§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the impact on employment in the UK if the European Meteor team loses their bid in the BVRAAM UK competition. [95456]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThe Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM) competition is being run by the Ministry of Defence, with the Department of Trade and Industry being involved in the consideration of the industrial implications of the procurement. It would be inappropriate to publish material derived from information provided by companies to both MOD and 281W DTI as part of a competitive bidding process. Our assessment considers the impact of the competing bids on the development of significant industrial and technological capabilities in the UK. The impact on employment levels in the UK is only one element of this.