Poll backs UK armed forces and its support industry

The voice of Britain's big defence companies, the Defence Industries Council today released public opinion polling data showing that both the UK Armed Forces and the British defence industry that provides them with their equipment are both highly regarded by the public.

* 55% of people say treatment of the Armed Forces will be a very important issue to them when the come to vote in the next General Election.
* 79% of people believe the UK is threatened by conflicts in other parts of the world.
* 89% of respondents say that the UK's defence industry is vital to our security.
* 79 per cent of people believe the UK is going to have to rely ever more heavily on the Armed Forces to protect its interests overseas in the next twenty years.
* 60 per cent of people doubt we can rely on allies to provide our Armed Forces with the equipment they need.
* 89 per cent of people agree that the UK's defence industry is vital to our security.
* There is a widely held view - 79% - that the UK's interests are threatened by conflicts in other parts of the world.

However, the public appears to be much less well informed about the defence industry's close working relationship with the Armed Forces, whereby industry personnel regularly work in theatre with them . Only 20 per cent of people believe the industry often conducts vital work with the Armed Forces on the front line, and 24 per cent believe it rarely works directly with the Armed Forces.