HC Deb 17 December 1975 vol 902 c652W
Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many civilians, and of what skills, are at present involved in British defence projects in each standard industrial region and in each standard industrial grouping;

(2) how many civilians, of what skills and in which locations, are engaged in the development and production of arms for export;

(3) how many civilians are at present involved for the majority of their working hours in developing and manufacturing the anti-submarine warfare cruiser; and how many of these people are classified as professional, skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled for this project in each standard industrial region.

Mr. Mason

Firms engaged in defence projects either as contractors or subcontractors are not required to report this information.

Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians are at present involved for the majority of their working hours in developing and manufacturing the multirole combat aircraft; and how many of these people are classified as professional, skilled, semiskilled and unskilled for this project in each standard industrial region.

Mr. Mason

At present some 5,500 BAC workers are employed on the airframe, mainly in Lancashire, and about 4,000 Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited workers are engaged on the engine, mainly at Bristol. In addition there are a large number of subcontractors working on the MRCA throughout the country. It is not possible to classify those employed in the way my hon. Friend asks.

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