§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action is being taken by his Department(a) to monitor the amount and completion of offset defence purchasing agreements and (b) to assess the percentage of the agreements that are made as opposed to the amount agreed at the signing of the purchasing contract. [1631]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotCompanies with offset obligations are required to submit reports to my Department every six months, detailing relevant contracts awarded to the United Kingdom defence industry during the reporting period. A full audit of these reports is conducted in order to establish the validity of the claims and to ensure that the companies are complying with the terms and conditions of their offset commitment. All obligations entered into have been achieved within the period agreed.