16 Jan 15. Defence Committee. DECISION-MAKING IN DEFENCE P0LICY.
Witness: At 2.30pm
* Major General (Retired) Christopher Elliott, author of ‘High Command: British Military Leadership in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars’
Wednesday 21 January 2015, The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
This is the fourth session for this inquiry. The Committee will be discussing decision-making in defence policy with Major General (Retired) Christopher Elliot, author of ‘High Command’, with a particular focus on decision-making structures within the MoD, and across government.
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Asked by Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Moor View)
Asked on: 06 January 2015
Ministry of Defence
Defence Support Group
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the announcement of the preferred bidder for the Defence Support Group, what the timetable is for agreement between his Department and Babcock on the rationalisation of the estate in order to meet their future plans.
Answered by: Mr Philip Dunne
Answered on: 13 January 2015
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement which I laid in the House on 6 January 2015 (Official Report, Column 9WS) on the sale of the Defence Support Group (DSG) land business to Babcock and signature of a 10-year contract to continue and transform the services DSG currently provides the Army. The commencement of Babcock’s contract on 1 April this year will lead a business improvement programme over several years aimed at optimising the output performance of the business. Under the contract and governance arrangements, Babcock will share any estates proposals with the Ministry of Defence on a six-monthly basis.
Asked by Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Moor View)
Asked on: 06 January 2015
Ministry of Defence
Investment Approvals Board
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times the Investment Approvals Committee met in each of the last three years; and how many proposals that committee was asked to consider.
Answered by: Mr Philip Dunne
Answered on: 13 January 2015
The majority of Investment Approvals Committee business is taken out-of-committee. It has met in-committee on 11 occasions in 2012, seven occasions in 2013 and 10 occasions in 2014. In this period the Investment Approvals Committee considered 300 proposals (all category A investment projects) (93 in 2012, 104 in 2013, 103 in 2014), both in and out of committee.
Asked by Vernon Coaker (Gedling)
Asked on: 06 January 2015
Ministry of Defence
Tanks
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria his Department used in awarding the contract for the next generation of tanks.
Answered by: Mr Philip Dunne
Answered on: 13 January 2015
Holding answer received on 09 January 2015
The Scout Specialist Vehicle contract was awarded to General Dynamics UK Limited in 2010 following an open competition to determine the most economically advantageous tender. The criteria applied were: the demonstration phase programme, the manufacture phase delivery schedule, compliance with system requirements, the initial in-service support package and commercial considerations, including terms and conditions of contract and price. The award of the manufacture phase contract announced in September 2014 was not subject to further evaluation, since this had already been completed as part of the original tender assessment in 2010
Asked by Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Moor View)
Asked on: 06 January 2015
Ministry of Defence
Defence Support Group
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has agreed with the Homes and Communities Agency the release of existing Defence Support Group sites for housing.
Answered by: Mr Philip Dunne
Answered on: 13 January 2015
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement which I laid in the House on 6 January 2015 (Official Report, column 9WS) on the sale of the Defence Support Gr