asked the Secretary of State for Defence what review his Department has recently undertaken of the operation of the quality assurance directorate at Woolwich; what conclusions were reached; and when the findings will be published.
As part of the review of Civil Service activities announced in Parliament on 11 June 1979—[Vol. 968, c. 68]—a study was set in hand under my chairmanship to review the work of all the quality assurance directorates and consider, subject to the maintenance of essential safety standards, the further scope for transferring quality assurance effort from the Ministry of Defence to Industry.A report of the results of this study is expected to be available very soon. It will be given a wide distribution, and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament. The staff side and trade union side of the Whitley Councils will be consulted.