On behalf of 5,000 specialists in MOD, Prospect National Secretary Steve Jary said: "MOD's response is laughable. When challenged about the technical skills base that has been seriously denuded through job cuts, MOD claimed: 'We have been working hard to improve our ability to conduct strategic skills planning...and review very closely the skills and numbers of people we need to deliver our outputs.

"But we know this is simply not the case. Just two weeks ago, MOD decided to stop asking staff to record their skills and qualifications on its systems. They have also stopped requiring managers to record the skills requirements for particular jobs.

"Basically, the department has given up even trying to undertake effective workforce planning. Its response to the Defence Select Committee is just hollow and plain wrong. How can it lead a defence industrial strategy when it admits it cannot even audit the skills base for its own staff?"

Note to Editors: The text of the answers mentioned in the above can be found under recommendation 32 of the Government Response on Defence Acquisition report.