weapon cost

In Britain labour costs rose significantly despite the ability of the government to effectively conscript labour and direct it to where it was needed. Wages in almost all sectors increased considerably - the problem was that with rationing there was much less to spend them on which gave a boost to the black marketeers as more people had spare cash to pay their inflated prices. Interestingly though the biggest percentage increase in wages was in the agricultural sector where the wage rates were entirely government regulated. Each year the Agricultural Wages Board had to increase all the different scales as there was a constant shortage of labour as the move towards arable farming was inherently more labour intensive and at the same time many agricultural labourers were finding ways to get work in the factories. Britain had a perfect storm in terms of a man power crisis between the forces , industry and agriculture and from 1943 onwards could only increase manpower in any one of these at the expense of one or both of the others.
Government procurement methodology was comparatively crude - most contracts being on a cost plus basis

Murray,Keith A H, History of the Second World War Agriculture, HMSO, London,1955
Hancock & Gowing, W.K. & M.M. History of the Second World War British War Economy, HMSO. London 1949
Postan, Michael M. History of the Second World War British War Production, HMSO. London 1952
Potts, Keith, Construction During World War II: Management and Financial Administration, Procs 25th Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference, 7-9 September 2009

 

That's interesting Adam.

As an aside. I see that the currency rate of the Russian ruble is now edging up towards 100 rubles to the pound sterling.

These Russian investors in the British property market must be losing out.....not so if the money has not been validated and it would appear that much of it is unknown as regards its source.