Dunc
If you read CHART and Haddon-Cave, you would immediately pick up on the point JJ made on TV.
Haddon-Cave was given irrefutable evidence the systemic failings commenced in the late 80s. He accepted everything put to him except that baseline, inexplicably claiming it was 1998. This error was compounded by naming certain senior officers who were around at that time (Cowan, Pledger and Baber).
CHART makes it clear the systemic failings were evident in the 80s - confirming the evidence given to H-C. In fact, H-C's report is a pat on the back for MoD compared to CHART.
That being so, then one is entitled to ask if H-C named the right people. Far from causing the problems, the named officers inherited 15 years of neglect. Can one expect that to be corrected by one man during a 2 year posting? Common sense says no.
Simple question that demands an answer - As CHART was sent to only two people, RAF Chief Engineer (Alcock) and copied to ACAS (Bagnall), what action did they take to implement the recommendations and help prevent recurrence? Haddon-Cave confirms the answer - nothing.
So, the thrust of the Newsnight report is absolutely correct - CHART, NART and Haddon-Cave are inextricably linked. And the crucial fact is that for 7 years before CHART (June 1985 to August 1992), senior RAF and MoD staffs had been consistently advised of what each report later said.