Oct 09. Defence Acquisition: Report Published. An independent review into the way the MoD buys equipment was published on 15 Oct 09. The MoD has accepted the Report’s two main themes: a need to bring equipment plans into line with likely available resources and a need to improve equipment programme planning, management and delivery.
Announcing publication of the Report in a Ministerial Statement, the Defence Secretary stated that a Strategic Defence Review was to be undertaken immediately after the forthcoming General Election and that a Green Paper (i.e. discussion document) was to be published “early in the New Year”. The Defence Secretary also said that he intended to publish “a wider, more detailed Strategy for Acquisition Reform in the New Year, to contribute to work on the Strategic Defence Review”.
Comment: The Report has not been ‘published’ in the usual meaning of the word but the ‘Review of Acquisition for the Secretary of State for Defence’ is available on the Acquisition Operating Framework website (www.aof.mod.uk). The Green Paper is awaited with interest (!).(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/38, 12 Oct 09)
13 Oct 09. Operational Support: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Report
The PAC published (13 Oct 09) a Report on Support to High Intensity Operations. The Report follows the format of the earlier National Audit Office (NAO) Report and is in four parts: Equipment, Re-supplying Troops, Training and Support to Personnel. The Report concludes that: “The MoD has had some success in providing support for our Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan: notably, the delivery of life-saving medical treatment at the front line. But there are important areas where the process is creaking”.
Comment: The NAO Report upon which the PAC took evidence was published on 14 May 09 as HC 508. The PAC took evidence on 8 Jul 09 and this is published with its Report, which is HC 895 for £11:00. Due to the long Summer Recess, the PAC Report is somewhat dated but is still of considerable interest. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/38, 12 Oct 09)