HC Deb 20 January 1977 vol 924 cc271-2W
Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, pursuant to his statement that as far as practicable all public corporations and local authorities should adopt a policy of buying British—Official Report, 10th January, c. 1051—he will state: (a) to what extent he intends this advice to override financial objectives set for public corporations and (b) to what extent he intends local authorities to incur increased costs as a result of using British equipment in those cases where it is less economic so to do; and if he will define the word British in this context, and, in particular, whether British means made in Great Britain by a British company only, or made in Great Britain by a foreign company, or made abroad by a British company.

Mr. Les Huckfield

Recognition of a product as "British" depends on the proportion of value added to it in the United Kingdom. Central and local government and nationalised industries are fully aware of the need to pursue value for money in their purchasing decisions.