§ 8. Mr. Michael Jack (Fylde)If he will make a statement on the prospects for selling surplus Hawk aircraft to India. [50947]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Dr. Lewis Moonie)The Government currently have no plans to sell surplus Hawk aircraft to India.
§ Mr. JackThe Minister has been very courteous, as have his colleagues in both the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Trade and Industry, when I have raised issues relating to the prospect of the United Kingdom's obtaining an order for up to 60 Hawk aircraft from the Indian Government, but we seem to be continually marched to the top of the hill and down again. Can the Minister bring us up to date on the present state of negotiations, and can he confirm that in his judgment there are no financial, operational or work-share barriers to the securing of the order once the Indian Government have made up their mind that they want the aircraft?
§ Dr. MoonieIn answer to the final part of the right hon. Gentleman's question, I can assure him that that is the case.
660 We are, to an extent, in the hands of British Aerospace and India, as the order is a matter of negotiation between them. The Government continue to support British Aerospace's efforts to export Hawk trainers to India, but, as I have said, the decision currently rests with the Indian Government. Until they make up their mind, I can only say that no contract has been signed and no application for an export licence has been received.