§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the value of firm orders received from the United States of America to offset the £475 million which he has spent on United States aircraft.
§ Mr. HealeyThe arrangement with the United States Government has only recently been signed but invitations to tender are already coming in.
§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the value of the contracts for which British firms will receive invitations to tender from the United States Government as an offset to his purchases of £475 million for United States aircraft.
§ Mr. HealeyI fully expect that the U.S. Government will go on inviting British firms to tender for U.S. defence contracts without discrimination until the total of such contracts obtained by British firms reaches the agreed target figure of 325 million dollars. I hope that by then532W they will have acquired the habit of buying in the U.K. and will continue to invite tenders from this country.