asked the Secretary of State for Defence what quantity of titanium sponge has been purchased from the USSR for use in the manufacture of titanium for the MRCA.

The information requested by my hon. Friend is not available, but Russian sponge accounts for about 35 per cent. of the sponge used in the manufacture of titanium alloy for each Tornado being produced currently.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to persuade Great Britain's partners in the construction of the MRCA to obtain required supplies of titanium sponge from Great Britain, as the only producer of the material in Western Europe, rather than the USSR.

No. To do so would increase the cost of the aircraft.