§ Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the Boeing offset offer for an airborne early warning system includes the large orders already placed or in the pipeline (a) at Shorts of Belfast for civil airliner parts and (b) at Rolls-Royce for engines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe precise way in which the Boeing company proposes to fulfil its offset commitment in the event that we decide to buy the E-3A airborne early warning system is a matter for it, but we would seek to ensure that as high a percentage as possible of such work was related to high technology defence industry.
§ Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in the financial comparison between the Nimrod and 440W AWACS airborne surveillance systems, both tenders will be treated equally in respect of currency exchange, taxes and funding costs; what allowance he proposes to make for the airborne warning and control system purchase being in United States dollars; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe assessment of the cost of the two systems has been done with due regard to all these factors.
§ Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to how many right hon. and hon. Members have flown on the airborne warning and control system aircraft since they have been in service with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe information sought is not available.