Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Ministerial Working Group announced in the White Paper National Security Through Technology, Cmd 8278.

Defence and procurement issues have been considered by relevant Government Departments, rather than formerly through the Ministerial Working Group. The Group remains available, if needed, to consider cross-Government aspects of the new approach.

A Defence and Security Export Ministerial Working Group has been established under the chairmanship of the Secretary of State for Defence to co-ordinate Defence Export issues across Government.