§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers and Defence Ministry civil servants have joined firms with contracts to supply arms to the Ministry of Defence in the last five years to date; and if he will consider making it a requirement on becoming a senior officer or senior civil servant that joining such firms after retirement or resignation is prohibited without specific Government sanction.
§ Mr. MasonThe number of officers and Defence Ministry civil servants who have been granted permission to do so is as follows:
Serving Officers 1971–72 14 1972–73 15 1973–74 34 1974–75 13 1975–76 21 Civil Servants 1971–72 7 1972–73 21 1973–74 30 1974–75 22 1975–76 6 (includes officers down to Lieutenant-Commander, Major, Squadron Leader, Executive Officer and equivalents).
The requirement to seek approval exists. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 4th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Brown).—[Vol. 907, c. 691–3.]