Tanks (Hansard, 11 January 1994)

§ 1. Mr. Riddick
To ask the secretary of state for Defence what plans he has to procure more tanks for the Army; and if he will make a statement.

§ The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Malcolm Rifkind)
I announced on 1 December that, subject to the negotiation of satisfactory contractual terms, we intend to place a further order with Vickers Defence Systems for up to 259 Challenger 2 main battle tanks.

§ Mr. Riddick
Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that the announcement that the Government intended to buy 259 further challenger tanks was warmly welcomed by David brown Gears in my constituency, because the company makes the challenger gearboxes? When exactly will the order be placed? Can my right hon. and learned friend confirm that such an order would not have been possible if the Government had had a defence policy of cutting defence spending by £7 billion, as Labour has, or a policy of cutting it by 50 per cent., as the Liberal democrats have?

§ Mr. Rifkind
My hon. Friend is certainly correct in saying that our announcement should have important employment implications in Leeds, in Newcastle, in his constituency and elsewhere because of the implications for many subcontractors. The actual date for placing the order will depend on the successful negotiations that we hope to have with Vickers. My hon. Friend is, of course, entirely correct in believing that such a proposal could not even have been entertained with the defence budgets to which the Labour party and the liberal Democrat party appear to be committed by their party conferences.

§ Mr. Mudie
Will the Secretary of State accept the thanks of the Vickers workers in my constituency for defeating the Treasury and placing the order? Will he confirm that he is determined to resist further approaches from the Treasury and that the order will become a reality as soon as possible?

§ Mr. Rifkind
We were able to place the proposals before Vickers because we defeated the Labour party at the general election. If we had failed to defeat the Labour party, the hon. Gentleman's constituents would not be as satisfied as they clearly are today.