Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will assess the adequacy of work carried out by the contractors fitting suppressant foam to Hercules aircraft. [128356]
Mr. Ingram: We are satisfied that the contractor is applying quality assurance processes robustly and that the fitting of explosive suppressant foam to Hercules aircraft will be completed within the agreed timeframe.
As usual, Ingram doesn’t answer the question. “Quality Assurance” is planned actions. “Quality Control” is operational techniques and activities.
Given Nigel’s note about the difference if opinion between contractor and sub-contractor regarding techniques and activities, perhaps it would be more pertinent to ask if the MoD’s Quality Assurance Representative has exercised his right of access to both, and sought to reconcile this rather important issue; and, if so, what was the outcome. Clearly, if there are leaks, then there is a trend which demands investigation. Given the embodiment rate, one leaky aircraft is maybe forgivable (maybe) but to permit a second is incompetence, especially if it was predicted in the first place.