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Tories pledge to slash MoD staff | Tories pledge to slash MoD staff |
(about 10 hours later) | |
The Conservatives are to announce plans to slash the number of civil servants working in the Ministry of Defence. | |
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox will say it is time for the MoD to "get its house in order" and redirect resources toward the front line. | |
The Tories say there is a civil servant for every two serving armed force members. Last week the Lib Dems pledged to cut 10,000 "desk jobs". | |
But the government says it has already taken steps to reduce civilian staff. | But the government says it has already taken steps to reduce civilian staff. |
The "capability review" to be announced by the Tories aims to cut both civil servants and the number of military top brass. | The "capability review" to be announced by the Tories aims to cut both civil servants and the number of military top brass. |
Procurement pledge | |
The party will also promise a "radical root and branch reform" of the MoD's procurement process to improve the purchase and delivery of equipment for the armed forces. | The party will also promise a "radical root and branch reform" of the MoD's procurement process to improve the purchase and delivery of equipment for the armed forces. |
The party says the 28,000 staff working on procurement alone almost match the size of the 34,000-strong Royal Navy. | |
We have taken steps to reduce the civilian workforce wherever we can without putting troops at risk Bill RammellArmed forces minister | |
And the Tories accuse the government of presiding over a procurement process that its own recently published Gray review described as "broken". | And the Tories accuse the government of presiding over a procurement process that its own recently published Gray review described as "broken". |
"Under a Conservative government, procurement will be the servant, not the master, of the strategic defence review and capability review," Dr Fox will say in a speech to a defence conference in London. | |
He will say all three armed forces had questions to answer about the number of officers promoted to the highest and best-paid ranks, due to a culture of "Buggins' turn" - a reference to promotion by seniority, not merit. | |
'Misguided' proposals | 'Misguided' proposals |
The party has already promised a strategic defence review to assess the shape of armed forces needed for future military threats. | |
But armed forces minister Bill Rammell said some of the Conservative proposals were "misguided" and the government was already implementing reforms to the MoD's staffing levels. | But armed forces minister Bill Rammell said some of the Conservative proposals were "misguided" and the government was already implementing reforms to the MoD's staffing levels. |
He said: "We have taken steps to reduce the civilian workforce wherever we can without putting troops at risk. | He said: "We have taken steps to reduce the civilian workforce wherever we can without putting troops at risk. |
"Over the last four years we have reduced the number of civil servants from 109,000 to 85,730." | "Over the last four years we have reduced the number of civil servants from 109,000 to 85,730." |
Mr Rammell said ministers had committed to a strategic defence review early in the next Parliament which would examine better ways of military procurement. | |
Last week Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg called for a £6,000 pay rise for entry level privates in the Army and their equivalents in other armed services, in addition to lower rises for other ranks. | |
The party said the money could be found from within the MoD's existing budget, and said it was "ridiculous" to employ one desk-based person for every two serving members of personnel. |