Ministry of Defence written question – answered at on 13 April 2026.
James Cartlidge
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the response of the permanent Secretary to Question 33 in the Defence Committee Session on MoD Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, HC 1779 on 17 March 2026, whether everyone across Government refers specifically to ministers.
Luke Pollard
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence
The Defence Investment Plan will be a Government document and plan, underpinned by the normal and appropriate collective agreement.
Yes2 people think so
No0 people think not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
A Permanent Secretary is a top civil servant- there is a permanent secretary in each Office/Dept./Ministry Permanent Secretaries are always Knights, (I.E. "Sir" or "Dame"). BBC Sitcom "Yes Minster" portrays Sir Humprey Appelby as a Permanent Secretary, steretypically spouting lots of red tape and bureacracy.
