§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the then Ministry of Defence research establishment at Westcott was unable to fulfil its subcontract obligations to British Aerospace in respect of the ALARM missile rocket motor development; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SainsburyI refer the hon. Member to the evidence provided by British Aerospace to the Defence Committee, published as part of the Committee's fifth report for the 1987–88 Session. The subcontract on Royal Ordnance Westcott (formerly the propellants, explosives, and rocket motor establishment) was terminated by BAe, the ALARM prime contractor, because the motor could not predictably be developed in an acceptable time-scale or at an acceptable cost to meet the BAe requirement.