Ministerial role

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Organisations: Ministry of Defence
Current role holder: James Heappey MP

Responsibilities

Responsible for armed forces activity including operations, operational legal matters, force generation and international defence engagement.

Responsibilities include:

  • operations and operational legal policy
  • Brexit no deal planning
  • force generation (including exercises)
  • military recruitment and retention policy (regulars and reserves)
  • cyber
  • Permanent Joint Operating bases
  • international defence engagement strategy
  • lead for defence engagement in Africa and Latin America
  • human security
  • operational public inquiries, inquests
  • youth and cadets
  • commemorations, ceremonial duties, medallic recognition and protocol policy and casework

Current role holder

James Heappey MP

James Heappey was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Wells Constituency in May 2015.

Before entering politics, James served in the Army reaching the rank of Major. In a 10 year career in the Rifles, James served on operations in Kabul in 2005, Northern Ireland in 2006, Basra in 2007 and Sangin in Helmand Province in 2009. He also served in Kenya and across the United Kingdom.

James was appointed Minister for Defence Procurement on 16 December 2019, having previously served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

  1. The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP

    2019 to 2020

  2. The Rt Hon Mark Lancaster TD

    2017 to 2019

  3. The Rt Hon Sir Mike Penning MP

    2016 to 2017

  4. The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP

    2015 to 2016

  5. The Rt Hon Mark Francois MP

    2013 to 2015

  6. The Rt Hon Andrew Robathan

    2012 to 2013

  7. Sir Nick Harvey

    2010 to 2012