When (cough, cough), news of the stalling of the Herc foam program hit the press, Lord Drayson called in various civil serpents and mil officers from MOD into his office and read them the riot act. He offered to take the request for funding directly to No 11.
He impressed me then and has impressed me since, (he has sorted out Chinook fiasco), even if he acquired his peerage under New Labour SOPs.