Today’s defence-related news sees coverage of the numbers of British Army Personnel and news on GKN-Melrose merger.
British Army Personnel numbers
The Daily Mirror ran a piece that claimed a number of British Army personnel are undeployable due to medical reasons.
An Army Spokesperson said
Most medical downgrades are temporary, including to allow for recovery/rehabilitation; huge effort is put into high-quality healthcare and rehabilitation programmes to get all of our soldiers fully fit.
GKN-Melrose merger
The Sun, Daily Express, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, The Independent, Daily Mail and the Times all report on the Business Secretary’s statement to the House of Commons in which he said he will clear the proposed takeover of GKN by Melrose. Adding that the MOD had agreed on a set of legally binding commitments to protect classified information, maintain supply chains and give the Defence Secretary the power to intervene in the future sale of selected elements of GKN.
An MOD spokesperson said
As GKN carries out a range of defence work, the Defence Secretary has prioritised security arrangements to ensure sensitive parts of the business are protected. Melrose has made a series of legally-binding commitments promising to protect classified information and maintain supply into our key programmes, whilst the Defence Secretary can prevent the future sale of selected elements of GKN to companies where there are security concerns.
Image of the day
Photographer:
Corporal Ben Beale/ MoD Crown