e. Flight testing. Authorised flight testing is Ltd to: Quantitative assessment of aircraft performance and avionic and engineering systems on fixed wing aircraft.
To be fair to MoD staff who try to implement these regulations (despite the orders they are under) it is not unknown for politicians to issue an overrule, and direct that major aircraft contracts be handed to companies who (a) didn't bid, and (b) have no such approval. You end up with silly situations such as the company doing all the work being a sub-sub-sub-contractor. The first thing to go is the audit trail. Speaking of which, on 17 January 2011 the MAA and Minister for the Armed Forces were told that the work the former had put in motion post-Haddon-Cave was meaningless without regressing to close the gaps in audit trails caused by the 1991 decision to run down airworthiness management. I'd say this is a significant part of what has failed here. Later, when asked for progress by another Minister who was present, MoD denied the subject had been raised. Which is why you record meetings. There is nothing new in what's going on.
Good spot Beagle.