Ministry of Defence
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Ministry of Defence welcomes "positive" report on support for operations
A National Audit Office report has praised the Ministry of Defence's performance in supporting high-intensity operations under challenging conditions.
The independent report analyses the support to operations and highlights a number of areas where the MoD has made striding advances, whilst also recommending steps which could be taken to bring about further improvements.
Key findings are:
* the availability of vehicles procured or upgraded as Urgent Operational Requirements, and the availability of helicopter fleets on operations, have met or exceeded targets;
* the MOD has successfully delivered around 300,000 personnel and 90,000 tonnes of freight to Afghanistan and Iraq over the last two years and, whilst supply chain targets have not always been met, measures have been put in place to improve performance;
* there is widespread confidence in the healthcare system in both Afghanistan and Iraq and the introduction of Medical Emergency Response Teams has enabled casualties to get life-saving medical support more quickly;
* the Deployable Welfare Package which provides welfare support to personnel on operations is being delivered successfully.
Armed Forces Minister, Bob Ainsworth MP, said:
"This is a positive report for the MOD. It provides clear indications of where we are performing well and where we could improve.
"The report is clear about the challenges and pressures faced by the MoD and the balances that need to be struck between prioritising our forces serving on the front line and providing the best possible equipment for training purposes.
"We will be looking closely at all the recommendations and where there is more we can do to hasten progress, we will do so."
While welcoming the praise from the National Audit Office, the MOD also accepts the need for further improvements in some areas and is now looking seriously at the recommendations. In many cases the Department is already taking steps to address the shortcomings identified.
Recommendations which the MOD is already working to implement include:
* giving increased priority to spares purchases for future Urgent Operational Requirements, an area which has suffered from the MOD's desire to field UORs as quickly as possible;
* providing training equipment which mirrors the equipment used in theatre. This has not always been the case because it has been policy to get the best, most up-to-date equipment to the front line first;
* improving bringing welfare packages at forward operating and patrol bases and bring them closer to those at main operating bases.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Rebecca Young in the MoD press office on 020 7218 3257.
