§ Mr. Thurnhamasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the opportunities for private contractors in defence procurement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonSince 1979 increased defence expenditure and a more commercial approach on the part of MOD have created considerable opportunities for all sectors of British industry in defence procurement. To obtain best value for money and strengthen the defence industrial base, an increasing proportion of our requirements is met by competition for both direct and sub-contract work. We have taken a number of initiatives to widen the circle of knowledge and opportunity in defence procurement, including the recently launched MOD Contracts Bulletin advertising MOD contract opportunities, and the MOD small firms initiative.