Defence Export Services Organisation
Revision as of 17:53, 3 June 2008 by Claire Harkins (talk | contribs)
The UK Ministry of Defence’s arms export promotion department, headed by James BlythLord Blyth of Rowington (the current chair of Diageo) from 1981 to 1985, to which he was seconded from Lucas Aerospace ltd, an arms manufacturer [1] [2]. DESO's aims are to encourage arms sales by UK companies. It is a forum for arms industry executives to enter the heart of government, through secondments, in order to help the industry sell arms with direct government support. [3].
Minister for Defence Procurement, Lord Drayson, addressed the Royal Aeronautical Society in September 2006 part of his speech made reference to the importance of DESO:
- A strong defence industry is crucial to strong defence. This is one of the key tenets of the Defence Industrial Strategy. Exports play a big part in the success of firms such as Thales and others represented here. That is why we encourage defence exports and support them directly through DESO [4]
References
- ↑ Campaign Against the Arms Trade Hemscott accessed 18.01.05
- ↑ CAAT Political Influences - viewed 18.01.05
- ↑ DESO website MOD Policy - viewed 18.01.05
- ↑ MOD Website , Lord Drayson, Speech to the Thales seminar ‘Doing Business in France’ accessed 3rd June 2008
