Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Armaments Director Candidate brief, published by his Department, what the restrictions on political activities are.

The Secretary of State will meet with the National Armaments Director as often as necessary to deliver the required Defence outputs.

The parameters and performance targets will be agreed in line with the salary approval from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

The successful candidate for the National Armaments Director role, like any Civil Service appointment, will be subject to the Civil Service Code, including its standards on political impartiality. They will be required to declare any outside interests as part of the recruitment process in accordance with the policy on declaration and management of outside interests.