The authorities has been “effectively raiding” the defence funds in occasions of peace and should now make investments extra to satisfy “growing” threats, the defence secretary has mentioned.
Speaking to Sky News, Ben Wallace claimed it was “always an uphill battle” with the Treasury to safe extra funding, as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt prepares to announce his Budget subsequent month.
But the minister mentioned he would have “lots of meetings” with Mr Hunt within the coming days and weeks to “come to a deal”.
Politics dwell: Wallace distances himself from resignation claims
Reports recommend Mr Wallace is seeking to stand up to £11bn in further money for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), however The Times says officers are reluctant attributable to latest failed tasks and “wasteful spending”.
Asked by Sky News’ Kay Burley if the MoD was losing cash, the defence secretary mentioned: “I think the Treasury will make that point as I asked for more money.”
He added: “Look, historically, the MoD has bought into equipment that I think hasn’t necessarily delivered. But remember, 85% of our procurements are on budget [and] on time.
“That does not change the truth that the risk is rising and what we have seen since 1991, for the reason that finish of the Cold War, is a constant, successfully raiding of the defence funds over time.
“Maybe a peace dividend was applicable straight after the Cold War. We had enormous armies in Europe. The Cold War completed and it was proper that the taxpayer who’d invested in defence bought a return on that.
“The problem is that continued and has continued for many decades as the threat has increased. And I’ve been very open here that the threat has increased.
“And similar to different components of presidency, when demand risk will increase, we should always rethink how a lot we fund it.”
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‘Growing threat’
Mr Wallace said he was “very acutely aware of of the general authorities’s ambition” to reduce inflation – one of its main defences for not increasing pay offers to striking public sector workers.
“That, in fact, means it is going to pinch all of us in all our departments as a result of, you already know, finally the reply can’t subsequently be to flood every part with further spending or extra borrowing,” he said.
“But I additionally know that we have now a rising risk on the world stage.”
The defence secretary denied repeated reports that he had threatened to resign if he did not get his way at the Budget.
“This shouldn’t be about resigning or the rest,” he said. “It’s about delivering defence to satisfy the risk.
“That’s my duty to to the public… to be able to fund defence to protect us from the likes of Russia and other countries around the world.”
Source: information.sky.com”