§ Mr. Wallasked the Minister of State for Defence what final arrangements have been made with France to cover the purchase of the Exocet missile ; and how much of its production will be carried out in this country.
§ Mr. Ian GilmourA contract has now been signed between Her Majesty's Government and Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale—S.N.I.A.S.—for the purchase of a number of Exocet missiles and associated equipments and services ; and also a Memorandum of Understanding between Britain and France, in which the French Government have underwritten the fulfilment of the contract terms. A substantial proportion of the British order will be manufactured in the United Kingdom ; and British firms will participate in the production of Exocet equipments for other customer countries.