members of the Defence Council are:
Ministers
- Secretary of State for Defence
- Minister for the Armed Forces
- Minister for Defence Procurement and Parliamentary Undersecretary of State
- Minister for Veterans and Parliamentary Undersecretary of State
Officials
- Chief of Defence Procurement
- Chief of Defence Logistics
- Chief Scientific Adviser
- Permanent Undersecretary of State
- Second Permanent Undersecretary of State
