Committees

Defence Committee announces Sub-Committee on Cultural Defence Diplomacy

14 October 2022

The Defence Committee launches its new Sub-Committee on Cultural Defence Diplomacy. The Sub-Committee will focus on the UK’s soft power, ability to engage with allies and using the UK’s cultural institutions to deepen some friendships and foster others.

‘Defence Diplomacy’ refers to the pursuit of foreign policy objectives through interactions and exchanges with other nations. This also includes cultural exchanges, such as the performances by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (REMT).

The Sub-Committee will be chaired by Gavin Robinson MP.

The deadline for written evidence is Friday 4 November 2022.

The Committee welcomes written evidence on the following points:

  • What role do cultural events and institutions play in supporting the UK’s aims when it comes to defence diplomacy? What is its value to the UK’s position in the world?
  • What is the best and most effective way to utilise the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (REMT)? What changes would need to be made to facilitate the better use of the REMT?
  • How should naval assets be used for furthering defence diplomacy, for example their use for receptions and trade missions?
  • Has the Government adequately supported and facilitated the pursuit of defence diplomacy through cultural events and institutions?
  • What role should the Government have in supporting and coordinating cultural defence diplomacy?
  • Which organisations or sectors should be responsible for supporting the UK’s defence diplomacy efforts?
  • How should value from cultural defence diplomacy be measured? Is there currently an agreed or effective framework for measuring impact against objectives?
  • What is the contribution to defence diplomacy of the Armed Forces’ ceremonial roles?

Form of written evidence:

Submissions should be no longer than 3,000 words. The main body of any submission should use numbered paragraphs. Each submission should contain:

  • a short summary, perhaps in bullet point form;
  • a brief introduction about the person or organisation submitting evidence, for example explaining their area of expertise or experience;
  • any factual information from which the Committee might be able to draw conclusions, or which could be put to other witnesses;
  • any recommendations for action by the Government or others which the submitter would like the Committee to consider for inclusion in its report to the House.

Submissions should be in malleable format such as MS Word (not PDFs) with no use of colour or logos.

Deadline for submissions

The Committee is asking for initial written evidence to be submitted through the Committee’s web portal by Friday 4 November 2022.

Further information

Image: MoD/Crown copyright