§ 22. James PurnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on defence procurement policy and British manufacturing. [150175]
§ Mr. IngramIt is the Government's policy to provide the armed forces with the capabilities which they require at the best value for money for the taxpayer. As the Defence Industrial Policy that my right hon. Friend launched with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in October 2002 makes clear, we take fully into66W account the benefit to the United Kingdom economy from defence expenditure, and we seek to encourage a healthy and globally competitive UK defence industry.