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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules apply to serving soldiers speaking to the media about deployments and other operational matters; and if he will make a statement. [196269] Mr. Ingram: The general rules for service and civilian MOD personnel governing contact with the media, and for writing or speaking in public, were re-issued on 29 October 2004 as Defence Council Instruction (DCI) General 200/04. The key principle is that service and civilian MOD staff should only contact the media (or write or speak in public) on defence matters if they have prior authorisation. This principle is not new, and reflects previous versions of the DCI, and relevant sections of Queen's Regulations for the Armed Forces and the Civil Service Code. The normal channels for contact with the media are the main defence press office, subsidiary press offices and press information centres or spokespeople with deployed forces. Nonetheless, large numbers of other personnel do have contact with the media on particular occasions in approved circumstances. Joint Warfare Publication (JWP) 3-45 extends and adapts the general provisions of the DCI to cater for the needs of deployed forces. The rules are designed to ensure that standards of political impartiality and public accountability are maintained, and to enable appropriate support to be given to personnel. The substantive content of the DCI and of the JWP will be made available in the `Publications and Reports' section of the MOD website, and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

196269; 426 c553-4W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Disclosure of information Armed forces Deployment Press Staff Media Ministry of Defence

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk