§ 13. Mr. McKelveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department takes to monitor the changing size and shape of the British defence industry. [14638]
§ Mr. FreemanAs one of the defence industry's major customers, my Department naturally takes a keen interest in developments that affect the size and structure of our supplier base. We therefore have regular contact with representatives of United Kingdom defence companies at all levels.
§ Mr. McKelveyDoes the Minister not share my concern about the plight of the highly skilled engineers 822 and technicians who work in the defence industry? The Government's apathetic approach shows them no future other than to transfer skills out of Britain or to go on to the scrap heap. Why does the Minister not immediately create a defence diversification agency so that we can have short-term and long-term planned transfers into other work and keep those highly skilled personnel here in this country after the work that they have done for the defence industry?
§ Mr. FreemanWe recognise the important skill that is in our defence industrial base. Defence Ministers have a responsibility for that. However, to create a defence diversification agency, which the Opposition Front-Bench spokesman—the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett)—said in our last debate on the Navy would merely seek to effect a culture change in industry, without the commitment of substantial—
§ Mr. FreemanThe hon. Gentleman shakes his head; that clearly shows that what he suggests is dogma and a waste of taxpayers' money.