Committees

Defence Committee

Commons Select Committee

The Defence Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies. You can follow the Committee on Twitter @CommonsDefence.

Find out more about this committee

The Committee also has a Sub-Committee to inquire into topics of its choosing, currently on Foreign Involvement in the Defence Supply Chain.

Find out more about the Defence Sub-Committee

These pages only show information for this committee from the start of 2020 onwards. Earlier information can be found on the previous version of the UK Parliament website.

View previous Defence Committee website

Reports, special reports and government responses

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Sixth Report: Manpower or mindset: Defence’s contribution to the UK’s pandemic response
Inquiry Defence contribution to the UK’s pandemic response
Committees Defence Committee
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HC 357
Report
Fifth report: Obsolescent and outgunned: the British Army’s armoured vehicle capability
Inquiry Progress in delivering the British Army’s armoured vehicle capability
Committees Defence Committee
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HC 659
Report
Foreign Involvement in the Defence Supply Chain
Inquiry Foreign Involvement in the Defence Supply Chain
Committees Defence Committee
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600KB
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HC 699
Report

Oral evidence transcripts

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23 March 2021
Inquiry Defending Global Britain in a Competitive Age
Witnesses Lord Richards of Herstmonceux (Chief of Defence Staff (2010-13) at Ministry of Defence), and Lord Houghton of Richmond (Chief of Defence Staff (2014-16) at Ministry of Defence)
Committees Defence Committee
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Oral Evidence
2 March 2021
Inquiry NATO, US and UK Defence Relations
Witnesses Dr Rob Johnson (Director of the Oxford Changing Character of War Centre at Oxford University), Heather A. Conley (Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic; and Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at Centre for Strategic and International Studies), and Professor Wyn Rees (Professor of International Security, Faculty of Social Sciences at University of Nottingham)
Committees Defence Committee
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Oral Evidence
23 February 2021
Inquiry China’s military ambitions
Witnesses Meia Nouwens (Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation at International Institute for Strategic Studies), Dr Alessio Patalano (Department of War Studies at Kings College London), and Charles Parton OBE (Senior Associate Fellow at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI))
Committees Defence Committee
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Oral Evidence

Written evidence

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WAF0077 - Women in the Armed Forces: From Recruitment to Civilian Life
Witnesses Child Rights International Network (CRIN)
Committees Defence Committee, and Defence Sub-Committee
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Written Evidence
WAF0073 - Women in the Armed Forces: From Recruitment to Civilian Life
Witnesses Dr Rachel Fenton (Senior Lecturer in Law and Speak Out Guardian at The University of Exeter)
Committees Defence Committee, and Defence Sub-Committee
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Written Evidence
WAF0068 - Women in the Armed Forces: From Recruitment to Civilian Life
Witnesses Miss Amy Victoria Denton (Analytical Consultant at TP Group)
Committees Defence Committee, and Defence Sub-Committee
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114KB
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Written Evidence

Other publications

Government Responses
The Government has undertaken to respond to most committee reports within two months, although there are exceptions to this rule.
1 published
Correspondence
Committees exchange letters with government departments and others, often to request information or follow up on recommendations.
35 published
Formal Minutes
Formal minutes produced for committee meetings.
14 published
Attendance statistics
Statistics for the attendance at committee meetings.
1 published
Estimate memoranda
Explanatory memoranda that accompany Government Estimates.
4 published

Contact us

  • Email: defcom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 5745 (General enquiries) / 075 4651 7626 (Joe Williams: Media enquiries)
  • Address: Defence Committee, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA