HL Deb 01 July 2002 vol 637 cc10-1WA
Lord Tebbit

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether at the time of the signing of the contract with the Environmental Tectonics Corporation they were aware of any failures by the company to deliver on contracts to supply equipment of a similar kind to other customers. [HL4778]

Lord Bach

At the time of signing the contract for the RAF human centrifuge with the Environmental Tectonics Corporation the Ministry of Defence was unaware of any failures by that company to deliver on contracts to supply equipment of a similar kind to other customers.

Lord Tebbit

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the in-service date expected for the RAF human centrifuge project at the time of the signing of the contract with Environmental Tectonics Corporation. [HL4779]

Lord Bach

The contractual date at which the Environmental Tectonics Corporation human centrifuge was to have been taken into service by the Ministry of Defence was 28 October 1999. This date has remained unchanged since the signing of the contract.

Lord Tebbit

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they first became aware of the inability of Environmental Tectonics Corporation to fulfil the contract for the RAF human centrifuge, and [HL4780]

What is the total expenditure to date on the RAF human centrifuge project. [HL4781]

Lord Bach

This information is the subject of legal proceedings between the Ministry of Defence and the company and as a result I am withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 4 of theCode of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to legal proceedings.

Lord Tebbit

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any payments have been made to Environmental Tectonics Corporation in respect of the RAF human centrifuge project. [HL4782]

Lord Bach

I can confirm that, in accordance with the contract, payments have been made to the Environmental Tectonics Corporation in respect of the RAF human centrifuge project.

Lord Tebbit

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 29 May (WA150), whether the sentence "We anticipate that the costs for the new project will be in line with the original costs for the programme" is intended to mean that the total of the expenditure on the aborted contract to date and of the new proposed contract for the RAF human centrifuge will be no more than that expected for the original aborted contract. [HL4783]

Lord Bach

The meaning of the sentence "We anticipate that the costs for the new project will be in line with the original costs for the programme" is that the anticipated total expenditure on the new proposed contract for the RAF human centrifuge will be no more than that on the original aborted contract with Environmental Tectonics Corporation. This does not include payments made to ETC in accordance with the original contract prior to its termination, as these are currently the subject of legal proceedings.