§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to order Trident missiles before the Strategic Defence Review is concluded. [5608]
§ Mr. SpellarAs my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence told the House on 16 June,(Official Report, Columns 9 and 10), procurement business will proceed as normally as possible during the Strategic Defence Review. Where procurement decisions on major equipment programmes are required before the Review is concluded, and this will include the seven Trident missiles planned to be ordered in US Fiscal Year 1998, they will be considered on their individual merits and in relation to progress with the Review.