§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his plans for the future management of the royal dockyards; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the final report prepared on the royal dockyards by his former personal adviser Mr. Peter Levene.
§ Mr. LeeNo. Mr. Levene's report and subsequent studies are part of the process of providing advice to Ministers.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the alternative report to that of Mr. Peter Levene prepared by the chief executive dockyards.
§ Mr. LeeNo such report exists although our present deliberations on the future arrangements for the dockyards are wide-ranging.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many defence manufacturers approached by Mr. Peter Levene with a view to their interest in running the royal dockyards were (a) shipbuilding and ship repair firms and (b) other manufacturing firms.
§ Mr. LeeAbout three quarters of the firms in the defence industry sector approached by Mr. Levene are involved in the manufacture or repair of ships or their systems.