MoD rejects defence procurement policy criticism
The Ministry of Defence has issued a strongly worded rebuttal of a recent select committee report that sharply criticised its procurement policy.
At the end of July, the Defence Select Committee published its report into defence procurement, in which it suggested that the “Smart Acquisition” process, designed to deliver equipment faster, cheaper and better has “failed to deliver on almost all counts”.
It claimed that the Armed Forces have been let down “as a result of ‘endemic’ and ‘systemic’ problems in the Defence Procurement Agency” and alleged that the UK’s forces are not getting the equipment they need, when they need it.
In its official response to the report, Lord Bach, Defence Procurement Minister, said that the report was a “flawed document”.
Speaking this afternoon, Lord Bach, said: “Rejection of major elements of a report written by the Defence Select Committee is unusual for the MoD. I have taken this action because the report made claims that were not or could not be substantiated, was selective in the way it used evidence, and even misquoted me in an answer I gave when I appeared before the Committee.
“The Report was accompanied by a Press Notice that, in my view, made damaging and wholly unjustifiable criticisms of the Defence Procurement Agency and the thousands of Service and civilian personnel who work there. It failed to acknowledge the progress the MoD has made and the action we have taken to improve our performance in the future. We recognise that there are problems going back years, but as I made clear when the report was published, I am absolutely determined we overcome them.
“Overall, this report was misguided, disappointing and flawed. It missed an important opportunity to make a constructive contribution to the Department’s efforts to deliver the full benefits of Smart Acquisition. I had expected better of a Committee with whom the Department normally has a productive relationship.”
