Expert costs leap as army shrinks
MILITARY chiefs have spent £757million on outside experts since 2010 despite crushing cuts to tanks and personnel.
The sum - revealed by Labour - is enough to keep the army at full strength until 2025 saving 4700 jobs.
Annual spend on consultancy has risen from £29m to £110m since 2010.
Payments to consultants could easily cover £430m to replace our Challenger tank fleet while keeping it full strength.
Challenger 2s are due to be replaced with Challenger 3s but numbers are to be cut from 227 to 158. The £757m is also enough for two Type 26 Frigates.
In October 2021 alone, the most recent month for data, the MoD paid PA Consulting almost £300,000.
Ken Toombs, the CEO of the IT advisory firm, used to head up Infosys Consulting – a firm owned by Rishi Sunak’s billionaire father-in-law.
Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey said: “The Defence Secretary is failing to get a grip on consultant spending while cutting frontline forces.”
The MoD were asked to comment.