Royal Navy

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:55 pm on 16 February 1995.

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Photo of Mr Derek Fatchett Mr Derek Fatchett , Leeds Central 4:55, 16 February 1995

The right hon. Gentleman has raised an interesting point about diversification, and I will answer it. However, I should like to tease out of the Minister the view that he expressed in the early part of that intervention.

I believe that the Minister said that it is not the Government's responsibility to use taxpayers' money to help restructure industry—I would not want to misquote him. I understand that: the Government may have a role, but not in terms of making available taxpayers' money. The Government have accepted that, because of their decision to refer the VSEL case to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

I want to tease from the Minister the extent to which the Government see themselves as having a responsibility to restructure Britain's defence industries, either in line with some European process or in another way which sees Britain standing alone, or perhaps in some alliances across the Atlantic with United States companies. That is the important issue. In that way, the Government would be using not taxpayers' money but their own good offices. I want to know what the Government's direction is.