BAE Systems wines and dines MoD five times more than competitors
The close ties between senior staff at the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems have come under the spotlight after the Bureau reveals the extent of corporate hospitality enjoyed by key military personnel.
Records obtained under Freedom of Information laws show top defence and military officers accepted BAE hospitality 52 times over a three-year period, nearly five times more than commercial competitors, Thales and Boeing.
The revelations form the latest part of our civil service hospitality database, which has uncovered the extent of corporate entertainment received by senior civil servants.
Our latest findings, covered in the Guardian today, span the three years between January 2007 and December 2009.
The most wined and dined at the MoD during this period was the head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. Torpy accepted invitations to eat and drink 21 times until his retirement in July 2009.
On 8 January 2007, he had lunch and dinner courtesy of the arms company, followed by lunch just two days later. In January last year, he had dinner with BAE executives two days in a row.
The relationship between the ministry and BAE has frequently been criticised for being too cosy. It has been disclosed that the ministry has given security passes to many BAE employees, including its chief lobbyist, permitting them to go in and out of the department’s headquarters as they wish.
According to the Guardian, the firm is given the most lucrative contracts by the MoD by some way, while government ministers often press foreign governments to award export orders to the company.
General Sir Kevin O’Donoghue, who as the chief of defence material is a key figure in the awarding of multi-million pound contracts, had lunch, dinner or drinks with BAE 10 times.
The Bureau’s research into civil service hospitality has already forced the Cabinet Office to tighten the rules about corporate lobbying.
After a sample of the data was released to the Sunday Times two months ago, civil servants have been barred from attending future events held by the Chemistry Club, a Mayfair dining establishment that charges companies up to £11,000 a year to mix with top public sector workers and politicians.
Today’s release adds to the Guardian’s investigation into BAE, which revealed that the MoD secretly lobbied to end the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation into allegations that BAE bribed foreign politicians and officials to secure large contracts.
BAE is due in court in the autumn, after much delay, to settle the long-running corruption allegations.
An MoD spokesman said: “It is vital for the MoD to maintain a close relationship with the defence industry to ensure that we have the best equipment for our armed forces. All the meetings are subject to strict guidelines.”
The civil service code of conduct says: “Civil servants must not accept gifts or hospitality or receive other benefits from anyone which might reasonably be seen to compromise their personal judgment or integrity.”
BAE said: “As the largest supplier of equipment and services to our armed forces, it is right that we regularly engage with MoD personnel to ensure that we understand their needs and expectations of us as a company. As the largest supplier, it would not be unusual to have a greater level of engagement than other companies”.
