§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid by his Department after it assumed responsibility for contract payments in the RoRo strategic sealift programme. [85383]
§ Dr. MoonieIn March 2001 the Ministry of Defence assumed responsibility for the contracts for the two RoRo vessels to be built at Harland and Wolff and made its first payments in respect of the contracts. The payments amounted to some £3.7 million in respect of the first ship and £3.8 million for the second. As both ships are now nearing completion the total sums paid are approaching the contract prices originally agreed between the shipbuilder and the service provider. Total payments are commercially sensitive and I am withholding this information in accordance with20W Exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to effective management and operations of the public services.