6.2 The role of the Head Office is to support Defence Ministers, PUS and CDS in discharging their duties. As set out in Part 5, we recommend continuing with an integrated Head Office, rather than separating out the functions which support PUS and CDS in separate headquarters. We believe this is a more efficient way to do business and delivers stronger, more effective advice to Ministers. This feature of the organisation is also internationally admired and respected. We therefore recommend that the Head Office continues to focus on its core functions of:
• advising Government and accountability to Parliament;
• making policy and setting Defence strategy;
• planning and resource allocation;
• management of Defence (performance management and assurance); and,
• strategic direction of military operations.
6.3 However, our model relies on a head office that is smaller, stronger and more strategic. It should be focused on developing an affordable departmental strategy, setting a strong corporate framework and holding the TLBs robustly to account, as well as on the strategic command of operations. Its focus must be firmly at the strategic level. If the Head Office micro-manages the business of the Commands as it has in the past, it will undermine the ownership (and accountability) of the Chiefs which is so critical to the success of our model. It will also come at the cost of providing genuine strategic direction.