UK MPs slam MoD over 'bungled' army cuts
Iran Press TV
Sat Sep 6, 2014 9:12AM GMT
British lawmakers have criticized the Ministry of Defence (MoD) over its "bungled" recruitment plan for the army.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticized the MoD for failing to properly consult senior army officials before making cuts to regular army forces.
The plan is intended to save more than £10 billion, by cutting regular forces from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2020. This is while the Army Reserve forces is being expanded from 19,000 to 30,000 under the new scheme.
Margaret Hodge, chair of the PAC, said it was "astonishing" that the MoD went ahead with the job reduction program without testing whether "this was doable."
"The MoD's bungling around the recruitment contract with Capita [the private firm brought in to handle recruitment] has meant at least £70 million of the planned £267 million savings from the contract have already been lost," she said.
Hodge also criticized the MoD's inability to provide the National Audit Office (NAO) with information it had requested on time, saying "this must not happen again."
Shadow Defence Secretary Vernon Coaker said the report showed "catastrophic failures" at the ministry.
He said the criticisms are "hugely embarrassing" for the coalition government while the UK is hosting the NATO summit, where British Prime Minister David Cameron is calling other countries to meet their defense obligations.
MOS/HSN
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