3 12 Relative Roles Civilians Military Officers

3. 12 Relative Roles: Civilians & Military Officers

Four Questions • What do we want to achieve? • • Security How do we want to achieve it? • • What will their roles & responsibilities be? • How will they be structured? • • Which institutions will be required? How will they relate to each other? Who will staff our institutions? • • • All military? All civilian? How will individuals be selected? • Patronage v. Merit based systems The importance of the desired output will influence the structure of the institution, which in turn will influence staffing.

Parallel Structures • National defence HQ: technical military issues. • MOD: largely civilian | deals in policy & finance. MINISTER National defence HQ MOD

Parallel Hierarchies • MOD: separate military & civilian hierarchies | arranged by functional area. Civilian HQ: implements policy. MINISTER Military • National defence HQ

…UK MOD’s Answer Ministers Competing Advice Civil Staff Consistent Advice Competing Advice Integrated Staff Military Staff Policy & Finance Operations & Capability

An integrated hierarchy • National defence MINISTER HQ: implements policy. • MOD: mixed military & civilian organisations arranged by functional area. MOD National defence HQ

Defence Council Secretary of State for Defence Minister of State for the Armed Forces Strategy Minister for Defence Equipment, Support & USo. S & Lords Permanent Secretary Technology Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare & Veterans Chief of Defence Materiel DG Finance Tri-Service post Minister for International Security Chief Scientific Adviser 2 nd Permanent Secretary Ministerial post Chief of the Defence Staff Vice-Chief of Defence Staff Navy post Civilian post Spokesman on Defence Chief of Naval Staff Chief of General Staff Air Force post Chief of Air Staff Army post

The Role of Politicians • Government Ministers: • UK: Sof. S, Min(AF), Min(DEST), USof. S/Min (DPWV), Min(ISS), USo. S/Lords Spokesman • Executive authority for: n Making key policy decisions e. g. strategic direction, force structure, spending & operational commitments (i. e. issues that will attract active Parliamentary, public or international interest) n Ensuring policy implementation • In the UK Ministers are accountable to Parliament for the conduct of Defence and Security.

Ministerial Responsibilities in the UK Secretary of State for Defence (Sof. S) Rt Hon Phillip Hammond (Cabinet Minister) Making & executing Defence Policy & Providing the Means by which it is executed, specifically: • Policy • Operations • Personnel • Finance and Efficiency Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Min (AF)) Nick Harvey MP (LD) • Operations & Operational Policy • Force Generation (including Logistics) Minister for Defence Equipment, Support & Technology Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare & Veterans Mr Peter Luff MP (Con) Mr Andrew Rowbottham MP (C) • Defence Equipment Programme • Equipment cylce • Science & Technology • Defence Estates Minister of State for International Security Strategy Mr Gerald Howarth MP (Con) • Defence Diplomacy • Defence Exports ▪Oversight of Acquisition and Industrial Policy ▪Media and communications • Veterans Affairs • Civilian Personnel Issues • Recruitment & Retention USo. S & Lords Spokesman on Defence Lord Astor

For this to work MPs must themselves be accountable and operate within the law. The Role of Politicians • Parliamentarians • Public Accountability & Transparency • Parliamentary Committees • Members of Parliament (MPs) Represent constituencies with significant defence and security interests • Scrutiny of all aspects of security activity via Parliamentary Questions (PQs) • Ensures Govt remains accountable to electorate •

The Role of Public Servants: Requirement v. Reality An efficient, responsive, transparent and accountable public administration is a central part of democratic governance…. (UNDP: Public Administration Reform, Practice Note, 2007)

Reality • UNDP refers to two types of civil service system: • Patronage • Merit

Patronage • Perceived Benefits: • Allows for the establishment of a cadre of loyal and efficient civil servants; • Enhances democracy, as it enables the regular rotation of senior staff in accordance with the will of the people.

