§ Mr. Sayeedasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy, in reaching a decision on any competition between Swan Hunter Shipbuilders and Harland and Wolff for a contract for an AOR vessel, to disregard the element in Harland and Wolff's costings which he assesses is attributable to subsidies either from Government or European sources; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeThe Ministry of Defence's policy is to place warship contracts, wherever practicable, by competitive tendering, and to obtain best value for money for the defence budget. Where a tenderer is publicly owned, the question whether subsidies are applied to tenders is a matter for the sponsor Department; the Northern Ireland Office in the case of Harland and Wolff.