§ Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value of commercial orders placed by his Department with British Steel plc in each year from 1988 to 1995. [25819]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotIn the years concerned, the value of the orders placed directly with British Steel plc by the Department was:
£ 1988 36,000 1989 836,000 1990 168,000 1991 80,000 1992 2,330,000 1993 297,000 1994 42,000 1995 37,000 All figures are approximate. Most steel for the Ministry of Defence will be procured via MOD prime contractors for shipbuilding, tanks etcetera.