I think this tragedy has shown what folly it was to:
1. Set up the IPTs with their unrealistic cash saving targets and inexperienced staff
&
2. Privatise the scientific establishments, thus giving the IPTs the choice of whether or not to take the technical advice.. (Guess which one they'd choose?) The IPT attitudes quoted in the report towards QinetiQ are all too familiar (any QQ initiative to flag up a problem being met with cynicism..)
I've worked on both sides (military & defence contractor) but it's too late now to put the genie back in the bottle.
I refuse to believe the audit trail stops upwards at General Sir Sam Cowan (CDL) as the report seems to suggest.