HC Deb 02 February 1987 vol 109 cc516-7W
Mrs. Clwyd

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, pursuant to his answer of 26 January, Official Report, column 131, agreement has now been reached with the Public Accounts Committee regarding early warning from his Department to the Committee of projects during project definition which are likely to exceed the £250 million expenditure limit; and how, in this context, projects in respect of which it would not be in the public interest to reveal details, are treated.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Defence equipment projects appear in the major project statement when they have been authorised for full development or production and meet the appropriate cost criteria; and since 1983, in response to the request of the Public Accounts Committee, projects which are expected at some stage to meet the criteria have been noted separately in the statement when they have incurred expenditure exceeding £10 million up to the end of project definition.

In its 35th report, 1985–86, the Public Accounts Committee expressed the wish that as much as possible of the information in future statements should be published and my Department in its response gave an undertaking that we would do our best to facilitate this. In the major project statement for 1986, therefore, we have separately annotated those details which are sensitive from the security or commercial standpoint and seek the Committee's co-operation in preventing their public disclosure.

Mrs. Clwyd

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the date for the submission of the major projects statement to the Public Accounts Committee each year; and what is the timing and procedure for informing the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of any project which would qualify for inclusion in the major projects statement but which cannot be submitted to the Public Accounts Committee as a whole due to considerations of national security.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

There is no set date for submission of the major project statement to the Public Accounts Committee. The statement is submitted to the Committee towards the end of the calendar year. In the case of a project which is excluded from the major project statement on grounds of national security, the National Audit Office would be informed by the time when, but for national security considerations, the project would have been included in the statement for the first time; and would have continuing access to the relevant papers. It would then be for the Comptroller and Auditor General to decide when to inform the Chairman of the PAC.

Mrs. Clwyd

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any criteria relating to the precise stage a project has reached apply to the inclusion of such a project in the major projects statement submitted annually to the Public Accounts Committee, over and above the cost criteria specified in his answer of 26 January, Official Report, column 131.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Defence equipment projects appear in the major project statement when they have been authorised for full development or production and meet the appropriate cost criteria; since 1983, in response to the request of the Public Accounts Committee, projects which are expected at some stage to meet the criteria have been noted separately in the statement when they have incurred expenditure exceeding £10 million up to the end of project definition.

In its 35th report, 1985–86, the Public Accounts Committee expressed the wish that as much as possible of the information in future statements should be published and in my Department in its response gave an undertaking that we would do our best to facilitate this. In the major project statement for 1986, therefore, we have separately annotated those details which are sensitive from the security or commercial standpoint and seek the Committee's co-operation in preventing their public disclosure.