§ 12. Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for Defence when he last discussed the country's industrial capability for defence with the various trade associations representing defence industries.
§ Dr. GilbertAs part of the continuing dialogue with industry on matters of 1111 this kind, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence chaired a meeting of the National Defence Industries Council on 24th November.
§ Mr. MillerCan the Minister give an assurance that the Government will take some action on the representations made at that meeting with regard not only to the placing of orders to maintain existing equipment but to the replacement of vital plant or the installation of new plant?
§ Dr. GilbertIt was a very constructive meeting and I was not aware of any dissent between the two sides of the table. Let me refresh the hon. Gentleman's memory by telling him that 70 per cent. of our procurement is wholly from United Kingdom sources and another 20 per cent. is in collaborative projects.
§ Mr. ChurchillWhat discussions have the Government had with the engineering and other unions about the Government's job destruction programme, about which the hon. Gentleman answered a Question of mine earlier this year, involving no fewer than 218,000 job losses in the Services and defence industries by 1979?
§ Dr. GilbertAs I told the hon. Gentleman then—he seems to have forgotten—the purpose of defence expenditure is not to create jobs but to provide for the defence of the country.