§ Mr. Bryan DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what arrangements he is making to ensure the continued supply and maintenance of essential defence equipment provided by Ferranti;
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that orders placed with Ferranti will be supplied according to contract.
§ Mr. AitkenOfficials of my Department have held preliminary discussions with the receivers of Ferranti International, to see what can be done to minimise any54W disruption to the completion of our contracts. These discussions will continue. Longer-term arrangements for the supply and maintenance of equipment procured from Ferranti will be considered in the light of progress of the receivership.
§ Mr. Bryan DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implication of the entry into receivership of Ferranti for the ability of the United Kingdom armed forces to acquire equipment from domestic suppliers.
§ Mr. AitkenFor the immediate future, the receivers of Ferranti International have said that they wish to restore trading to near-normality as soon as possible. In the longer term, any effects on the availability of domestic suppliers of equipment for the armed forces will depend on the outcome of the receivership.