The extensive audit of the Research Programme by the Department's Chief Scientific Advisor during 2006, and Reported in "Maximising Benefit from Defence Research", placed projects under the scrutiny of independent subject matter experts from the Defence Scientific Advisory Council (an NDPB). Of the more than 130 QinetiQ projects assessed, the average quality was found to be comparable with that found in top-tier research journals and in some cases providing MOD with internationally competitive research.