§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the efficacy of(a) European joint procurement structures and (b) domestic procurement structures. [96227]
§ Mr. Hoon[holding answer 28 October 1999]: The UK has procurement programmes managed by both the Organisation Conjointe de Co-operation en matier d'Armement (OCCAR) and the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA), the latter being a NATO agency. Both provide a valuable service in the management of co-operative programmes and we expect to see OCCAR expand its operations next year following achievement of legal status.
As for domestic procurement structures, I have every confidence that the Smart Procurement initiative, together with new Defence Procurement Agency and Defence Logistics Organisation, will match the expectations of the Strategic Defence Review.