HL Deb 28 January 1983 vol 438 c467

11.11 a.m.

Lord Boyd-Carpenter

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take following the apparent breach in the Memorandum of Understanding designed to foster free and open trading between the US Government and Her Majesty's Government over the ejection seat issue in the F18 and T45 military projects.

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, my honourable friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement has expressed his concern by letter to the United States Government, and will discuss the matter further when he visits the United States at the end of next month. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence is in close touch with Martin Baker, the company concerned, about the situation.

Lord Boyd-Carpenter

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that eminently satisfactory reply, further, will he confirm that it is the view of Her Majesty's Government that the action of Congress in this respect puts the United States Government in clear breach of the Memorandum of Understanding of 1976? Will my noble friend also confirm that, in the view of Her Majesty's Government, they are singularly unwise to do this, in view of the fact that we in this country purchase far more American military equipment than they purchase from us?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, we certainly believe that it is against the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding. As regards the second part of my noble friend's supplementary question, at present the balance of trade is a little under two to one in favour of the United States. This compares with over four to one in favour of the United States when the memorandum was signed in 1975, and is a tribute to the competitiveness of the United Kingdom defence industry. Moreover, the full effect of significant United Kingdom orders, such as those for Hawk, AV8B and Rapier, has still to be felt.

Earl Alexander of Tunis

My Lords, can my noble friend tell the House how many lives have been saved by the Martin Baker ejection seat?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, as I understand it, to date 4,988 lives have been saved by Martin Baker seats.