HL Deb 15 December 1994 vol 559 cc140-1WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What, if any, limits are put on the rights of the United Kingdom Armed Forces officers who have taken up appointments with companies in the defence field to make use of the information they obtained while under service with the Crown.

Lord Henley

All are bound by the Official Secrets Acts and, in addition, they may be restricted from participating in certain projects with which they were associated during their service with the department.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether United Kingdom Armed Forces officers who have taken up appointments with companies in the defence industry remain under any duty to the Crown either to refrain from passing information to their new employers or to share with the Crown any information they obtain in their new employment which would be beneficial to the Crown.

Lord Henley

All are bound by the Official Secrets Act and by any restriction which the department may have placed on their application for employment with the prospective employer. They are under no obligation to pass on to the department any information which might be beneficial to the Crown.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many of the 2,088 United Kingdom Armed Forces Officers who since 1984 have taken up appointments with companies in the defence industry (Mr. Freeman's written Answer, House of Commons Hansard, 8th December, cols. 309–310) have taken up appointments with foreign-owned or foreign-based companies; and how many have taken up appointments with Boeing, Lockheed, Martin Marietta, McDonnell Douglas, Northrop Grumman, Thyoccol, United Technologies, Honeywell, Lytton Industries, Loral, Raytheon and Westinghouse.

Lord Henley

My department keeps no record of this information.