It has always struck me that the MAA's position, outlined by Red Line Entry, is not dissimilar to anyone with financial and technical delegation. When conducting scrutiny, technical (and it must be technical) staff are seen to be working direct to PUS, as the Chief Accounting Officer. When making their written declaration and signing, they act separately of their line management chain. In the same way the MAA have a more direct link to SofS. But that does not make them "independent", as they have another line management chain which determines their career path far more directly than PUS/SofS ever does. In both cases, the system falls apart because the systemic failures have taken place in that second, more traditional, chain. And, notably, in both cases the PUS/SofS chain has shown no inclination to act upon notification of total breakdown. Set aside, if you like, my evidence, and just ask this. When were systemic failings formally notified by auditors? (13.1.88-on). Who caused them and who judged the complaint? (Same people). Were the notifications repeated regularly? (Yes, every year since). Who rejected them? (Same people). What event brought matters to a head? (Nimrod XV230, and notification of previous reports to the Coroner). Did MoD continue to deny this thereafter? (Yes). Did similar failings continue to occur? (Yes). What's gone wrong? MoD is judge and jury.
So what are you after tuc? An MAA without serving military personnel?
I've answered that before. But I offer this, again. MoD has stated, in writing, that only one person believes there were systemic failings. Written in 2003, this claim has been cited repeatedly by Ministers, in correspondence with other Ministers. I'd like to know what MAA staff think of this claim, given the obligation, set out in every letter of delegation, to report such failings and ensure they are escalated. Of course, the claim is nonsense, so one must ask who is writing these Ministerial briefings? And why the MAA senior management is content with them (because they have been notified of them, and in one particular case wrote the briefing). That doesn't sound like an independent organisation. It sounds like one that is scared to stick its head above the parapet. Content to wait for an accident and react, rather than be proactive.