§ Q4. Rear-Admiral Morgan-Gilesasked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for Defence, and for Trade and Industry on the promotion of arms sales overseas; and what changes have been made in the procedures since 18th June, 1970.
§ Q5. Mr. John Hallasked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for Defence and for Trade and Industry on the promotion of arms sales overseas; and what changes have been made in the procedures since 18th June, 1970.
§ Q10. Sir F. Bennettasked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for Defence and for Trade and Industry on the promotion of arms sales overseas; and what changes have been made in the procedures since 18th June, 1970.
§ Q11. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for Defence and for Trade and Industry on the promotion of arms sales overseas; and what changes have been made in the procedures since 18th June, 1970.
§ The Prime MinisterWith the dissolution of the Ministry of Aviation Supply on 1st May the whole Defence Sales Organisation now comes under my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. There is close coordination between all Departments concerned with the promotion of arms sales overseas.
§ Rear-Admiral Morgan-GilesUnder the new organisation, will there be an identifiable individual arms salesman, as there was under the previous Government, and will this organisation promote the sales of private designs such as the Vosper Thorneycroft corvette in addition to sales of standard British Service equipment?
§ The Prime MinisterWhat is important is the actual organisation itself within the Ministry of Defence and not a particular person being named to carry it out. Government Departments will give every assistance to our own manufacturers in sales of weapons.
§ Sir F. BennettCould my right hon. Friend assure the House that under the new arrangement there will at least be no repetition of the squalid plot and 618 counterplot that took place under the previous Administration in this field of Government activity, as revealed in Lord George-Brown's memoirs?
§ The Prime MinisterThese matters are best left to the memoirs.