Melchett
It’s difficult to point fingers at ordinary sponsors (OR/DEC) and procurers (PE/DPA/DE&S) when those at the top (Ingram, and now Ainsworth) are prepared to place in writing their unqualified support for those who knowingly and quite deliberately waste money, and who uphold disciplinary action against those who refuse to commit such a fraud.
I’ve mentioned before that it would take me 5 minutes to make a case to save £200M on a single (named) project, with no adverse effect. In fact, I’ve done it, and been ignored. The process I used, mandated by PUS, is a legal obligation on all MoD staff, yet has effectively been outlawed by the above Ministerial rulings. I know good people who would rather lie, deceive and commit that fraud simply to avoid the odium they would face for doing their job properly. When you have that sort of conflict at the top, what chance does the ordinary man have? It’s politics. And the pressure from the fallout overcomes otherwise sane and competent people. I believe most in MoD do their best, but inside those cushy homes they have families to feed, and I cannot condemn them out of hand when they know they face the sack for refusing to waste money. In my experience, those who do stick their heads above the parapet are usually close to retirement or terminally ill. MoD ignores them, knowing one way or another they will soon be gone. The only thing that really has to be said to support this is - Dr David Kelly.