It's no secret the UK government, like its opposite numbers around the world, is having to "cut its cloth" to meet a new era of austere budgets - but that doesn't mean an end to investment, especially in skills.
That's the message from the UK's aviation minister, Mark Prisk MP. Speaking exclusively to Flight Daily News on his way to hosting yesterday's Airbus Ministers Conference at the Farnborough air show, Prisk also stressed a need for the government, especially the Ministry of Defence, to make better use of the contracts it signs to promote innovation by its industrial partners.
"I'm keen to look at how we can improve our procurement practices," he said.
"There are grounds for optimism," says Prisk, who underscored the UK's commitment to the Airbus Military A400M project and to staying "engaged with Airbus" generally.
And, he says, a push to improve procurement practices should also give heart to the UK's small- to medium-sized enterprises, despite the budget crunch, as the defence ministry will be looking to have more direct dealings with the sector.
Prisk adds that he will be working with parliamentary colleague Peter Luff, the defence procurement minister, to drive changes that can help SMEs - with an eye on some novel approaches by the US Department of Defense to help the sector in America.
- All the latest news, video and images from the 2010 Farnborough air show - New this year, live streaming video of each day's flying display
Source: Flight Daily News
