ADS warns against defence budget cuts
The UK’s AeroSpace, Defence and Security (ADS) trade organisation has warned the government that further cuts in defence research and technology funding will inhibit the military’s ability to carry out future roles.
ADS also claimed that further cuts could be detrimental to the UK’s high-skilled research and manufacturing.
The organisation said that the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) research and technology budget has declined by seven per cent this year. It stood at £540m in 2007-08 and £502m in 2008-09.
ADS cited that the MoD has since revealed in a parliamentary answer that the budget in 2009-10 will be £471m and £439m in 2010-11.
The organisation claimed that these figures represent a cumulative cut of almost a quarter (23 per cent) in three years.
According to its findings, the overall MoD budget was £33.6bn in 2007-08 and the research and technology budget represents 1.6 per cent of the budget. Defence research and technology is 0.09 per cent of the total government budget.
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