HL Deb 04 March 1988 vol 494 cc362-3

11.15 a.m.

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why Dr. Stanley Orman of the Ministry of Defence and Mr. Aron Moss, an attache of the Israeli embassy in Washington, are together taking a leading role at a conference on SDI to be held there on March 13th-16th.

The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne)

My Lords, Dr. Stanley Orman is the director general of the SDI Participation Office in the Ministry of Defence and it is appropriate that he should have accepted an invitation to speak at this conference as part of his duties. It is not for Her Majesty's Government to explain why anyone who is not their representative has been invited to address the conference.

Lord Kennet

My Lords, does the appearance of the chief British SDI official and a principal Israeli SDI official at the same conference in Washington symbolise an undesirable and growing high-tech military alliance between this country and Israel which, whatever it is to the United States, is no ally of ours?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, no; it is not. The appearance of Dr. Orman at the conference does not symbolise any such thing.

Lord Graham of Edmonton

My Lords, can Her Majesty's Government say anything about the value of contracts that have so far been won by British firms? I am sure the Minister will recall that in 1985, when the agreements were reached, we were told that anything up to 1.5 billion dollars-worth of contracts would be given to this country under SDI. My information is that the figure is fewer than 100 million dollars at present. Can the Minister tell the House anything arising from the recent statement made by General Abrahamson about the delays that are likely to be experienced in the fulfilment of SDI? So far as concerns SDI, can we not say that such a project would be better lost in space?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, the SDI programme is a research programme to investigate the feasibility of some of the concepts which have been proposed; it is no more than that. As regards the value of contracts so far won by British organisations, they amount to some 60 million dollars spread over some 65 contracts. As I understand it, there are one or two significant contracts to be announced in the not too distant future.

Lord Kennet

My Lords, is it now the policy of Her Majesty's Government to assist in the arming of Israel? If not, why are they jointly engaged in military research programmes with Israel?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, we maintain tight restrictions on the export of military equipment to Israel because of the residual Israeli presence in Lebanese territory—a fact which the noble Lord will no doubt be aware of. We are not, however, involved in the type of programme with Israel that the noble Lord has suggested.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, can the Minister say what form of arms are being used by the Israelis to murder, slay and maim Arabs in Palestine and on the Gaza Strip?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I am not sure whether I followed the implications of the noble Lord's question with regard to the British Government. However, our views on what is happening in that part of the world have been made very clear.