Navy Department (Ministry of Defence)

This article is about the period from 1964 to 1997. For the preceding organization that ran the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964, see Admiralty (United Kingdom). For the succeeding organisation from 2010, see Navy Command (Royal Navy).

Navy Department
United Kingdom
Department overview
Formed1964–1997
Preceding Department
DissolvedActive
Jurisdiction United Kingdom
HeadquartersMinistry of Defence, Whitehall, London
Department executives
Parent departmentMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Navy Department was a former ministerial service department of the British Ministry of Defence responsible for the control and direction of His Majesty's Naval Service. It was established on 1 April 1964 when the Admiralty was absorbed into a unified Ministry of Defence, where it became the Navy Department. Political oversight of the department originally lay with the Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy (1964–1967) it then passed to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy (1967–1981), then later to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (1981–1990), and finally the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (1991–1997).[1][2][3]

The departments military head was the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, (1964–1997) who was responsible for the day to day superintendence of the department. Following restructuring in 1997 the Navy Department as a ministerial department of the Ministry of Defence was abolished and following restructuring within the MOD the previous department became an operational grouping Ministry of Defence (Royal Navy) later called Ministry of Defence (Navy).

History

In 1959 the newly appointed Chief of the Defence Staff Louis Mountbatten implemented major changes with regards to defence policy one of which was the proposal to abolish the three existing service ministries the Admiralty, Air Ministry, War Office and recommended their staff and functions be absorbed into a new but enlarged Ministry of Defence, as separate Air, Army and Navy Departments but under the control of the new Defence Council and administered by the Defence Board (committee) and Defence Secretariat. On 1 April 1964 the Admiralty was absorbed in the unified Ministry of Defence, where it became the Navy Department.[4][5]

The new unified ministry marked the start of a period which saw increasing pressure to improve efficiency and increase the effectiveness of the administrative functions of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence. It was mostly organised on a joint rather than an 'integrated' or 'functional' basis in that sections of the Naval, Army and Air Staffs with similar responsibilities remained separate within their own departments, but were brought together in joint committees. The new organisation included three ministers of state who headed and implemented policy within the Navy, Army and Air Departments. The Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy (1964–1967)[6] had responsibilities across the whole of the defence field for international policy, personnel and logistics, and research development and production, although they did not have executive responsibilities that remained with the Secretary of State for Defence. The Minister of State for the Royal Navy was assisted by a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy (1964–1981) and a civil servant the Second Permanent Under-Secretary for the Royal Navy.[7]

In 1967 saw a re-organisation of the ministry aimed at moving towards a functional rather than service based structure. The three single service ministerial posts were replaced by two functional ministerial positions: Minister of Defence (Administration) (1967–1970) responsible for managing personnel and logistics for the entire defence establishment. He was assisted by Chief Adviser, Personnel and Logistics. Minister of Defence (Equipment) (1967–1970) responsible for managing research, development, production, procurement and sales. He was assisted by Chief Adviser (Projects), formerly the Chief Scientific Adviser.[8] The positions of Head of Defence Sales and Deputy Under Secretary of State (Equipment) were created to assist the Minister of Defence (Equipment) in general questions of research and development, procurement and production and sales.[7][9]

The three single service departments, second permanent under secretaries were replaced by two functional second permanent under secretaries, for administration and equipment, and ministerial responsibility for the single service departments was delegated to the parliamentary under secretaries of state. The Navy Department was then brought under the control of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy. During the previous six years there had been a shift to a more centralised Ministry of Defence and gradually moving accountability away from the single service departments. In 1970 the Heath ministry moved to reverse this trend through the appointment of three single service Parliamentary Under Secretaries of State appointed under one minister of state the Minister of State for Defence (1970–1981).[7]

In May 1981 the office of the Minister of State for Defence was separated and his previous procurement responsibilities led to the creation of a new Minister of Defence Procurement whilst his former logistical responsibilities were handed over to a new Minister of State for the Armed Forces. At the same time the Under-Secretaries of State for the Army and Royal Air Force together with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy were unified into a single post of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces who now had overall responsibility for the three service departments and in 1990 his title was changed to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence. In January 1997 the Navy Department as a service department with ministerial oversight ended and integrated into a new operating structure as an organisational grouping "Ministry of Defence (Royal Navy)", along with "Ministry of Defence, (Army)", "Ministry of Defence, (Airforce)", and "Ministry of Defence, (Staffs)".[10][11] In 2005 the grouping "MOD (Royal Navy)" was changed to "MOD (Navy)".

