§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the RAND study into warship procurement; and if he will make a statement. [57347]
§ Mr. IngramPursuant to my reply to the hon. Member on 16 July 2001,Official Report, columns 1–2W, RAND have completed their study into alternative procurement strategies for the Ministry of Defence's future warship programme. Interim results from the study helped inform the MOD's decision to proceed with a revised procurement strategy for the type 45 destroyer, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 10 July 2001, Official Report, columns 675–85.
It was originally planned that RAND would publish a report of their findings last autumn. However, it has taken them longer than expected to produce it for a variety of reasons, including a redirection of effort to undertake 172W more urgent work into shipbuilding strategies for the future carrier and disruption caused by the events of 11 September. RAND have also been at pains to produce the best possible report and have accordingly engaged in detailed consultation with interested parties over its content. The report is now very close to being finalised and is scheduled for publication this June.