HC Deb 04 July 1973 vol 859 cc149-51W
Dr. David Owen

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list the 50 leading defence contractors by value of their annual defence contracts for the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will specify the annual value of their contractual business with his Department or other relevant Government Departments during the period in question.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

The following table shows the 50 contractors which, during the three years to 31st March 1973, received the largest average annual payments from defence contracts. The table excludes contractors for defence works services, information on which is not immediately available:

Over £10 million

  • British Aircraft Corporation.
  • British Leyland.
  • British Petroleum.
  • EMI.
  • Ferranti.
  • General Electric Group.
  • Hawker Siddeley Group.
  • Joseph Lucas Industries.
  • Philips Group (MEL/Mullard/Pye).
  • Plessey.
  • Rolls-Royce (1971).
  • Rolls-Royce Turbomeca.
  • Vickers.
  • Westland Aircraft.
  • Under £10 million
  • Barr & Stroud.
  • British Electric Traction.
  • British Insulated Calender's Cables.
  • British Steel Corporation.
  • David Brown.
  • Cossor.
  • J. Compton Sons & Webb.
  • Decca.
  • Dowty Group.
  • Dunlop.
  • Esse
  • Flight Refuelling.
  • Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co.
  • Guest Keen & Nettlefold.
  • Hunting Associated Industries.
  • Hunting Gibson.
  • ICI.
  • Laird Group.
  • Link-Miles.
  • Marshalls of Cambridge (Engineering).
  • ML Holdings.
  • Racal Electronics.
  • Rank Organisation.
  • Shell.
  • Short Bros. & Harland.
  • Smiths Industries.
  • Sperry Rand.
  • Standard Telephones.
  • Swan Hunter Group.
  • Texaco.
  • Thorn Electric.
  • Ultra Electronics.
  • Vauxhall Motors.
  • Vosper.
  • Weir Group.
  • Yarrow.

Dr. David Owen

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the total number of firms entering into defence contracts with his Department or other relevant Government Departments for the last three years for which figures are available.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

Approximate figures for the two years ended 31st March 1973 are as follows: 1971–72, 4,400; 1972–73, 4,500. These figures exclude contractors holding minor contracts below £5,000 in individual value since these are no longer recorded centrally. Figures for earlier years include such firms and it would not therefore be possible to draw valid comparisons from them.

Dr. David Owen

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the total number of sub-contractors involved in working on defence contracts for the latest year for which an estimated figure can be given.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

The information requested is not available.

Dr. David Owen

asked the Minister of State for Defence what percentage of

1970–71 1971–72 1972–73
Type of Contract Number per cent. Value per cent. Number per cent. Value per cent. Number per cent. Value per cent.
Awarded following competition … 30 23 26 28 23 21
Awarded at Fixed Price following Single Tender … … … 45 23 33 22 35 21
Awarded non-competitively on a Price to be Agreed Basis … 25 54 41 50 42 58

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