GOV.UK
Ministerial role
Secretary of State for Defence
Responsibilities
The Secretary of State for Defence has overall responsibility for the business of the department providing strategic direction on policy, operations, acquisition and personnel matters, including:
- operational strategy, including as a member of the National Security Council
- defence planning, programme and resource allocation
- international relations
- defence exports policy, including as chair of the cross-Government Exports Working Group
- nuclear programme
- communications
Current role holder: The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP
Philip Hammond was appointed Secretary of State for Defence in 2011. He is the Conservative MP for Runnymede and Weybridge.
Education
Philip was born in Epping, Essex in 1955 and attended school in Brentwood before studying politics, philosophy and economics at University College, Oxford.
Political career
He was previously Secretary of State for Transport from May 2010, when he was appointed as a Privy Counsellor. Prior to this, he held a number of shadow portfolios. He was elected to Parliament in 1997.
Career outside politics
Philip had a business career in small and medium-sized companies in manufacturing, consultancy, property and construction, and oil and gas, both in the UK and abroad.
Personal life
He is married with 3 children and lives in Send, Surrey.
Previous holders of this role
-
The Rt Hon Liam Fox MP
- 2010 to 2011
Policies
under the responsibility of The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP as Secretary of State for Defence
-
Maintaining operational readiness to provide military support for activities in the UK
- 21 May 2013
-
Working towards nuclear disarmament
- 25 March 2013
-
Meeting NATO and EU Treaty defence commitments
- 12 December 2012
-
Maintaining an effective, independent nuclear deterrent
- 12 December 2012
Announcements
by Secretary of State for Defence
-
Nuclear submarines
- 6 March 2014
- News story
-
Nuclear submarines
- 6 March 2014
- Statement to Parliament
-
Sporting event for wounded personnel
- 6 March 2014
- News story
-
New aircraft carrier to be named by the Queen
- 22 February 2014
- News story
-
New Chief of the General Staff appointed
- 20 February 2014
- News story
-
Military support urgent flood defence inspections
- 17 February 2014
- News story
-
RAF deploys surveillance aircraft to flood-hit areas
- 14 February 2014
- News story
-
Defence Secretary responds to Major Projects Report
- 13 February 2014
- News story
-
Statement on Afghanistan
- 11 February 2014
- News story
-
New surveillance system for Royal Navy aircraft carriers
- 3 February 2014
- News story