HM Armed Forces are going to suffer the most severe cuts ever as part of the government’s austerity measures.
Currently, the UK government spends 5.8% of its total expenditure on defence and the department is currently undergoing a Strategic Defence Spending Review, the results of which will be made known at the end of October.
However, Liam Fox, the Secretary of State for Defence, has said that the MoD will have its budget cut by between 10% to 20% which will result in major cuts in personnel and equipment.
Just one example of the possible cuts came earlier in August when a leaked internal MoD memo showed calls for almost £4bn of savings across the rotary wing fleets run by the Royal Army, Navy and RAF.
Contractors who supply the MoD would be well advised to examine their own staffing arrangements and determine the most cost-effective, flexible working solutions if they want to survive the spending cuts.
2B Interface has recently launched a bespoke service for 1st and 2nd tier contractors working in the defence sector. The broad-ranging recruitment agency showed off the service which encompasses skilled managerial, manufacturing and office temporary staff at the Farnborough Air Show from the 19th to 25th July.
The MD of 2B Interface, Beatrice Bartlay, said that the MoD has to make value for money savings. Plans to help achieve this include reducing the Department’s overall administrative overheads by 5% year on year with 25% of those savings being made in the London Head Office.
© 2010 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Image: Bendy Straw by Kirstea