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  MoD kit blunders letting down our troops, says MP
  

The Eurofighter Typhoon is just one example in a list of projects that is years behind schedule and billions of pounds over budget
The Eurofighter Typhoon is just
one example of a programme that
is years late and billions of pounds
over budget

SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon has hit out at Ministry of Defence officials for ignoring their own rules when buying military equipment, and dodging responsibility for costly blunders.

Mr Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, was speaking as the committee's report on the MoD's 17 biggest equipment projects was published. The report says that cost overruns 

 
of some £5 billion in the last two years are straining an already tight defence budget.

Mr Bacon said: "It is disgraceful that the MoD cannot even manage to follow its own rules. This has meant that, after six years, 'Smart' Acquisition has not achieved very much, making it look more like dumb acquisition".

The report finds that equipment delays are worse than at any time in the last decade, and the MoD could not say when it expected to see any consistent improvement in the situation. The report also found that still not enough work is undertaken early in a project to prevent a bad investment decision.

Mr Bacon added: "It seems no one at the MoD is ever to blame for this sorry mess. It is our servicemen and women who lose out, yet the MoD seems to feel little embarrassment in continually letting them down. This must stop".

 

13 October 2005

See also:
PAC REPORT: Ministry of Defence: Major Projects Report 2004

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