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This Report describes the work of the Defence Committee in the 2008-09 Session.
In 2008-09, we continued our scrutiny of the expenditure of the Department by, once again, publishing a Report on defence equipment and focusing on expenditure on operational deployments in our Reports on the Winter Supplementary, Spring Supplementary and Main Estimates. In addition, we reacted to recent events in the Caucasus by producing a Report on the Russia—Georgia conflict of summer 2008 and the developing strategic situation between Russia and her 'near-abroad' . We also published a Report supporting the conclusions and recommendations made by the new Service Complaints Commissioner for the Armed Forces in her first annual report to Parliament.
Our Report on Helicopter Capability focused on the utilisation of helicopter capability in operational theatre. This, together with our financial Reports, has maintained an operational focus to our work which will continue as long as is necessary. We were disappointed that we had to postpone our plans to visit British troops in Afghanistan, but we hope to undertake the visit before the General Election.
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