The Treasury's growing authority over spending is offered as an explanation for cancelling capabilities after most of their development cost has been paid. Under an earlier model, departments proposed programmes and the Treasury tried to find funding, with the government choosing cuts if it could not. Under the later model being criticised, the Treasury determines the available budget before the capability requirement determines the amount needed. The objection is that immediate savings can then take precedence over the cost of losing a nearly completed capability.
Notable Point · 34:15-35:42
Treasury control and short-term defence savings
A criticism of British defence budgeting links the Treasury's growing control to decisions that save money immediately while discarding nearly completed capabilities.