Defence Council of the United Kingdom
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1964 |
| Preceding agency |
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| Jurisdiction | United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | Whitehall, Westminster, London |
| Agency executive |
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| Child agencies | |
The Defence Council of the United Kingdom is the highest formal governing body of the British Armed Forces, the Defence Council is delegated the responsibility and powers over "command and administration" of the armed forces, by the Crown in their capacity as Head of the Armed Forces.
It was established by the "Defence (Transfer of Functions) Act 1964," which established the Defence Council and transferred to it the responsibilities and delegated powers of the previous separate departments that managed the armed forces prior to 1964.
The Defence Council consists of the Defence Board, its principal committee, as well as the Admiralty Board, the Army Board and the Air Force Board. The Defence Board is chaired by the secretary of state for defence, the minister of the crown with "general responsibility for defence" of the United Kingdom.