§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the numbers of Eurofighters and the timing of their delivery will be included for consideration in his Department's Fundamental Expenditure Review. [16978]
§ Mr. SpellarThe Strategic Defence Review will be the Ministry of Defence's contribution to the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review. It is our intention to order Eurofighter according to the conditions and numbers previously announced; the first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in December 2001. We are already committed to the purchase of 232 Eurofighter. Eurofighter might be a cost-effective replacement for the Harrier GR7, although no decision needs to be taken yet. Decisions taken during the Defence Review could affect this.