Part 1 Introduction: setting the scene; Part 2 Forty years of change: the early years; unification and the Healey period; the 1970s - a time of consolidation; 1979-86 - conservative ministers and centralization. Part 3 Factors of general influence: the world scene and the UK's place ; control of expenditure ; the size of the ministry; the politico-military balance; relationship across Whitehall; the consequent organizational implications. Part 4 Functional areas: ministers, councils and boards; the chiefs of staff; personnel and logistics; the place of scientific staff; procurement; the permanent under-secretary of state and the civilian staff. Part 5 Summing-up: the degree of past improvements and the desirability of further change.

Governments have changed the central defence organization in attempts to improve decision-taking and to streamline the Ministries. Have the changes worked? This book provides a view of how a part of government has evolved over this period.