§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many MOD contracts have been placed with Crossley Engines of Manchester in the past 10 years.
§ Mr. AitkenMy Department's direct contracts with the Crossley Engines division of NEI Allen Ltd. are for spares and repairs only. Complete engines would normally be supplied on a sub-contract basis through a prime contractor such as a shipbuilder.
To minimise administrative effort, both by my Department and the company, one enabling arrangement was set up in July 1990. This permits nominated officials to order spares from Crossley Engines as and when required, without having to negotiate separate contracts each time. Since July 1990, we have also placed 15 small contracts for special requirements outside the scope of the enabling arrangement.
Data on contracts before 1990 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.