HC Deb 25 July 1990 vol 177 cc299-300W
Mr. Paice

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has placed a contract for the maintenance of the Royal Air Force Tristar fleet.

Mr. Alan Clark

I am pleased to say that, following intense competition, a contract has been awarded to Marshall of Cambridge (Engineering) Limited. The batch of Tornado aircraft will not be authorised, and further announcements will be made shortly regarding additional savings identified during the temporary bar which are now judged to be necessary.

The temporary bar and the civilian recruitment ban have now been replaced by arrangements whereby all new commitments are scrutinised particularly closely to ensure that the defence cash limit for the current year is not breached.