HL Deb 07 June 2004 vol 662 cc8-9WA
Lord Astor of Hever

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What technologies in the defence industry are considered to be critical to national security or imperative for defence capability. [HL2996]

Lord Bach

The Government's defence industrial policy, published in October 2002, is aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the UK defence industry, while continuing to provide the Armed Forces with high quality equipment at best value for money. There are a very small number of capabilities which for national security reasons we place a high priority on retaining within the United Kingdom industrial base. Examples exist in the fields of nuclear technology, defence against biological, chemical and radiological warfare, and some counter-terrorist capabilities.