My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Des Browne) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I am pleased to announce that I am today publishing the Ministry of Defence's annualreport and accounts for 2005-06. 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. For a third successive year the Comptroller and Auditor General has approved the accounts without qualification. For the first time, this year we have achieved this in time for publication before the Summer Recess.

The report shows that once again the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence delivered what they were required to do during a busy and challenging year. It reflects the broad and diverse range of operations and tasks undertaken during the year, including a number in support of the output of other government departments. It details the progress that the Ministry of Defence has made towards achieving the public service agreement and efficiency targets agreed with Her Majesty's Treasury in the 2004 Spending Review, and in delivering the capabilities and reformed force structure set out inthe July 2004 Command Paper Delivering Security in the Changing World: Future Capabilities. It also sets out the defence contribution against the Government's wider sustainability goals.

Copies of the annual report and accounts will be placed in the Library of the House. It is also available online from the department's internet site at www.mod.uk.