§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in developing the defence stores management system; and how much has been spent on the project to date. [80966]
§ Mr. IngramThe original objectives of the Defence Stores Management Solution (DSMS) were to manage the single service inventories as a single defence inventory, to build a single system to replace the existing Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force systems, and to provide a deployed inventory management capability. The project had not secured full main gate approval by the time that the project was suspended on grounds of affordability at the time. The requirement, including the continuing need for a deployed inventory management capability, will be addressed as part of a wider end-to-end review of the logistic process, involving the DLO, front-line commands and industry which should complete by mid 2003. Expenditure on DSMS to date totals £140 million and estimated net savings of £650 million over a 10 year period were anticipated from its implementation.