HC Deb 24 February 1987 vol 111 cc212-3W
32. Mr. Stan Thorne

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he will be ordering new support helicopters for the Royal Air Force.

55. Mr. Gerald Howarth

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his decision regarding the acquisition of support helicopters.

Mr. Younger

I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown).

68. Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to safeguard the helicopter industrial base and, in particular Westland pic, through his future ordering programme.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The Government addressed the defence implications of the future of Westland pic last year (Cmnd. 9916) in their response to the third and fourth reports of the House of Commons Defence Committee. As we said in the response, the pursuit of value for money in defence procurement takes full account of the longer term considerations which bear on the continued existence of companies or capabilities within the defence industrial base.

With regard to the future ordering programme for helicopters, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Member for Yeovil.

69. Mr. Wilkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has considered the project definition study of the proposed NH90 collaborative helicopter; and whether he can now make a statement of his Department's intentions on funding British industrial participation in this aircraft.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Our studies are virtually complete and a decision will be announced shortly.