ANNEX
INTRODUCTION
The Government welcomes the Committee's report on
the Appointment of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA). In particular
the Government is pleased to note that the Committee considers
that Sir Keith O'Nions, the Ministry of Defence's newly appointed
CSA is well-equipped to bring a wide range of expertise to bear
on his new work and notes that it wishes him well in this appointment.
The importance the Ministry of Defence places on
defence research is reflected in the appointment of a Chief Scientific
Adviser with the experience and expertise of Sir Keith in order
to provide a broader perspective of science and technology. Like
the Committee, the Ministry of Defence also considers it important
that its Chief Scientific Adviser maintains his currency in scientific
issues which is why he retains strong links with the wider academic
community.
A detailed response to the specific points made by
the Committee is provided below.
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11
We will continue to monitor closely the MOD's
performance in managing risk in its equipment programme.
The Government notes the Committee's intention to
monitor the Department's performance in this respect.
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The careful limitation of the Equipment Approvals
Committee's role to that of an independent source of advice on
equipment cost-effectiveness is important and right—it would
be wrong for it to have to assess the weight of factors which
depend essentially on political judgements in making its recommendations.
The Ministry of Defence notes the Committee's comments
on the role of the Equipment Approvals Committee chaired by Sir
Keith O'Nions as CSA. The role of the EAC, and the Department's
consideration of a range of industrial and economic factors relating
to equipment procurement, were also addressed in the Committee's
Seventh Report of 1998 (which was also the Eighth Report of the
Trade and Industry Committee) and in the Government's response.
It is for Ministers, as the Committee notes, to reach final decisions
on major equipment investments, taking account of all relevant
factors, and to make any political judgements.
We recommend therefore that in future such directions
(from Ministers to the MOD's Accounting
Officer) are also submitted to the
Chairman of the Defence Committee.
The Ministry of Defence notes the Committee's recommendation
that formal directions from Ministers to the Department's Accounting
Officer on equipment approval decisions should be submitted to
the Chairman of the Committee in addition to their existing notification
to the Treasury and to the Comptroller and Auditor General. The
Committee may wish to raise this proposal with the Chairman of
the Committee of Public Accounts.
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We are disappointed that once again the MOD has
declined to let us see such an important document (the
Defence Research Committee's annual report to the Secretary of
State), at the heart of a select committee
inquiry, citing such grounds (advice
to Ministers). If this is still the
Department's position when the Defence Research Committee's report
is prepared, the MOD must at the very least distil for us those
matters that summarise the state of health of the programme,
leaving out if necessary the recommendations
and other 'advice' it provides for its Ministerial audience.
As the Committee is aware, official advice to Ministers
is not made available to Parliament. The report by the Defence
Research Committee to the Secretary of State constitutes advice
to Ministers. The forthcoming report has not yet been submitted
to the Secretary of State. The Department is always ready to provide
factual information on the status of the research programme, in
recognition of the importance that both the Ministry of Defence
and the Committee itself place on defence research issues.
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It is heartening to hear praise for the strength
of the MOD's science and technology base coming from a relative
newcomer to the Department. The future high profile of these critical
elements depends on a sound and adequately funded research strategy.
The Ministry of Defence endorses the Committee's
view that science and technology are critical to defence. The
Department allocates substantial sums to defence research and
will continue to do so. The Committee will be aware that a review
of science and technology within the Ministry of Defence is underway,
the purpose of which is to ensure that we do indeed obtain the
required output within allocated resources. This review is likely
to take about a year to complete.
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The continued ability to retain impartial scientific
advice is, as we have made clear time and again, a crucial criterion
by which we shall judge whether the future plan's for DERA's ownership
and structure are appropriate.
The Government fully accepts that the continued ability
to retain access to impartial scientific advice is a very important
element in plans for the future of DERA under a public-private
partnership.
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