§ Sir Patrick Wallasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Sea Harrier orders to replace those lost in the Falkland Islands campaign have now been placed.
§ Mr. PattieI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) on 21 October 1982 on this subject.—[Vol. 29, c.196.] I am still hopeful that price negotiations on the 14 aircraft we intend to purchase, which include seven to replace losses, will be completed before the end of this year. Meanwhile preliminary orders have been placed to enable work to commence.