§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) of 9 July,Official Report, column 130, (1) if he will publish a similar table covering the sale of Government-to-Government warlike platforms; and if he will define the term warlike platform; [38208]
(2) if he will state if the sales included (a) special clothing and (b) laundry or decontamination equipment for biological and chemical protection. [38207]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThese are matters for the Disposal Sales Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Keith Ellender to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 24 July 1996:
427WI am replying to your Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence, asked in response to the Answer given to the Honourable Member for Pendle on 9th July, Official Report, Column 130. These matters fall within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Disposal Sales Agency.The question to which my answer of 9 July referred, related to surplus uniforms, other clothing and non-combat equipment. In order to respond to the question, the term non-combat equipment was deemed to exclude Government to Government sales of ships, aircraft, armoured vehicles, artillery, missiles, ammunition and other armaments. The figures requested for these sales are as follows:
Financial year £ million 1990–91 16.8 1991–92 8.2 1992–93 21.6 1993–94 39.1 1994–95 23.3 1995–96 38.6 The figures given in my earlier answer did not include sales of laundry or decontamination equipment for biological and chemical protection. Nor did they include sales of special clothing, if special clothing is to be interpreted as Nuclear Biological and Chemical clothing.