Ministerial role

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Defence People and Families)

Organisations: Ministry of Defence
Current role holder: The Rt Hon Dr Andrew Murrison MP

Responsibilities

Responsible for all policy matters relating to civilian and service personnel, including:

  • Serving conditions including pay, pensions, training & allowances
  • Armed Forces Families
  • Accommodation
  • Civilian Workforce
  • Reserves and Cadets
  • Recruitment and Retention
  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Domestic abuse and safeguarding
  • Legacy inquiries and inquests
  • Service Complaints and the Service Justice System
  • Transition Policy
  • Armed Forces Covenant
  • Veterans UK
  • Employee Recognition Scheme
  • Ministerial Disability Champion

Current role holder

The Rt Hon Dr Andrew Murrison MP

Dr Andrew Murrison was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence on 30 October 2022.

He was previously Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development from 9 May 2019 to 13 February 2020.

He was elected Conservative MP for South West Wiltshire in May 2010, and was first elected as the Conservative MP for Westbury in June 2001.

Education

Andrew studied medicine at Bristol and public health at Hughes Hall, Cambridge.

Political career

In November 2003 he was appointed to the Conservative front bench as a health spokesman, transferring in July 2007 to defence. In May 2010 Andrew became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State for Health and was asked by the Prime Minister to review and make recommendations on health care for members of the services community. The principal recommendations in the subsequent reports, ‘Fighting Fit’ and ‘A Better Deal for Military Amputees’, are being rolled out by the government.

In November 2011 Prime Minister David Cameron appointed him as his special representative for the centenary commemoration of the First World War, a post he was re-appointed to by Theresa May.

Andrew previously served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence and Minister for International Security Strategy from September 2012 until July 2014. He then served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office from July 2014 to March 2015. He chaired the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee from July 2017 to May 2019.

Career outside politics

Andrew served for 18 years as a medical officer in the Royal Navy, leaving in October 2000 as a Surgeon Commander. In 2003 he was recalled to serve in Iraq.

In 2021 was mobilised to lead vaccination teams as part of Operation Rescript. He remains an active reservist.

Personal life

Andrew and his wife live near Warminster. They have 5 daughters.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

  1. Sarah Atherton MP

    2022 to 2022