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Written Answers
31 JANUARY 1986
representatives who have visited the dockyards. Detailed records of the many dockyard and naval base staff in my Department whom the representatives met do not exist, and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Douglas asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the companies-consortia which have shown an interest in bidding for the refit and repair services at Rosyth and Devonport dockyards, detailing the amount of current contracts placed by his Department with such organisations or any subsidiaries.
C.
Mr. Lee [pursuant to his answer, 30 January 1986, 629]: The following companies and consortia have shown an interest in tendering for the contracts to operate the royal dockyards at Devonport and Rosyth:
A & P Appledore/Plessey/Trafalgar House. Babcock International/Thorn EMI.
Balfour Beatty/Weir Group.
British Aerospace.
Costain.
Devonport Dockyard Ltd.
Flight Refuelling.
Foster Wheeler.
GEC.
Hawker Siddeley.
Northern Engineering Industries.
Press Offshore.
RCA Services.
Seaforth Welding.
STC.
Taylor Woodrow.
Tyne Ship Repair.
Some of these have subsequently withdrawn their interest.
The information requested about current contracts placed by my Department with such organisations or any subsidiaries could be obtained only at disproportionate
cost.
Approved Stockists
Mr. McNamara asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied the British Standards Institute Register of approved stockists for his Department's purposes can ensure that products supplied against Ministry of Defence requirements have direct traceability to, and have been supplied by, his Department's approved sources of manufacture.
Mr. Norman Lamont [pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1986, c. 448]: Yes.
Westland Helicopters
Mr. Austin Mitchell asked the Secretary of State for Defence what rates of exchange were used to cost the various options open to his Department for the purchase of helicopters; and what effect there would be if the costings were all adjusted to current rates of exchange.
Mr. Norman Lamont [pursuant to his reply, 13 January 1986, c. 533]: Whenever purchases involving foreign exchange are being considered, the appropriate current rate of exchange is used. However, none of the three collaborative projects-EH101, NH90 and light battlefield helicopter-has yet reached the point where production orders are about to be placed.
Mr. Austin Mitchell asked the Secretary of State for
made what representations were
to the Defence
M. Pysell
r
Written Answers
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Governments of France, Italy and Germany before 29 November last to persuade them to take a shareholding directly or indirectly in Westland helicopters in return for a commitment by the United Kingdom to buy a continental helicopter.
Mr. Norman Lamont [pursuant to his reply, 13 January 1986, c. 533]: There were discussions with the Governments of France, Italy and Germany about ways and means of meeting helicopter requirements on a number of occasions. The possibility of a United Kingdom commitment to buy a continental helicopter in the context of a possible shareholding in Westland did not arise.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Palestine Refugees
Mr. Mikardo asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to how much was subscribed in each of the years 1983, 1984 and 1985 by each Government who contributed to the budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the near east.
Mr. Renton: I am arranging for the relevant extracts from reports by the Commissioner General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency to be placed in the Library of the House.
Five Continents Peace Initiative
Mr. Best asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the latest proposals and role in arms negotiations of the five continents peace initiative.
Mr. Renton: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Deakins) on 3 December 1985, at column 202.
Hong Kong
Mr. Deakins asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had in the European Economic Community and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade about the international trading status of Hong Kong after 1997; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Renton: None.
Hong Kong's future position in the GATT is one of the subjects under discussion with the Chinese Government in the Sino-British joint liaison group.
Dependent Territories (Philatelic Policy)
Mr. Bowen Wells asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to review current philatelic policy in respect of the remaining British dependent territories, in consultation with those territories; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar: None. The current policy provides an effective safeguard for the best interests of the dependent territories while having due regard to the royal prerogative in the field of postage stamp policy.
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