§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning industrial participation in procurement purchases from abroad; when industrial participation is to be sought; what assessment he has made of his Department's industrial participation policy; and if he will make a statement. [21886]
§ Mr. FreemanUntil international defence procurement can occur on a fully open reciprocal basis, the Government pursue a policy of asking foreign companies bidding for United Kingdom orders generally to offset the cost of such orders with work placed in the UK. Consequently my Department takes care to ensure that industrial participation proposals by foreign companies are carried through and involve high quality work being placed with UK companies. Our policy is currently to seek industrial participation proposals on procurement purchases from abroad on purchases over £10 million—£50 million in the case of France—while seeking to negotiate bilateral mutual84W waivers of IP requirements with members of the western European armaments group.