I am pleased to announce that I am today publishing the Ministry of Defence’s annual report and accounts 2006-07. It combines the Department’s annual performance report and departmental resource accounts in a single document that provides a comprehensive overview of the MOD’s financial and non-financial performance. I am also publishing the Government’s expenditure plans 2007-08 for the Ministry of Defence presenting the forward plans for departmental expenditure across the remainder of the 2004 spending review period.

The report shows that the armed forces and the Ministry of Defence delivered what they were required to do during a busy and challenging year. They continued in particular to achieve our highest priority: success on operations. It reflects the broad and diverse range of operations and tasks undertaken during the year, including a number in support of the outputs of other Government Departments. It details the progress the Ministry of Defence has made in achieving the public service agreement and efficiency targets agreed with Her Majesty’s Treasury in the 2004 spending review, in delivering the capabilities and reformed force structure set out in the July 2004 Command Paper “Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities” and the other elements of the defence change programme, in implementing the defence industrial strategy, and in implementing the Government’s wider sustainability goals.

Copies of the annual report and accounts and the Government’s expenditure plans have been placed in the Library of the House. They are also available online from the Department’s website at: www.mod.uk.