You arent listening really are you JFZ90? Des said QinetiQ had said the fuel system was safe. QinetiQ actually said it was tolerably safe but not ALARP. ALARP is a fundamental part of the MoD's own definition of safe. Under those rules, a system cannot be safe without it. Tolerably safe is not good enough on its own. It must be ALARP. That's not my rules, that's the MoD's own rules.
I note your argument, but respectfully suggest it fails to give the reader the true picture.
The actual words in the QinetiQ report in the conclusion:
"Having considered the evidence referenced in this safety case report, noting that there are outstanding recommendations and the level of risk present to the fuel system is not ALARP, the operation of the fuel system is tolerably safe given the mitigations in place".
Whilst you can pick up on the slight variations in terminology, surely the correct interpretation of QinetiQs statement is that even though there are some aspects that should be followed up, the system in question is assessed as QinetiQ as tolerably safe. Your assertion that it is not and hence Des was lying is totally misleading, as the statement above notes the ALARP aspect you seek to make so much of!!!!
Mick, give up. You are beating your head against an MoD brick wall. We all know, including QinetiQ, that a risk level of "accepatable" has (k)no(w) real meaning. If QinetiQ really thought the system was safe they would have used the correct term "broadly acceptable".
So let me get this right DV - QinetiQ, by saying the risk is "acceptable" are actually communicating in a secret code - by not saying the magic "broadly acceptable" words they really mean it is "totally unsafe". Yes, I see now, your line of thinking makes absolute sense -
NOT.
Its really me who should give up - I thought for a moment back there that you had started to question your article, but now I can only conclude it has all been a deliberate misrepresentation. I hope you're comfortable with the 99.9% of your readership who take your articles at face value and will be talking about how "the government lied about Nimrod safety" based on your assertions. Very poor show.