Queen's Speech Sets off Controversy

The Defence Reform recently featured in Queen's speech has sparked controversy nationwide. The plans to part-privatise military procurement and increase revenues, post mismanagement concerns, are under strict scrutiny.The announcement has caused turmoil amongst the union leaders, industry experts and former military personnel.

As mentioned by the Queen, the legislation's first piece involves part-privatisation of the MoD's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) department. Reforms are expected to allow private firms to foray in and alleviate the DE&S' financial burden. Furthermore, they may also allow private companies access to highly-classified information concerning the purchases and supplies of defence equipment worth billions of pounds. The new laws will, in effect, turn the DE&S into an agency that is owned by the government but operated by contractors. The legislation is revolutionary because no other military power across the globe has privatised such an important department of defence.

 

The legislation's second piece involves military forces, reducing army numbers and adjusting the reserves to balance the reduction. As a result, the British army will shrink by up to 20 per cent, whereas the reserves will increase from 17,000 to around 30,000.  Recruitment is turning out to be a challenge for the military, however. Soon, there will be a white paper published explaining how the MoD plans to boost reserves and increase enrolment to comply with the latest legislation. Meanwhile, more details are expected to surface with more heated debates kicking off about the DE&S' part-privatisation.

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TfL's Safer Lorries Initiative is Commendable

Transport for London (TfL) has recently introduced a new procurement programme, which is being praised for its potential of enhancing safety throughout the city. Launched in April this year, the ‘safer lorries’ initiative aims to protect cyclists throughout London by allowing only the safest lorries and best-trained motorists to serve the TfL network. Safety observance, defensive driving and preventative measures will help in streamlining procurement for TfL. The initiative is expected to help London become a safer place for non-motorised traffic.

Under the new regulations, drivers as well as contractors working for TfL will require a bronze accreditation in the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS). The ‘safer lorries’ initiative, together with FORS, has received the accolade of ‘best London cycling initiative’ in the London Cycling Awards. Besides changing the way haulage operators view their responsibilities, this initiative is also enhancing and transforming procurement procedures in London.

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Six Key Players from Private Sector Hired for Streamlining Government Procurement

Recently, the government hired six key players from private sector in order to get most of public sector contracts. The newly hired leaders will focus on negotiating for low contracted rates, engaging with suppliers and building B2B relationships. The new hires include the former chief exec of Balfour Beatty, Ian Tyler, Graham Jackson- previous head of commercial contracting for HP, among others.

The six leaders now have a “big job ahead of them” says the minister of the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude. “We’re serious about equipping the civil service with the right skills to help the UK compete in the global race. That’s why we’ve recruited experts from the business world, using their commercial insight to work alongside departments to get the most from relationships with our largest suppliers,” added Mr. Maude. Great expectations surround the newly hired business leaders. The move is expected to bring forth more supply chain management jobs in the UK.

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