HC Deb 12 April 1988 vol 131 cc33-4W
Mr. Gale

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what collaborative equipment projects have been initiated within the countries of the Western European Union since 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Sainsbury

I have been asked to reply.

The active part that WEU nations play in both intra-European and transatlantic collaborative defence equipment projects can be seen from table 8 in Volume 1 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1987". In addition to those listed as In development of earlier study phases the M483A1 and MLRS phase 1 were initiated after 1983.

A further three projects have been launched since the statement was published:

  • Modular Stand-Off Weapons (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, US)
  • NATO Anti-Air Warfare System (Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, UK, US)
  • Family of Air Missiles (France, Italy, Spain, UK)