During this period of transition the majority of directorates from the previous department remained under supervision of the First Sea Lord whilst others were distributed under the Defence Staff) (1964–1995)[12][13] that was later given a new organisational grouping name the "Central Staffs" (1996–2005)[14][15] In 2006 greater accountability and control over budgets, equipment and staffing led to the formation new organisational groups, Central Staffs became Central Top Level Budget (CTLB)[16] whilst Ministry of Defence (Navy) was renamed Fleet Top Level Budget. A Top Level Budget (TLB) is a major organisational group of the MOD. In 2010 Fleet Top Level Budget was renamed Navy Command following the merger of the Commander-in-Chief Fleet and the Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command (Royal Navy).[17] Navy Command is currently the Top Level Budget (holder) for the Royal Navy.[18]

Ministers

This first office holders role was a continuation of the former First Lord of the Admiralty though now a non cabinet position who acted as chairman of the admiralty board on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence. Prior to 1967 the navy departments Parliamentary Under Secretary of State was deputy under the Minister of State at the time his roles establishment it was a continuation of the office of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty after 1967 his role was elevated and he became the chairman of the admiralty board.[19]

No. Post Holder Period Notes Ref
1. Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy 1964–1967 (Member of the Defence Council and Chairman of the Admiralty Board [20]
2. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy 1967–1981 (Member of the Defence Council [21]
3. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces 1981–1990 (Member of the Defence Council [22]
4. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence 1991–1997 (Member of the Defence Council [23]
Staff [24][25]
No. Post Holder Period Notes
1. First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff 1964–1997 Military head of Navy Department. Leads the Naval Staff and is a Member of Defence Council, Admiralty Board and is Chairman of the Navy Board.
2. Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel 1964–1997 Head of navy personnel and administers naval shore establishments and is a Member of the Admiralty Board and Navy Board
3. Commander-in-Chief Fleet 1964–1997 Leads Fleet Command and is a member of the Admiralty Board and Chairman of the Navy Board
4. Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command 1964–1997 Leads Naval Home Command and is member of the Admiralty Board and Navy Board
5. Controller of the Navy 1964–1997 Leads the Controllers Department and is member of the Admiralty Board and Navy Board
6. Chief of Fleet Support 1964–1997 Leads Naval Support Command and is a Member of the Admiralty Board and Navy Board
7. Vice Chief of the Naval Staff 1964–1985 Acts as deputy to the Chief of Naval Staff and is a member of the Defence Council, Admiralty Board and Navy Board
8. Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff 1964–1968 Acts as deputy to the Chief of Naval Staff and is a member of the Admiralty Board and is Navy Board
9. Assistant Chiefs of the Naval Staff 1964–1997 Acted as assistants to the Chief of Naval Staff and were members of Admiralty Board and Navy Board.

The Assistant Chief's of Naval Staff for the duration of the Navy Departments existence included ACNS, ACNS (Policy), ACNS (Operations), ACNS Operational Requirements, ACNS (Operations and Air) and ACNS (Warfare).

Civil servants

This office holders role was a continuation of the former Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty.

No. Post Holders Period Notes Ref
1. Second Permanent Under-Secretary of State (Royal Navy) 1964–1969 Member of the Defence Council and Admiralty Board. [26]
2. Second Permanent Under- Secretary of State (Administration) 1970–1997 ditto [27][28]

Governance

Executive governance of the Navy Department was managed by several committees usually consisted of the above officials listed to the boards and offices they were appointed to.

