Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (): I wish to update the House
on changes to Arm's Length Bodies (ALBs) within the Ministry of
Defence, delivered as part of Defence Reform and the Productive
and Agile State Programme. These changes strengthen ministerial
oversight, reduce duplication, and ensure that Ministers continue
to receive high quality independent expert advice where it is
required.
Defence is undertaking the most significant reforms in 50 years.
The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) endorsed the Defence Reform
programme to ensure Defence can deliver the Armed Forces the
country needs to keep it safe, maximise investment in the
frontline, and support economic growth.
These reforms also support the Government Plan for Change and the
Prime Minister's Productive and Agile State initiative. ALB
Reform is embedded within Defence Reform; committed to delayering
and simplifying the Arms' Length Bodies (ALB) delivery landscape,
reducing duplication and inefficiency, driving reduced costs, and
repatriating policy oversight to Ministerial control with
improved accountability.
In spring 2025, the Cabinet Office undertook a review of Arm's
Length Bodies in line with the aims of the Government Plan for
Change. As part of the recommendations of this review and in
delivering Defence Reform changes, Defence has completed one ALB
closure and has reclassified two Defence ALBs previously
classified as Advisory Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) as
Departmental Expert Committees.
The Defence ALBs that have been reclassified are:
The Independent Medical Expert Group (IMEG) which provides
essential independent advice on medical and scientific aspects of
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and is responsible for:
- investigating the issues on which advice is requested;
- reaching conclusions and making recommendations based on
evidence;
- providing evidence comprising independent, published,
peer-reviewed scientific and medical literature; and
- consulting other experts and inviting interested parties to
submit relevant research.
The Nuclear Research Advisory Council (NRAC) which provides
independent, external, evidence-based advice to the Chief of
Defence Nuclear, MOD Defence Nuclear Organisation Director
General Warhead, MOD Chief Scientific Adviser, and other senior
MOD officials. The committee will also update its name from
Nuclear Research Advisory Council to Nuclear Research Advisory
Committee to reflect this change.
Both committees will continue to operate with their existing
remit, secretariat and membership, ensuring continuity of their
work and no disruption to the provision of expert advice.
The provision of independent advice to government is vital to
effective policy and decision making, and these changes ensure
that Ministers continue to have access to the right expert advice
at the right time, while strengthening accountability within the
Department.
Following a review, Defence concluded that it no longer required
advice from the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical
Implications of Less Lethal Weapons (SACMILL), an advisory NDPB,
and the committee was closed in November 2025.
