§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from BAE Systems regarding the Government's competitive procurement strategy for the Type 45 destroyer; and if he will make a statement. [142562]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 14 December 2000]: The BAE Systems Type 45 Prime Contractor and Ministry of Defence have received an unsolicited proposal from BAE Systems Marine concerning the procurement approach to the Type 45 programme. The proposal will be evaluated and the MOD will consult with other interested Departments before coming to a conclusion. This process will take some months. In the meantime, the current competitive procurement strategy remains.