HC Deb 17 January 1986 vol 89 c718W
Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the companies which are visiting or have visited the royal dockyards with a view to tendering for commercial management.

Mr. Norman Lamont

Representatives of the following companies are visiting or have visited one or both of the royal dockyards in pursuit of their interest in tendering for the management contracts:

  1. A&P Appledore
  2. Babcock International
  3. Balfour Beatty
  4. British Aerospace
  5. Foster Wheeler
  6. GEC
  7. Hawker Siddeley
  8. Northern Engineering Industries
  9. Plessey
  10. Press Offshore
  11. Seaforth Welding
  12. Taylor Woodrow
  13. Thorn-EMI
  14. Trafalgar House
  15. Tyne Ship Repair
  16. The Weir Group

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what talks have taken place with British Aerospace over the commercial management of the royal dockyards; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Norman Lamont

Discussions on a wide range of issues related to the introduction of commercial management into the royal dockyards have taken place between my Department and all the companies, including British Aerospace, which has expressed an interest in tendering for the management contracts.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those companies originally named as interested in the franchise for the royal dockyards and which have indicated they no longer wish to pursue their interest.

Mr. Norman Lamont

In his statement on 23 July at columns 867–868 my right hon. Friend the Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine) the former Secretary of State for Defence gave the names of some companies which had expressed interest in the Government's proposals to introduce commercial management into the royal dockyards. I gave the names of further such companies on 2 December during the Second Reading debate on the Dockyard Services Bill at column 34. Of these companies, Costain and STC have indicated that they no longer have an interest in bidding for the contract to manage the dockyards.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has had any discussions with management at Rosyth dockyard about the possibility of a bid for the franchise management of the dockyard; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Norman Lamont

I have had no substantive or formal discussion with the Rosyth dockyard management on this issue. During my visit to Rosyth on 9 December 1985 I drew the management's attention to developments at Devonport.