§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department intends to place in the Library the demonstration and manufacture contract for the A400M with Airbus Military Company. [31105]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 29 January 2002]: The A400M development and manufacture contract between OCCAR (acting as agent for the eight nations participating in the A400M programme) and Airbus Military was signed on 18 December 2001 but it will not be effective until German participation receives appropriate Bundestag approval. As the contract is a commercial arrangement, and involves relations with other governments, I plan to withhold it in accordance with Exemptions one and 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relate to international relations and third party's commercial confidences.