HC Deb 20 July 1972 vol 841 cc887-9
11 and 31. Dame Joan Vickers

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) what action he is taking with the United Kingdom's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies to rationalise and standardise weapons used by the Army and Royal Air Force;

(2) what action he is taking in regard to the co-ordination of shipbuilding of naval ships with the United Kingdom's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

We have given strong support to a number of NATO efforts, such as those of the Conference of National Armaments Directors, which have the aim of promoting common operational concepts and requirements and a greater measure of procurement co-operation and equipment standardisation. These NATO activities are being reinforced through the work of the Euro-group and by our many bilateral contacts with allies in Europe and elsewhere.

Dame Joan Vickers

Has my hon. Friend read the result of the conference that we had in Western European Union where the reply was given that it was too expensive to have an investigation into the standardisation of weapons? In Norway one has the British Royal Marines, Dutch commandos and the Americans, all with different types of weapons. This is very unfortunate. It would be much more economical if they could have the same sort of weapons.

As two Questions of mine are being answered, perhaps I may ask a second supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Looking at the list of ships, it takes a long time to build them, and surely there should be some collaboration in the number of frigates built so as not to have too many of one type of ship and not enough of the other.

Mr. Gilmour

I appreciate my hon. Friend's concern about standardisation, but I am sure that she appreciates that there are difficulties in relation to differing operational requirements and timing, and, in the naval sphere, different rôles for the navy. We are doing as much as we can to further collaboration.

We do not, of course, want too many of one ship and not enough of another, and we make our plans for the disposition of the Fleet on the basis of having the right number of ships. It is difficult, as my hon. Friend knows, to collaborate on the building of a ship; it is easier to collaborate on weapons systems.

Mr. John Morris

What new decisions have been taken by the present Government to develop standardised weapon systems since they have come into office?

Mr. Gilmour

I have previously explained to the right hon. Gentleman that we are making a number of efforts in this direction. Although he may claim paternity of most of the collaborative projects currently in operation, he knows that these projects have a long gestation period and, in fact, the paternity of some of them is doubtful.

Dame Joan Vickers

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the answer, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.