Mike Hancock News
Mike Hancock MP questions £6bn project to build aircraft carriers
Local MP Mike Hancock has called into question the decision making processes behind plans to build two new aircraft carriers that has resulted in the National Audit Office stating its "deep concern" with the project.
The NAO report claims that it had discovered documents in the MoD which suggested that cancelling the project could save around £1bn - completely contradicting previous statements by Rt Hon Liam Fox that the same move would cost even more to cancel the project than to continue with it.
Mike said yesterday, "This is yet another fine example of the incompetence of the previous Labour Government, who signed contracts and spent money that this country simply did not have, and it further shows the bankrupt mentality within the MoD".
Changes to the project following the 2010 SDSR resulted in a saving of around £3.4bn but will leave the UK without a carrier capability for the rest of the decade. Michael Whitehouse, COO at the NAO said, "The risks to the delivery of the new carriers are compounded by more generic problems with defence acquisition - notably the MoD's continuing difficulties in balancing its budget."
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