§ Mr. Woodnuttasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of machine tools ordered from overseas manufacturers to the total value of £480,000 for Royal Ordnance factories 371W during the current year; and if he will state the purchase price of each machine and the reasons for not placing the orders with British manufacturers.
§ Mr. EnnalsThirty-four Machine Tools have been ordered for the Royal Ordnance Factories from overseas manufacturers during the current year. The orders were placed overseas either as a result of competitive tendering or because no suitable British machine tool was available.
It is not the policy to disclose the price paid for each machine.