§ Rachel SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for, and what progress has been made on, establishing a Defence Diversification Council. [2202]
§ Dr. MoonieI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 26 June 2001,Official Report, column 57W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer).
§ Rachel SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to establish funding to encourage technological innovation for defence diversification purposes. [2201]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Ministry of Defence (MOD) encourages the widest possible exploitation of defence technology by the civil sector. Since its establishment in 1999, the Defence Diversification Agency has fulfilled this role by encouraging, fostering and facilitating the cross fertilisation of technology between the UK defence and civil sectors. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 26 June 2001,Official Report, column 57W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer). We have decided to bring the Defence Diversification Agency into the MOD head office where it will be best placed to continue to deliver defence diversification following the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency public-private partnership and the formation of the new company QinetiQ on 1 July 2001. We have no plans to change the roles and responsibilities of the Defence Diversification Agency nor to establish a separate technological innovation fund.