§ Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknishasked Her Majesty's Government:
For each propellant currently supplied to the Armed Forces from the Royal Ordnance factory at Bishopton, what is the intended future source of these propellants after the closure of the plant, indicating for each if a contract has been entered into, and what guarantees have been given as to the secure continuity of supplies. [HL852]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Gilbert)Further to my answer of 28 January (WA 165), the supply of sub-components, including propellant, for equipment supplied under existing MOD contracts is a matter for Royal Ordnance and other prime contractors until completion of the contract. Future MOD requirements for propellant will be subject to procurement decisions in due course. We expect that alternative sources of propellant will be available from friendly and reliable sources in Europe, or further afield. Suitable arrangements will be made to ensure security of supply of equipment and ammunition.