No. Committees Period Notes Ref
1. Defence Council 1964–1997 Provides the formal legal basis for the conduct of defence in the UK is chaired by the Secretary of State, and its members are ministers, the senior officers and senior civilian officials [29]
2. Defence Board 1964–1997 Chaired by the Secretary of State and is responsible for top level leadership and management across defence. The Defence Board is the highest committee in the Ministry of Defence (MOD). [29]
3. Admiralty Board 1964–1997 A committee under the Defence Council of the United Kingdom for the administration of the Navy Department. It was originally Chaired by a Minister of State and later Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on behalf of the Secretary of State. It met formally only once a year. [29]
4. Navy Board 1964–1997 The service executive committee of the Admiralty Board responsible for the day-to-day running of the Royal Navy it did not include Ministers [30]

References

  1. ^ "No. 46444". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 1 January 1975. p. 5. accessed 6 February 2019
  2. ^ "No. 53696". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 11 June 1994. p. 2. accessed 6 February 2019
  3. ^ "UK Shipowners/Managers/Operators". Lloyd's Maritime Directory. 2: 1072. 2006.
  4. ^ Jones, Matthew (2017). The Official History of the UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent: Volume I: From the V-Bomber Era to the Arrival of Polaris, 1945-1964. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. p. 511. ISBN 9781351755405.
  5. ^ Benbow, Dr Tim (2013). British Naval Aviation: The First 100 Years. Farnham, England: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 179. ISBN 9781409482369.
  6. ^ Mallalieu, Sir; Joseph Percival William (1927–1992). "Mallalieu, Sir Joseph Percival William, MP Archive - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Heritage Quay, Huddersfield, England: The University of Huddersfield. Retrieved 7 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b c "Records of the Ministry of Defence". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archives United Kingdom. 1808–2017. Retrieved 7 February 2019. This article contains some copied content from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  8. ^ Steinberg, S. (2016). The Statesman's Year-Book 1967-68: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations. Berlin, Germany: Springer. p. 103. ISBN 9780230270961.
  9. ^ Lane, A. T. (1995). Biographical Dictionary of European Labor Leaders. Westport, Connecticut, United States: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 718. ISBN 9780313299001.
  10. ^ Wilson, Sir Richard (2000–2001). "Organisation of the Ministry of Defence". The Civil Service Yearbook. London, England: The Stationery Office. p. 80. ISBN 0114301654.
  11. ^ Wilson, Sir Richard (2004). "Organisation of the Ministry of Defence". The Civil Service Yearbook. London, England: The Stationery Office. p. 80. ISBN 0114301654.
  12. ^ Civil Service Yearbook 1974 p.104
  13. ^ Civil Service Yearbook 1995 p.125
  14. ^ Civil Service Yearbook 1996 p.137
  15. ^ Civil Service Yearbook 2004 p.95
  16. ^ Civil Service Yearbook 2006 pp.117-120
  17. ^ "CIVILIAN WORKFORCE BY GRADE EQUIVALENCE AND BUDGETARY AR" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. London England: Ministry of Defence, Defence Analytical Services & Advice. p. 5. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  18. ^ Hayman, Charles (2014). The Armed Forces of the United Kingdom 2014-2015. Barnsley, England: Pen and Sword. p. 14. ISBN 9781783463510.
  19. ^ Steinberg, S. (2016). "The Commonwealth". The Statesman's Year-Book 1964-65: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations. London, England: Springer. p. 100. ISBN 9780230270930.
  20. ^ Harding, Richard (2005). The Royal Navy, 1930-2000: Innovation and Defence. London, England: Psychology Press. p. 170. ISBN 9780714657103.
  21. ^ "Navy Department: Admiralty Board". The Navy List. London, England: HM Stationery Office. April 1968. p. 522.
  22. ^ Howard, Ed. B.M. (1981). "Chapter III Ministers and Departments: Ministry of Defence". The Civil Service Yearbook. London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 101. ISBN 9780116304391.
  23. ^ Hart, F. G. (1991). "Chapter III Ministers, Departments and Executive Agencies: Ministry of Defence". Civil Service Yearbook. London, England: H.M.S.O. p. 125. ISBN 9780114300470.
  24. ^ Civil Service Yearbook 1974 pp.104-134
  25. ^ Civil Service Yearbook 1996 pp.137-166
  26. ^ "Records of Secretary's Department:Ministry of Defence, Second Permanent Under-Secretary of State (Royal Navy)'s Department". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Kew, England: The National Archives UK. 1812–1968. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  27. ^ "Navy Department: The Admiralty Board". The Navy List. London, England: H.M.Stationery Office. February 1970. p. 504.
  28. ^ Hobkirk, Michael D. (1984). The politics of defence budgeting : a study of organization and resource allocation in the United Kingdom and the United States. London, England: Macmillan. pp. 19–20. ISBN 9780333383490.
  29. ^ a b c "Our governance". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence United Kingdom. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  30. ^ "Royal Navy - Higher Management of The Royal Navy - The Admiralty Board - The Navy Board". www.armedforces.co.uk. R & F Defence Publications. 1982–2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.

