§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what alternative systems to Project Horizon are available to the Royal Navy; [66749]
(2) what representations he has received from European partners concerning Project Horizon; [66755]
(3) what departmental funds have been spent to date on Project Horizon; [66750]
(4) what plans he has for his Department's future participation in Project Horizon. [66754]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 21 January 1999]: The Common New Generation Frigate, CNGF, is a French/Italian/UK collaborative project, comprising of two programmes, the Horizon warship and the Principal Anti-Air Missile System—PAAMS. We have achieved satisfactory progress on PAAMS with our partners, but we require urgent and similar progress on the Horizon warship. We are looking to a successful outcome to the current difficulties; an affordable, effective warship and the establishment of a robust industrial structure to manage the development and build of the warship and its systems. The National Armament Directors met on 14 January 1999 to discuss, among other things, progress on CNGF. No final decisions have been taken, and industry has been asked to provide definitive responses on the areas of concern. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence intends to meet his French and Italian counterparts shortly to discuss these issues further. Clearly, if rapid progress on these matters is not forthcoming, we would need to consider the option of alternative strategies, including a national warship, to 9W ensure that the Royal Navy's requirement is fulfilled. The departmental spend on the Horizon programme to the 31 December 1998 was £75 million. The majority of this spend was on feasibility and assessment Studies.