§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the multi-rôle combat aircraft the Government have on order; what was the original unit cost of these aircraft; and what is the latest estimated unit cost for the scheduled time of delivery.
495W
§ Mr. William RodgersNo orders for production aircraft have yet been placed although the present requirement is for 385 aircraft.
In 1969 the unit cost was estimated at £1.5 million at current prices. At 1969 prices the unit cost is now estimated at £2.1 million or £4.96 million, allowing for inflation and fluctuations in exchange rates. I cannot speculate on the extent to which similar changes may affect the unit price at the time of delivery.