Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what national industrial capabilities he has identified as requiring protection and retention for strategic military purposes. [11771]

Mr Gerald Howarth MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence: The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) will form the baseline for determining the capabilities that we need, now and in the future. After the SDSR has been completed in the autumn, and before the end of the year, we intend to publish a Green Paper on our defence industry and technology policy. The Green Paper will build on the SDSR conclusions, and ongoing discussions with industry and others. There will then be a wider consultation process with Parliament, industry and academia before we bring forward a White Paper in spring 2011. This will formally set out our new approach to industry and technology, including setting out our sovereignty requirements and how we will seek to safeguard associated industrial technologies.