POBJOY:-
Chug I understand all that but who is actually going to make the changes required and are they actually capable of knowing how to go about it.
If there were an easy answer then I'm sure that even H-C or Lord Philip would have come up with it and it would by now be well established. The dedicated men and women that worked so far behind the scenes that I was blissfully unaware of them when I was a mere GD/P have long since gone. Those that replaced them are now gone, hounded from their posts or leaving of their own accord because those that would not suborn the regulations when ordered to do so were persecuted, their health ruined. Those that remain are, as tuc says, their replacements. Ignorant of long since forgotten regulations and procedures. Whatever is to be done, the present status quo is not the answer. The MAA is not the answer, nor is its overlord the DSA.
The expertise that you seek has to be relearned, the old regulations have to be resurrected before they can be then amended, the old procedures re-applied. The only body capable of assisting in that is I believe the CAA. If the new MAA were 'sistered' alongside the CAA, the cross fertilisation should lead to proper Regulation by an independent Authority. Similarly I would restore the MilAAIB, sister it with its civilian counterpart, and practice professional independent military investigation (which would be a first!).
Of course there are a thousand and one reasons why such a solution would not work. Certainly it would require strong leadership and steely determination to make it work, but as long as Military Air Safety lies within the maw of the MOD I see no chance for Air Safety, let alone Airworthiness, being regained in the UK Military Airfleets.
The only reason that it worked in my day were those anonymous dedicated engineers of whom I spoke, and the honourable VSOs that ensured that they could carry out their essential work unhindered. Once that situation was turned on its head there was no going back. Reputations are more valued than honour these days, which is why I repeat:-
Self Regulation Never Works and in Aviation It Kills!