**
129
Written Answers
16 DECEMBER 1981
Written Answers
123
ISI
pass
as essential for nuclear refitting tasks and the unions were reluctant to accept that negotiations, both on the shifts and on associated allowances, would be restricted by the limits of the shift working agreement in use at Rosyth, which was considered by management to be right for the job. HMS "Swiftsure's" refit remains scheduled for completion in the second half of 1982.
Trident Bases (Faslane-Coulport)
Hkk 243/2
Mr. Cook asked
whether any architectural co relation to the work on the Faslane or Coulport; and development.
Mr. Wiggin: No. No
23/12
"Ocean Safari” (Exercise)
ht base at atton to what
REGISTRY Action Taken
Af 23/1
Sir Frederick Burden asked the Secretary of State for Defence why, in view of the major operational role of Royal Navy hunter-killer nuclear submarines in seeking and destroying enemy submarines, they were not used in monitoring the movements of diesel-electric submarines during the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercise "Ocean Safari”.
Mr. Blaker: In exercise "Ocean Safari" priority was given to exercising Royal Navy hunter-killer nuclear submarines in roles other than monitoring diesel-electric submarines. For security reasons it would be inappropriate to go into details.
Royal Air Force (Officer Recruitment)
Mr. Nicholas Winterton asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers of the Royal Air Force have resigned their commissions since 1 January; and how many people have joined the Royal Air Force over the same period.
Mr. Blaker: 19 officers of the Royal Air Force resigned their commissions between 1 January 1981 and 31 October 1981; 208 officers left prematurely on a voluntary basis. During the same period 909 officers were commissioned and 3,355 Servicemen and women joined the Royal Air Force.
Military Communications Satellites
Mr. Michael Marshall asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member for Arundel on 8 December, he will give the approximate total value of the two military communications satellites and associated ground equipment for which an order was placed on that day and the degree to which this contract will benefit other British companies in addition to the British Aerospace Dynamics Group.
Mr. Pattie: The main contract is worth about £80 million at today's prices. British Aerospace Dynamics Group and Marconi Space and Defence Systems Ltd. will each enjoy about one third of the work. Some 4 per cent. will fall to other British suppliers and subcontractors.
63
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Purchasing Policy
Mr. Pawsey asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent it is his policy to make the maximum possible effort to purchase British goods in preference to those from abroad.
Mr. Pattie: It is our policy to procure defence equipment in this country whenever it is sensible and practicable to do so, paying due regard to our international obligations.
In practice some 90 per cent. by value of our defence equipment contracts are placed with Britsh industry, and in the current financial year we are spending £5,000 million on well over 10,000 contracts.
Heavyweight Torpedo
Mr. Peter Griffiths asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any decision has yet been made on the choice of a heavyweight torpedo for the Royal Navy.
Mr. Nott: I am glad to report that negotiations with Marconi Space and Defence Systems have now been satisfactorily completed. An order has been placed today with Marconi for the full development and intitial production of an advanced new heavyweight torpedo to replace the Tigerfish torpedo currently in service with the Royal Navy's submarines. This important new defence contract for British industry will be at a fixed price and will cover work on both the new heavyweight torpedo and the Sting Ray lightweight torpedo to a total value of about £500 million; and will ensure that the United Kingdom maintains its leading position in torpedo technology.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Seychelles
5. Mr. Flannery asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the present state of relations between the British Government and the Seychelles.
13. Mr. Newens asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on British relations with the Government of the Seychelles.
Mr. Luce: We have normal relations with the Government of Seychelles.
Hong Kong (Vietnamese Refugees)
10. Sir Anthony Royle asked the Lord Privy Seal what action Her Majesty's Government are taking in the international field to assist Hong Kong in resettling the 14,000 Vietnamese refugees who are still looked after by the Hong Kong authorities.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: We continue to represent Hong Kong's case to other countries and to international organisations. The Hong Kong Government have also played a major role in this. Some 80,000 refugees have been resettled from Hong Kong since 1976.
British Visitor's Passports
14. Mr. John Hunt asked the Lord Privy Seal what would be the estimated cost of refunding the fees paid by those United Kingdom citizens who obtained British visitor's passports during the recent industrial action at
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