Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 17 October, what are the financial implications of his decision to(a) cancel the eighth batch of Tornado aircraft and (b) slow production of the Warrior armoured infantry fighting vehicle and its variants.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkI estimate that the cancellation of the eighth batch of Tornado aircraft will save around £400 million in total. The details of the financial implications of slowing down production of the Warrior armoured fighting vehicle and its variants are commercially confidential.
Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which equipment procurement programmes, whose total value is expected to be greater than £100 million, have been either delayed, cancelled, or reduced in size since 1 June.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIn addition to the two projects named in my answer of 17 October, I have decided since 1 June that the delivery programmes for two others with a total value of over £100 million should be extended. These are the Challenger replacement armoured repair and recovery vehicle and demountable rack off-loading and pick-up system.
Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the approximate production rate of the Warrior armoured infantry fighting vehicle and its variants prior to his decision to slow production; and what it will be as a result of his decision.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe effect of the decision to slow production of the Warrior armoured fighting vehicle and its variants on the rate of production is commercially confidential.