Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Responsibilities
- implementation of relevant SDR Vision and Recommendations
- oversight of Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ)
- legislation (including Armed Forces Bill)
- Northern Ireland Legacy
- Ukraine support – operations
- autonomy and drones, including Drone Centre of Excellence
- Force Posture and Deployment
- Intelligence
- Global Operational policy and commitments
- North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) operations and planning
- crisis response
- Permanent Joint Operational Bases and Overseas Bases (including Cyprus, Falkland Islands and Gibraltar)
- Military Aid to Civilian Authority (MACA)
- Homeland Defence
- UN Peacekeeping and Human Security Call Out Orders
- Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Reports
Current role holder
Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP
Alistair Carns grew up in Scotland, went to state school and joined the military at 19, working his way up to the rank of Colonel. He served and led during four tours in Afghanistan and was awarded the Military Cross in 2011 ‘in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1 October 2010 to 31 March 2011’.
From 2017 he served as an adviser to three UK Defence Secretaries. Recently he served as Chief of Staff to the Commander UK Strike Force where he was responsible for coordinating aircraft carriers and commando forces. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for exceptional operational service in the 2022 Queens’ Birthday Honours.
Carns became Minister for Veterans and People at the Ministry of Defence on 9 July 2024. He was elected as the Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak on 4 July 2024. He was appointed Minister for the Armed Forces in September 2025.
Carns likes to keep fit and is a devoted father to his two boys, daughter and his beloved red fox lab Maverick.
Previous holders of this role
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Luke Pollard MP
2024 to 2025