On the appointment of David Cameron MP, Nicholas Soames will represent the Conservative Party on the Defence Advisory Forum.

The Secretary of State for Defence, The Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP, announced the appointment in a statement to the House of Commons on the 10th November.

The Defence Advisory Forum will draw up the criteria for the Strategic Defence Review which will be carried out after the next election.

Defence Advisory Forum

The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Bob Ainsworth): In my written ministerial statement of 21 July 2009, Official Report, column 121WS announcing the appointment of a Defence Advisory Forum I undertook to inform the House of the membership of the forum once this was confirmed.

I have appointed to the forum:

The Right Honourable and learned Sir Menzies Campbell MP

Professor Malcolm Chalmers

Professor Colin S. Gray

Professor Mary Kaldor

Sir David Manning

Sir David Omand

Sir John Parker

The Right Honourable Lord Robertson of Port Ellen

Paul Skinner

General (Retired) Sir Rupert Smith

The Honourable Nicholas Soames MP

Philip Stephens

10 November 2009