from the BBC...

[macwilkin]

Interesting story on the BBC Scotland page:

Firm's Army tartan contract fear

A Borders weaving firm fears it could lose a contract to supply the British army with tartan.
Robert Noble in Peebles says the Ministry of Defence will decide the contract for the new Royal Regiment of Scotland by competitive tendering.

The MoD says it must look for best value and the contract is open to any company anywhere in the world.

The company said this move could mean Scottish soldiers wearing tartan made outside their home nation.

Managing director Roland Brett said that while he understood the need for competitive tendering he felt the company's expertise should be taken into account.

"There is now a risk that the Scottish soldiers are going to be wearing a kilt that is not made in Scotland and a fabric that is not woven in Scotland," he said.

"We have a Scottish industry and we are not supporting it."

An MoD spokesman confirmed a small number of kilts had already been purchased, with a total of 5,000 required in due course.

He said it would follow public procurement regulations and that companies which could meet the regiment's requirements while providing best value for the UK taxpayer were encouraged to apply.

"This includes both previous cloth suppliers and the Scottish company who provided the initial small order," said the spokesman.

The local Lib Dem MSP Jeremy Purvis said it would be a "slap in the face" for his area.

"The company in Peebles has been making the highest quality cloth in the traditional way for the MoD for 30 years," he said.

"It is outrageous that the MoD would actually think that it could get away with this and I hope that it changes its mind and it does so straight away."


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...nd/4739014.stm

Published: 2006/02/22 11:02:58 GMT

© BBC MMVI

[Colin]

Sounds like the English parliment is still trying to defeat the Scots. First you break up the proud regiments and merge them into one, than you take away the traditions and small economy in the name of saving taxpayer dollars, than........

Unfortunately it doesn't sound any different than most self-defeating Governments.

[cavscout]

That is a sad thought, it's like all those miniature American flags being made in China ...

but on the other side I can imagine Barb, Rocky or Steve running the numbers right now...17...carry the 1...times 5000 plus tax and shipping ...

[Graham]

Sounds like the English parliment is still trying to defeat the Scots. First you break up the proud regiments and merge them into one, than you take away the traditions and small economy in the name of saving taxpayer dollars, than........

Unfortunately it doesn't sound any different than most self-defeating Governments.

I have to agree with you Colin, that looks like the not-so-hidden agenda.

We have the same problem here, we sell Australian souvenirs, toy koalas and kangaroos...all made in China.

Somewhere it says: 'the love of money is the root of all evil', it seems true in this case.

[GMan]

Another blow to tradition.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Well gents, while I agree with the sentiment, Joe/Jane Public generally does not care where something is manufactured, he/she is concerned with the bottom line price. And governments are the same, and usually worse. While I would love to say that I always buy American, the reality is that I buy for the best value, and with the labor rates in other countries, that usually means imported. I am all for anybody who says, and actually does, pay $10 for a domestically manufactured item that they can get with similar quality for $7.50. However, my cynical opinion is that there are not many people who chose the more expensive item.

Better stop now, getting into a discussion of economics and buyer motivation. I will close by agreeing that it is sad that Regiments may soon be wearing kilts from some place other than Scotland.

[Shay]

Well gents, while I agree with the sentiment, Joe/Jane Public generally does not care where something is manufactured, he/she is concerned with the bottom line price. And governments are the same, and usually worse.

Me too- on a personal note, it's only been the last couple of years I could pick and choose how and where I wanted to shop- I'm sad to say I probably have a lot of sweatshop-made clothes from before that time, much less foreign ones.

However, I too think it's very sad the (i think) mostly English government is holding sway over the probable wishes of their Scottish citizens.

Is there any way to get the Scottish folks up and about protesting this?

[Blu (Ontario)]

Alan Shepard was once asked about his thoughts while strapped into a rocket wating for launch. His reply was only that the spacecraft he was about to ride was built by low bidders.

Business must use competitive bidding, outsourcing, off-shore contracting, etc. to stay in the game. Emotions aside, governments too must appear to be spending tax dollars efficiently. It's a two edge sword.

.

[GlassMan]

While I agree that saving tax payer dollars is important, another aim of every government should providing prosperity and good jobs for its own citizens. In this case, if a good quality product can be made and has been made in your own country for generations, then it makes more sense to me to spend the small amount of extra money to keep your citizens at work than it would be to pay even more for unemployment payments after their firm shuts down.

It's definitely possible to be penny-wise and pound-foolish in these situations. Personally, I think that a government, any government, should be required to purchase from a company based and operating within its own borders. Only if there is simply not a local industry or if that industry is so small that it cannot meet the government's needs should it look outside its borders. It's good to save taxpayer's dollars, but it's even better to save taxpayer jobs and keep them as taxpayers instead of welfare recipients.

[Moosehead]

Sounds like the English parliment is still trying to defeat the Scots. First you break up the proud regiments and merge them into one, than you take away the traditions and small economy in the name of saving taxpayer dollars, than........

Just to point out, before the "conspiracy" goes too far, it is not just Scottish Regiments which have been merged/dispanded. More English Regiments and RAF Squadrons have been dispanded than Scottish ones.

As for the cloth being woven elsewhere...if the MOD paid double the price (or whatever) to a local firm the shyte would hit the rotating air-conditioning unit. The only people who would be happy, would be the local weavers. In the Forces, its bang for the buck that matters.