Sources

  1. Benbow, Dr Tim (2013). British Naval Aviation: The First 100 Years. Farnham, England: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.ISBN 9781409482369.
  2. "CIVILIAN WORKFORCE BY GRADE EQUIVALENCE AND BUDGETARY AR" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. London England: Ministry of Defence, Defence Analytical Services & Advice.
  3. Harding, Richard (2005). The Royal Navy, 1930-2000: Innovation and Defence. London, England: Psychology Press.ISBN 9780714657103.
  4. Hayman, Charles (2014). The Armed Forces of the United Kingdom 2014–2015. Barnsley, England: Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781783463510.
  5. Howard, Ed. B.M. (1981). "Chapter III Ministers and Departments: Ministry of Defence". The Civil Service Yearbook. London, England: HM Stationery Office. ISBN 9780116304391.
  6. Hart, F. G. (1991). "Chapter III Ministers, Departments and Executive Agencies: Ministry of Defence". Civil Service Yearbook. London, England: H.M.S.O. ISBN 9780114300470.
  7. Jones, Matthew (2017). The Official History of the UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent: Volume I: From the V-Bomber Era to the Arrival of Polaris, 1945–1964. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781351755405.
  8. Lane, A. T. (1995). Biographical Dictionary of European Labor Leaders. Westport, Connecticut, United States: Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313299001.
  9. Mallalieu, Sir; Joseph Percival William (1927–1992). "Mallalieu, Sir Joseph Percival William, MP Archive - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Heritage Quay, Huddersfield, England: The University of Huddersfield.
  10. "Navy Department: Admiralty Board". The Navy List. London, England: HM Stationery Office. April 1968.
  11. "Navy Department: The Admiralty Board". The Navy List. London, England: H.M.Stationery Office. February 1970.
  12. "Records of the Ministry of Defence". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archives United Kingdom. 1808–2017.
  13. "Records of Secretary's Department:Ministry of Defence, Second Permanent Under-Secretary of State (Royal Navy)'s Department". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Kew, England: The National Archives UK. 1812–1968.
  14. "Royal Navy - Higher Management of The Royal Navy - The Admiralty Board - The Navy Board - n2a1 - Armed Forces". www.armedforces.co.uk. R & F Defence Publications. 1982–2019.
  15. Steinberg, S. (2016). "The Commonwealth". The Statesman's Year-Book 1964-65: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations. London, England: Springer. ISBN 9780230270930.
  16. "Supplement to the London Gazette: Ministry of Defence ( Navy Department)" (PDF). www.thegazette.co.uk. The London Gazeete. 1 January 1975.
  17. "Supplement to the London Gazette: Ministry of Defence (Navy Department)" (PDF). www.thegazette.co.uk. The London Gazette. 11 June 1994.
  18. "UK Shipowners/Managers/Operators". Lloyd's Maritime Directory. 2: 1072.
  19. Wilson, Sir Richard (2000–2001). "Organisation of the Ministry of Defence". The Civil Service Yearbook. London, England: The Stationery Office. ISBN 0114301654.
  20. Wilson, Sir Richard (2004). "Organisation of the Ministry of Defence". The Civil Service Yearbook. London, England: The Stationery Office. ISBN 0114301654.