Defence: Industrial Strategy - Question

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 3:03 pm on 27 February 2017.

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Photo of Lord Sterling of Plaistow Lord Sterling of Plaistow Conservative 3:03, 27 February 2017

My Lords, I totally agree with the comments of the noble Lord, Lord West. There is a big difference between cost, which this country has got so used to using as a measure, and value for money. What has been lacking for many years—I know the noble Lord, Lord Levene, feels very strongly about this as well—is a long-term relationship with industry. You cannot expect people to employ engineers, and get thousands of subcontractors and universities involved without long-term relationships. Does the Minister agree that that is a way forward? After all, the United States of America, Russia and China all have huge sovereign industry and it certainly seems to serves them well.