HC Deb 04 May 2004 vol 420 c1451W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which procurement decisions in each of the last five years have not been made solely on the basis of best value for money. [169703]

Mr. Ingram

As I said in my reply of 3 November 2003,Official Report, column 427W, value for money is a fundamental factor in all our procurement decisions. In assessing value for money we take account of the long-term implications of decisions, including their industrial and wider economic impact. As set out in the Government's Defence Industrial Policy, we seek to maximise the economic benefit to the United Kingdom from our defence expenditure, a healthy and globally competitive defence industry and the development of a high value technologically-skilled industrial base, consistent with the Government's wider manufacturing strategy.

Information on all procurement decisions taken throughout the Department is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.