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This report describes the work of the Defence Committee in 2007. It illustrates how—in carrying out its work of scrutinising the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and associated public bodies—it has met the core tasks recommended to Select Committees by the Liaison Committee.
The report highlights aspects of the Committee's working practices which depart from previous practice or which may otherwise be of interest. In particular it draws attention to the webforum held during its inquiry into Medical Care for the Armed Forces; its taking of evidence outside Westminster, in Birmingham and Edinburgh; and the growing amount of informal activities of the Committee, including inward visits. It also underlines the importance of visits to the Armed Forces on operational deployments.
The report commends the MoD for its timeliness in responding to our published reports, and acknowledges that the content of the Government's responses are reasonable. However, it notes that on one of our inquiries, UK Defence: commitments and resources the MoD responded to our request for written evidence seven months late, which has had a knock-on effect on the progress of the inquiry.
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