§ Mr. Tebbitasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the names of those outside the Civil Service who are employed or retained to advise him on matters concerned with the aerospace industry together with the qualifications which they possess for tendering such advice.
§ Mr. MeacherA small number of firms and individuals outside the Civil Service are paid to advise my right hon. Friend on these matters, but he has also received views and helpful advice from a great many people, for example in response to the consultation document on aircraft industry nationalisation.
§ Mr. Tebbitasked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many of the civil servants in his department who advise him on matters concerned with the aerospace industry have had experience of working in that industry;
(2) how many of the civil servants in his Department who advise him on matters 316W concerned with the aerospace construction industry have technical qualifications relevant to the work of that industry.
§ Mr. MeacherWithin the Department of Industry there are about 45 civil servants advising on matters concerned with the aerospace construction industry who have technical qualifications relevant to the work of that industry. One-third of these have been directly employed within the industry at some time in their careers. Under the arrangements set up in 1971 the responsibility for detailed technical assessments and advice to the Department of Industry on aerospace matters fall largely to the Procurement Executive of the Ministry of Defence.