The future of defence procurement: a Spectator conference

War, debt and recession. Last month’s Strategic Defence and Security Review had to confront a unique combination of difficulties. Secretary of State Liam Fox, opening the Spectator conference on the future of defence procurement, explained the review’s aims. Proudly identifying himself as ‘a hawk on defence and on deficit reduction’ he re-stated his commitment to our front-line capability in Afghanistan. But, until 2015, the ministry will ‘rebalance our strategic direction’ (spend less money). After 2015 it ‘will be about re-growing capability’ (spending more). The MoD aims to order fewer equipment types and all new kit must be affordable, adaptable, inter-operable and exportable. Dr Fox wants to expand the defence industry’s manufacturing base. This will make it less vulnerable to a UK slowdown.

Conference chairman Andrew Neil invited Dr Fox to tell us which officials had decided to invest £3.9 billion in the delayed, overspent and now cancelled Nimrod programme. Dr Fox: ‘When you delve down and ask who authorised what decision you get a very mysterious trail that goes off into the distance.’