§ 6. Mr. Robert Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the current status of the experimental aircraft project.
§ Mr. PattieI refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave him on 1 November 1983.
§ Mr. AtkinsIs my hon. Friend aware of the continued and increasing concern of my constituents working in the British aerospace industry and of others throughout the country about this project? In view of the imminent decline in Tornado production, will he say something about the agreements made by the air staffs on the future European fighter aircraft and about the industrial cooperation that must follow if the project is to go ahead? Will he also give us some idea of the time scale?
§ Mr. PattieI am sure that the House will welcome the outline joint staff target signed on 16 December by the chiefs of air staff of the five participating countries. The importance of this is that it represents further progress than has ever been achieved before, in the sense that all the air forces have now agreed a common requirement. It is now time for all the industries concerned to play their part. I do not suggest that the process will be easy, but we believe that there are great advantages in a joint programme and we are working hard to that end.
§ Mr. Bill WalkerDoes my hon. Friend agree that in any aircraft purchasing the important thing is to ensure that the aircraft purchased is the most suitable to do the job for the Royal Air Force? Does he further agree that in considering this project it is important to ensure that the requirements of the RAF are not subjected to or negated by other requirements?
§ Mr. PattieI agree with my hon. Friend, but I remind him that one of the five signatories was the chief of air staff of the Royal Air Force, who recognised that the future requirements of the RAF were catered for in the outline staff target.