HC Deb 12 February 2001 vol 363 c51W
26. Mr. Blunt

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings his Department expects to realise from the Smart Procurement programme. [148243]

Dr. Moonie

Over the three successive annual planning rounds since the inception of the Smart Procurement Initiative, we have identified cost reductions attributable to Smart Procurement which total £2 billion over the ten-year period 1998 to 2008.

We expect to improve on this in the current and future planning rounds.

32. Ms Rosie Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs have been created as a result of procurement decisions announced since May 1997. [148249]

33. Helen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs he estimates have been(a) created and (b) sustained as a result of procurement decisions announced since May 1997. [148250]

Dr. Moonie

Over 60,000 new contracts are placed each year and the Ministry of Defence does not record the number of jobs created or sustained as a result of each individual procurement decision. However, it is estimated that the number of UK jobs dependent on defence expenditure and equipment exports was 355,000 in 1997–98 and 345,000 in 1998–99.

These figures are drawn from the Defence Analytical Service Agency report on UK Defence Statistics 2000, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.