KEY MOVE TO COMMONS DEFENCE COMMITTEE

The Commons has appointed Salisbury MP Robert Key to membership of the powerful Defence Select Committee.

The remit of the Defence Committee is to examine the spending, administration and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its Agencies.

The 14-strong all-Party Committee has power to examine Ministers, civil servants, defence personnel and others and to report its findings and recommendations to Parliament.

Robert said, "This is a great honour and a challenge I accept with enthusiasm. The defence of the UK and our interests around the world are of the highest importance. Defence is specially important in South Wiltshire - the MOD is our largest single employer, this is home to many thousands of our service families and to dozens of small contractors and suppliers."