Wes Streeting addresses regulatory hurdles in defence technology testing
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has stated that defence technology testing is impeded by “regulatory frictions,” prompting individuals to resort to unconventional measures, reports BritPanorama.
During remarks to a House of Lords committee, Streeting recounted the case of a Royal Marine who resorted to testing an underwater military drone in his garden pond, owing to regulatory constraints that barred trialing the technology in other settings.
While acknowledging a significant push toward deregulation across the government, Streeting maintained that “regulatory frictions” continue to obstruct efforts in defence technology testing.
He explained to the Industry and Regulators Committee: “You can understand why, in a defence context, you don’t just take off all of the regulatory oversight and constraints because we are talking about lethal capability.”
However, he noted a pressing need for innovation within the armed forces and industry. “There are people who are chomping at the bit to push the frontier of innovation, but there is still more to do,” he added.
Streeting praised the ingenuity of the Royal Marine he mentioned, stating, “I applaud his ingenuity and drive for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, but there should be the same can-do approach in his workplace.”
He suggested that the government possesses the “right intention and ambition and spirit,” yet emphasized that more progress is necessary to eliminate regulatory obstacles. Streeting articulated a willingness to engage with industry concerns, stating, “Where industry tells us that there is pointless regulation getting in the way, where our armed forces frankly tell us there’s regulatory handcuffs getting in their way – and we agree with them that they are pointless and not serving their purpose, or the risk calculus is in the wrong place and we’re not getting the balance right – we are really keen to act.”
Additionally, Streeting announced that a defence investment summit, anticipated earlier this year as part of the government’s investment strategy, is set for December 1. “I think that is a great opportunity for this country to demonstrate the extent to which we are both investing more, but also open for business, and more than that, open for a real partnership with industry,” he expressed.
