Once again Sir Huphrey an co can sum it all up:
"In government, many people have the power to stop things happening but almost nobody has the power to make things happen. The system has the engine of a lawn mower and the brakes of a Rolls Royce."
"The first rule of politics: never believe anything until it's been officially denied."
"'The Government's position' means 'the best explanation of past events that cannot be disproved by available facts'."
"Press statements are not delivered under oath."
The Law of Inverse Relevance, the less you intend doing about something the more you have to keep talking about it
The three articles of Civil Service faith: it takes longer to do things quickly, it's more expensive to do them cheaply and it's more democratic to do them in secret.
This may explain the governments reluctance to fit foam to the C130s:
"'This would create a dangerous precedent'.
Translation: 'If we do the right thing now, we might have to do the right thing again next time'."