Secretary of State for Defence
Responsibilities
The Secretary of State for Defence has overall responsibility for the business of the department.
Responsibilities include:
- strategic campaign and operational oversight including as a member of the National Security Council
- Nuclear Deterrent (CAS-D) and operations policy and enterprise
- Strategic Defence Review
- Euro-Atlantic strategy and planning
- defence strategy, planning, programme, and resource allocation
- relationships with strategic international partners: US, France, Germany, Australia, Ukraine
- One Defence reform
- oversight of Veterans Strategy
- Afghan Inquiry
- service personnel deaths on duty and letters of condolence
- strategic multilateral programmes
- regulatory functions
Current role holder
The Rt Hon John Healey MP
John Healey was appointed Secretary of State for Defence on 5 July 2024. He was elected as the MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough in July 2024.
He was Shadow Housing Secretary from 2015 to 2020 and Shadow Health Secretary from 2010-2011. During Labour’s time in Government, John was PPS to the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1999-2001 and a Minister from 2001-2010, serving successively as Adult Skills Minister, Treasury Minister, Local Government Minister and Housing Minister.
Before entering Parliament, John was Campaigns Director at the Trades Union Congress and a disability rights campaigner.
John is married with one son and lives in Rotherham.
Previous holders of this role
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The Rt Hon Grant Shapps
2023 to 2024
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The Rt Hon Ben Wallace
2019 to 2023
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The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt
2019 to 2019
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The Rt Hon Sir Gavin Williamson CBE MP
2017 to 2019
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The Rt Hon Sir Michael Fallon
2014 to 2017
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The Rt Hon Philip Hammond
2011 to 2014
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The Rt Hon Liam Fox
2010 to 2011