Patronage • Perceived Limitations • Unfair system – It is not what you know, but who you know. • Lack of continuity • Risk of corruption

Merit • Perceived Benefits • Complies better with a rights based approach to civil service management • Allows for continuity and neutrality in public administration

Merit • Perceived limitations • Difficult to implement without a broader cultural change • Upper echelons can still be subject to politicisation “It is the politicisation of the Civil Service which has been perhaps the worst of the many crimes committed by Tony Blair and his colleagues. ” (Patience Wheatcroft, ‘The Real Blot on Blair’s Legacy is the Ruin of the Civil Service’, Sunday Telegraph 22/04/07)

Military & Civil Service • Common responsibilities: • Public Service to higher constitutional principles - beyond any particular administration, individual or Party. • Obligation to Ministers i. e. to elected executive representatives of the people • Subject to Rule of Law always - safeguards against abuse of power

Public Service Ethos “ The Civil Service as such has no constitutional personality or responsibility separate from the duly elected government of the day” “The command of the armed forces rests with the crown. The authority of the crown is represented by the government of the day” British Defence Doctrine

Ethical Standards • Hanbury’s Ethical Standards (2004: 191) • • Obligation to the Constitution Obligation to Law Obligation to Nation Obligation to Profession and Professionalism Obligation to Family and Friends Obligation to Self Obligation to Middle-range Collectivities (interest groups, churches, unions, etcetera) Obligation to the Public Interest or General Welfare Obligation to Humanity Obligation to Religion or to God • • • • General Rules of Conduct (Civil Service Law of Georgia) Obligation to the law Impartiality and Conscientiousness Collegiality Cost effectiveness and efficiency Obligation to the profession and reputation Obligation to state interests

Public Servants’ Role • Military & Civilian - Common features: • Advice to Ministers: • Objective & Impartial: free from external personal consideration • Unable to actively engage in politics • Full & frank advice = confidentiality (both ways) • Principal advisors: • In the UK CDS (4* Military) - co-equal with PUS (4* Civilian) • Efficient & effective execution of Ministerial decisions • Delegated authority to take and execute certain decisions

Civil Service Role • Support to Ministers in Parliamentary business: • • Responding to PQs, letters from public, preparing for debates, speeches, HCDC evidence, etc. Policy advice to Ministers: • Enabling effective direction of defence • Political aspects of operations (Policy Advisors in HQs) • Dealing with Other Government Departments • Resource issues - Financial Mgt / Mgt of Procurement • International defence relations e. g. NATO, UN, bi-laterals The Basra political advisors team toast their achievements with Bill Jeffery (centre, left).

Civil Service Role • Expertise in administration of government • Administrative & Financial Management • Accountable to Parliament (Checks & Controls) • Public Accounts Committee • National Audit Office • Principal Accounting Officer: • PUS (4*) • Day-to-day budget management: • Responsibility of Military Commanders (TLBs, HLBs & BLBs) • Supported by Command Secretaries (2*) & Finance Officers

Civil Service Role • Beyond core functions of Policy & Fin Mgt: • Output delivery: • Estate management • Scientific and other research • Engineering • Policing and site security • Management training • Balance between Civil or Military delivery of output? : Operational impact • Value for money •

Military Role • MOD as a Department of State: • • Undertake military tasks following direction from Ministers (principle of civil control over military) Military advice to Ministers: • • Military aspects of Crisis Management • Capability requirements (Equipment & Personnel) • • Operational commitments (balance forces to tasks (& vice versa)) Military implications of wider policy decisions Principal Advisor & Professional Head of Military: CDS

Military Role • MOD as a Military Headquarters: • Strategic Direction of Operations: • Contingency Planning • Ensuring availability of forces for assignment (procurement & support) • Overseeing conduct of ops (NOT Command) • Coordinating Crisis Mgt Mil Response (DCMO) Note: Force Readiness & Command of Operations is responsibility of Operational Commanders: e. g. FLCs (FLEET, LAND, STRIKE) or CJO (at PJHQ).

Military Role • Leadership of the Armed Forces in society: • • Extends beyond professional operational competence As part of the ‘Fabric of the Nation’: • National Identity & Character • Tradition & Ethos • Subordination to Law & Civilian control • Embodies certain national values • Setting standards or following societal trends? (British Defence Doctrine…)

Military Role “Apart from their primary roles in support of security and defence policy, the Armed Forces provide an important and distinctive strand in the fabric of the Nation. They promote the ideals of integrity, discipline, professionalism and excellence … They also embody much tradition, which helps to promote a sense of regional and national identity. ” British Defence Doctrine

Summary • Common constitutional responsibilities to uphold the law • Politicians - Key decisions & activity oversight • Public Servants - objective & impartial advice to Ministers; execute policy decisions; manage & deliver services: • Civilians - Lead on Policy and Finance • Military - Lead on Operations & Capabilities • Integrated Staffing - Required throughout structure