Newswire : Swords into shares

Britain’s Defence Evaluation Research Agency could be privatised as part of a
wider strategic review of the nation’s defence needs. DERA chief executive John
Chisholm has been asked to consider which of three options will best help the
government to achieve its aim of putting military technology to civilian uses.
The options are: leaving DERA untouched, keeping it in public ownership but
setting up joint ventures with universities, or privatisation. As a result of
reforms introduced by the previous government, DERA already has to compete with
companies for research contracts awarded by the Ministry of Defence.