§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on the UK's defence industries of the decision of Corus plc to restructure its steel production; [149878]
(2) what proportion of steel in the production of military goods is sourced from the UK; [150209]
(3) what recent discussions he has had with Corus plc concerning the sourcing of steel from the UK for military production. [150208]
§ Dr. MoonieMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no discussions with Corus plc concerning the sourcing of steel from the UK for military production. We have not made any assessment of the impact on the UK's defence industries of the decision of Corus plc to restructure its steel production. Steel is a raw material and as such is not, in the main, purchased directly by the Ministry of Defence, but rather by the manufacturer of the end product. It is the responsibility of the relevant supplier to purchase the necessary steel from the source it considers offers the best long-term value for money, whether from UK or overseas suppliers. We have no reason to believe that the recent changes by Corus will affect their ability to do this. In view of this it is not possible to say what proportion of steel in the production 567W of military goods is sourced from the UK as this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.