§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the amounts of money which have been and are estimated to be spent on(a) developing and (b) producing the European fighter aircraft for each financial year, by each country involved in the project; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jonathan AitkenIt is not my Department's policy to give details of estimated project expenditure, derived from the long-term costing, which is designed for internal planning purposes. Expenditure by the United Kingdom each year since the beginning of the European fighter aircraft project is as follows:
Financial year Expenditure £ million revalued to 1992 economic conditions 1984–85 2 1985–86 3 1986–87 30 1987–88 68 1988–89 127 1989–90 151 1990–91 208 1991–92 366 11992–93 162 1 The figures for 1992–93 is expenditure to date. We do not maintain records of the progress of expenditure by our partners. The total cost to the four partner nations of developing EFA is estimated at about £8.5 billion, of which the United Kingdom share is about £2.7 billion.