§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average time taken by his Department to assess procurement tenders and decide on contract awards in each of the last five years. [17551]
§ Mr. FreemanThe information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what undertakings he is seeking from United States manufacturers for offset work in the United Kingdom, in relation to orders placed with United States manufacturers of defence equipment. [18074]
§ Mr. FreemanIt is our policy to seek offset work in the United Kingdom whenever we make a major procurement—over £10 million—from the United States. Letters of agreement, underpinning the offset commitment, are concluded between ourselves and the contractor and form the basis for monitoring progress in meeting the offset obligations.