§ Mr. Warrenasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the draft Memorandum of Understanding on the 14W US/United Kingdom "Harpoon" project; and if he will undertake to publish the final version after signature so that all British companies can be made aware of the business opportunities it produces against which they can enter bids.
§ Dr. GilbertA Memorandum of Understanding relating to the procurement of "Sub Harpoon" is still under negotiation with the United States Government. The negotiations are confidential. The question of publishing the final text has yet to be decided although it has not been the normal practice to publish such memoranda in the past. If in due course the memorandum is signed, there will be a wide range of sub contract work for which United Kingdom firms can compete. Information on these opportunities, which would not be given in the Memorandum of Understanding itself, is already being made available to British industry; and only this week the United States "Harpoon" prime contractor, McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation and its major sub-contractors, gave a presentation to about 100 representatives of United Kingdom companies.