The headlines cover a range of stories this morning with defence related articles on consultancy spend, Gibraltar and Afghan interpreters.
MOD Advisers
The Sun reports this morning that Defence chiefs are spending £250m on consultants to improve efficiency within Defence Equipment & Support. The piece says that the “cash-strapped MOD” is currently facing budget cuts, with the military already “slashed to the bone”, but Chief of Defence Materiel Bernard Gray plans to invest on outside consultants over 3.5 years to draw up plans for cutting just such payments. The piece criticises that the money will come from the MOD's equipment budget, and be spent on wealthy businessmen rather than on equipment for service personnel. Our statement was not carried in the article but can be seen in full below.
A Ministry Of Defence spokesperson said:
Spend on consultation is kept under active review and over the last parliament we reduced it by around £380m compared with the five years before. However, to get the best possible deal for the British taxpayer the MOD will use external specialists with niche skills where needed.
Gibraltar
It has been reported in the Times, Independent and Mail, and now on broadcast channels, that Britain has said that Spanish police actions were "unacceptable and unlawful" after boats and helicopters were sent into British Gibraltar Territorial waters. The Royal Navy helped escort the Spanish police vessel following the incursion.
Speaking yesterday, Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said:
On 9 August Spanish state vessels repeatedly entered British Gibraltar Territorial Waters without notifying Gibraltarian authorities. We understand that the Spanish were in pursuit of vessels who may have been committing crimes. However it is completely unacceptable and unlawful under the international law of the sea to enter our waters without notifying us.
These repeated incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters are a clear violation of UK Sovereignty by another EU country and we will be raising this as a matter of urgency with the Spanish authorities.
Afghan interpreter
In an opinion piece in The Telegraph, Col Tim Collins (Retired) argues that the Government's refusal to give asylum to an Afghan interpreter who worked alongside the Prime Minister is "disgraceful and shaming". Col Collins contrasted the treatment of interpreters who had served British forces with that of extremist preachers who were allowed to stay in the UK at taxpayers' expense, and argues that interpreters were considered vital to the work British troops performed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Our position on the issue is outlined below.
A Government spokesman said:
Whilst we cannot comment on this individual case, we recognise the contribution of all local civilian staff, including interpreters, who worked for the UK. They played a very important part in our efforts towards a more secure, stable and prosperous Afghanistan.
The UK Government believes that its policy towards locally engaged staff in Afghanistan is legal, honourable and fair, and we are committed to delivering generous support that properly reflects their work and the risks involved, especially to patrol interpreters and translators who worked alongside us in the most challenging and dangerous roles.
One Hundred and Twenty-Four Soldier's took part in the parade, in which they were reviewed by the Deputy Commander Land Forces (Reserves) Major General Ranald Munro.
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