§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the value of that part of the contract between his Department and Shorts Missile Systems that will be spent in the United Kingdom; [108749]
(2) how many high-velocity missiles are to be supplied by Shorts Missile Systems under their contract with his Department. [108748]
163W
§ Dr. MoonieThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 9 February 2000:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the value of that part of the contract between the Ministry of Defence and Shorts Missile Systems that will be spent in the United Kingdom. You also asked how many high velocity missiles are to be supplied by Shorts Missile Systems under their contract with the Department. These matters falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.I presume both questions refer to the High Velocity Missile contract placed on 6 December 1999. The value of that part of this contract that will be spent in the United Kingdom is 98% of the overall contract cost which as stated in the press release is around £200M. I am afraid that I am unable to let you know how many missiles have been ordered as it is considered that the release of this information would be harmful to our national security interests and would also be in breach of a third party's commercial confidences. I am therefore withholding this information under Exemption 1 (Defence, security and international relations) and Exemption 13 (Third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.