HC Deb 12 February 1973 vol 850 c979
33. Mr. Wingfield Digby

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the BoozAllen report on shipbuilding.

Mr. Peter Walker

The Booz-Allen report on the shipbuilding industry was received on 1st February 1973.

Mr. Wingfield Digby

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is much interest on both sides of the House in this report, and will he make it available to hon. Members before he reaches any firm decisions on it?

Mr. Walker

The report contains information given in confidence by commercial concerns, so one would have to study the report before doing so, but I inform my hon. Friend that, in terms of the atmosphere of the industry in general, orders for shipbuilding in the fourth quarter of last year were the best for four years, and probably at the moment outstanding orders in British yards are in value the highest they have ever been in history.