Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Accepted
MoD faces 25% staffing gaps across key Business Modernisation and Support programmes.
Conclusion
Nonetheless, the MoD acknowledged it faces staffing gaps of around 25% across both BMfS and FDSS. For BMfS, the MoD has contracted a delivery support partner and is looking to bring in a digital non-executive director to provide advice. CDLS himself also 18 Q 34 19 Q 27 20 WMS 3 December 2010 cc95WS-96WS 21 Tenders Electronic Daily, Ministry of Defence, ISTAR, SCIS, 11 December 2020 22 Qq 16, 29, 37–38, 43 23 Q13; C&AG’s Report para 17 24 Q 44, C&AG’s Report para 17 25 Qq 14–16, 46; Committee of Public Accounts, The Defence Digital Strategy, Thirty-Sixth Report of Session 2022–23, HC 727, 3 February 2023, paras 3–4 26 Qq 15, 17 12 Improving Defence Inventory Management took a four-month secondment in digital industry. The MoD acknowledged, however, that the staffing gaps created risks for FDSS, although it was confident it could still meet the 2028 target delivery date through sensible prioritisation.27 27 Qq 15, 17, 104–105 Improving Defence Inventory Management 13 2 Engagement with industry Building resilience into the supply chain
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations, setting a January 2025 target. It outlines the status of four ongoing Support transformation programmes, detailing current efforts to manage staffing gaps and ensure delivery, though some progress depends on departmental approval for team growth.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2025 3.2 There are four programmes within the Support transformation (now retitled Support Major Programmes) portfolio: • Business Modernisation for Support (BMfS). This programme is in transition from design to delivery with the first major deliverable on track for autumn 2024, when all three Services move onto the same base inventory system for the first time, and two 40-year-old legacy systems are retired. Further progress is dependent on the department approval to grow the team to deliver the desired outcomes. • Future Defence Support Services (FDSS). This programme is working towards a key investment decision milestone at the end of the year. Progress is dependent on the department’s approval to grow the team to deliver the desired outcomes and which, if not forthcoming, will trigger an extension of the current Logistic Commodities and Service Transformation (LCST) contract. • Sustainable Road Transport. This programme is proceeding towards the final investment decision point in late 2025. Progress is dependent on resourcing the team past its current end date of March 2025. • Fuels Transformation Programme. This programme is in the delivery stage and due to close, as planned, by April 2025, when initiatives will transfer to single Service business-as-usual activity. 3.3 All programmes have an agreed commercial strategy that ensures appropriate industry engagement. Good use is also made of industry advisory bodies and industrial placements.