§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what penalty clauses are contained in the memorandum of understanding on the strategic defence initiative with the United States of America.
§ Mr. Norman LamontNone.
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§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence under what national authority United Kingdom companies involved in strategic defence initiative research will be regulated in respect of such research.
§ Mr. Norman LamontDepending on the nature of the contractural arrangements applicable to each piece of work placed in the United Kingdom either United States or United Kingdom law may apply.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether approval has been given to the visit of the team led by Paul Hopler from the Pentagon to survey British technology of potential value to the strategic defence initiative programme with a view to its classification.
§ Mr. Norman LamontNo request for such a visit has been made.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the extent to which the involvement of United Kingdom technologies in the strategic defence initiative would preclude their use in the European Esprit and Eureka programmes for civil purposes.
§ Mr. Norman LamontIt is my intention, through participation in the United States strategic defence initiative, to enhance the potential for the development of United Kingdom technologies for a wide range of applications including civil programmes of the kind referred to. This objective has been kept very much in mind in the preparation of the arrangements for participation and will remain so as programmes proceed.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what further implementing instructions were agreed on Monday 17 February by Professor Richard Norman and Lieutenant-General James Abrahamson regarding the strategic defence initiative.
§ Mr. Norman LamontThe document referred to covers administrative arrangements in support of the memorandum of understanding of 6 December 1985 for United Kingdom participation in the United States strategic defence initiative research.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Governments of France and Germany on United Kingdom participation in the strategic defence initiative programme.
§ Mr. Norman LamontDiscussions have taken place bilaterally where appropriate and within the Western European Union with member states about participation by the United Kingdom and other European allies in the United States strategic defence initiative research programme.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what he is doing to safeguard intellectual property rights for British universities and firms involved in the strategic defence initiative programme.
§ Mr. Norman LamontThe memorandum of understanding and supporting documentation related to British participation in the SDI research programme provide satisfactory safeguards on intellectual property rights for universities, research institutions and firms who may participate in the programme.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the role of Ford as 465W lead contractor with GEC Marconi as a subsidiary on a strategic defence initiative contract for computer and communications aspects of a defensive system to shield the West from a nuclear strike by the Soviet Union.
§ Mr. Norman LamontAs part of the SDI research programme, GEC Marconi has, during the last week, been awarded by Ford Aerospace and Communications two sub-contracts on battle management-C3. Ford is under contract to the United States Department of Defence.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the extent of the proposed involvement of Westland Research in composite materials in the strategic defence initiative programme on contracts led by UTG/ Sikorsky.
§ Mr. Norman LamontWestland is currently examining with the United States SDI organisation the possibility of obtaining United States-funded work in the area of composite materials as part of the SDI research programme.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has given approval to the United States Office of Naval Research for approaching British academic groups, such as those at Brunel, with a view to their participation in strategic defence initiative research programmes.
§ Mr. Norman LamontUnited States authorities do not require United Kingdom Government approval before approaching British academic groups.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the role of General Motors' subsidiary company Electronic Data Services and Logica UK in the strategic defence initiative programme.
§ Mr. Norman LamontI have no information on any such role.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to seek the advice on the feasibility of strategic defence initiative research from Professor Roger Needham of Cambridge, Professor Igor Alecksanders, John Darlington, and Robert Kowalski of Imperial college, London, and Professor Tony House of Oxford.
§ Mr. Norman LamontNo, although if any of the persons named in the question wishes to offer such advice, they are free to do so.